
          Utica June 15th 1837

Dear Sir,

I have received your letter of the 1st Inst.
and have ever since been engaged in collecting
specimens of plants and sections of trees and shrubs
as you wished me to do. It is however to be regreted
that the season was too far advanced to procure
all those specimens mentioned in your
catalogue in flower and many are also not
to be found in this region. Will it answer to
collect such specimens in fruit? I think some of
spending a week or two about Oneida lake at
Syracuse and perhaps I shall go to Oswego to
examine those regions and make collections, But
I am obliged to be extremely economical as I have not
means to pay travelling expenses. I travel on foot take it
leisurely and examine every-thing carefully as I go. I have
provided myself with a portfolio, a vasculum & a common
tin trunk and plenty of drying paper, with
these I take the field and am sometimes abroad
two or three days.

I have not yet obtained the
recipe for making the solidised Bals. [?]. I would
be glad if possible to obtain it. If I had it I could
in a few days replenish any [?] with a little
expense money which at present would be very convenient.

I would also be glad to obtain a copy
of the communication from the [Government?] relating
to the Geological survey of the State, I would also
be glad to obtain Dr DeKay's circular mentioned
in the Report on the Zoological Department.

The singular animal mentioned in my last 
I did not see neither has it been preserved. But
I have since learnt that the same animals are
frequently caught with the seine in Oneida Lake
and I will request fisher-men to procure some
specimens if possible.

I have collected a
considerable number of insects Salamanders
and a fine Serpents, and shall collect more if
I find them.

Please write when convenient
and give me what instructions you think I need

Truly yours

P. D. Knieskern
        