
          Cambridge 8th may 1848


 My Dear Doctor


 Yesterday I sent to Grant at
 Wileys for you a parcel containing
 some Linnaeas received from Hamburgh, your
 copy of Seubert on Elatine, and a bound copy of
 the Genera Flore Am. Bor. Orientalis Illustrata which
 I ask you to accept and which I trust you
 will like. There is also a specimen enclosed of
 some vegetable product that has lately become
 somewhat common here, and which I thought
 you might like to examine. It is apparently
 of a rather complicated structure, in fruit evidently,
 but syncarpous; the heterogenous and baccate
 or fleshy ovaries being immersed without apparent order
 in a farinaceous receptacle. If you should
 be at all puzzled with it, and can't find out
 to what particular family it belongs, you
 might call in the aid of Mrs. Torrey and
 the girls, to aid in the investigation. I dare say
 you will make it out.

        