
          Royal Gardens,
Kew, Aug. 18, 1854.

My dear Dr. Torrey

I am quite sorry the treaty 
for housing the "Great Californian
Tree" has failed. I
suppose the Company considered
the price asked for
it would be enormous, &
at any rate they would not
care to purchase that which
they had not the opportunity
of seeing. Indeed many
strangers, I mean those not
interested in the property of
The C. Palace, conceive that
the enormous sums expended
upon it, can never bring
an adequate return. Here is
        