
          is thought equal to it, that springs up in the pastures for
cows that give milk. Besides it comes like a true friend
in a [?] winters day in defiance of frost and storms.

The small collection that I send you was
mostly made in the [latterly?] part of the summer and in the
fall of the year for I found it almost impossible
to dry plants here in the spring and early part of summer
on account of the dampness of the climate. And you
will readily perceive the disadvantages that I labor under
as occasional absence from my room for a day will frequently
spoil the attempts that I make to procure good
specimens. I have encouraged some others in the [?]
soon to take an interest in botanical science and specifically
so far as relates to the state and am generally 
in hopes that another season I shall be able to furnish
you a much better collection.

I am truly obliged for the information you
gave me relative to that Maclura aurantiaca. I had though
that the analogy was bery strong in many respects to the
mulberry and had even engrafted it or [budded?] it from
that tree previous to receiving your letter but was not
successful in having it to grow.

I send you some more of the [?] as you
chose to term it but I think that it differs somewhat
from that family of animal remains.

The [?] as a general characteristic is formed
around a solid axis of carbonate of lime whilst these animals
have formed about a hollow axis besides the stalactite and
the stalagmites have evidently been form since the [?]
of the animal by the dripping of water through the apertures
        