
          [in pencil at upper right: (c. 1848)]
 Monday morning 25 Sept.


 Dear Doctor


 I began my work this
 dark morning by reporting progress
 of which I have made but very
 little & that is soon told. My pile of
 unarranged plants hold its own like flint.
 I have promised to let Mrs Mills take
 out to Ceylon 300 or 400 for which she
 is to return me native plants. These
 I take out as I put others in. I first
 went over all my new acquisitions,
 writing labels, & studying species a
 very little, & distributing them into
 six piles. Of these I have finally arranged
 from Ranunculaceae to Leguminasae,
 inclusive. From the same
 space I have laid out for Mrs Mills
 75 specimens. To-day I hope to get to
 [Conius?], but I am so often delayed
 that it is not much use to hope.
 Friends from abroad used up almost
 all of Saturday & will take most of
 same day this week. That Sabbath School
 makes greater drafts on my strength
 than on my time. It is nearly as
 hard as preaching _
        