
          I would scarcely think worth going there expressely to look at the undescribed
 plant. The good doctor had well heard from you and from Dr Gray, he told me he knew
 both your names, but he had never seen the works of any one of you. From Stone Mt
 very interesting for one day visits, one has to take the cars on the railroad till Rome Ga
 thence the stage to Van Buren Ga and here is certainly the best and most profitable
 station for a Botanist. I was there three weeks; but I would I had lived at the place
 three months; for I had had very small expense of money and the result of my journey
 would have been better, It is truly a loss of time and  money to runn from one place
 to another and to explore in three months so large a country. A good station is enough
 for a whole year and if I ever have opportunity, it is my purpose to go directly in April
 to these mountains of Alabama and to explore them cloosely [closely] at least for three months.
 I was told that since July the mountains are dry and barren. Van Buren lies
 in a valley between Lookout Mt and Sand or Racoon Mt both parallel ridges
 running from N to S. It is not possible to tell what abundance of flowers covers
 these mountains. They are not very high; a thousand feet perhaps; but on their
 broad sandy surface there run a great many rivulets forming or marshes, or deep
 chasmes or waterfalls where the vegetation is much diversified and truly admirable.
 If I had my notes, I would give you a long nomenclature of the rare plants which I collected 
 there. For the mosses only, I had three new sphagna, a new phaseum, many Bryo and
 plenty of the rarest species. The Tennessee is very interesting. The country around Washville 
 especially I found very rich. I collected them a new Desmtiror and a Vesicaria
 which I think also new. You may find a specimen of it in the bundle of plants
 left at M Carey for examination; perhaps this bundle had been sent now to M Gray 
 For three months of travelling south, I spent $250 too much for me; but everywhere
 in south, journeying is very expensive. M Sullivant gave me for the
 journey $100 only. But I hope that I will sell enough of our collection of mosses,
 to remunerate these expenses, and if it is the case, I will probably go next year
 to the Mts of Alabama for an exploration of a few months.


 This letter is very poor, Dear Sir; but you will excuse is on account of
 my ignorance of your language, of the absence of my notes and of the want of 
 time. I have here very hard work with the collecting of the fossil plants
 which I am studying with the greatest pleasure. The field is new, very rich,
 and so most interesting. If I find something in the swamps of N. [New] Jersey
 I will write you about.


 I would be very happy to be worth of your friendly remembrance
 and assure you that I am very respectfully your's


 Leo Lesquereux


 Prof John Torrey.

        