
          NYork 15 Dec 1851


 Dear Dr Gray,


 Did you ever realise
 what it was to be the owner of
 an Elephant? first fancy one,
 full-grown, looking to be stabled
 in your green-house, to pop out of
 some corner of a S. African package
 of plants & you will conceive the
 mingled admiration & dismay with
 which I looked at the long array
 of Ericas - 186 in number. After
 recovery from my stupefaction
 I took D. C. & made out a list
 of the 425 species there recorded &
 then looked over my acquisition
 * just numbers on the labels,
 checked off my list & arranged them
 in 8 or 10 genus holders numbered
 on the covers - But a considerable
 number not in D. C. appeared.
 These I must intercolate
 if possible or they will be of no
 use - But how I am to do it?
        