
          Washington City April 18th 1845.

My dear Sir,

You are perfectly right about the black root, it
needed only the smell of the little piece you sent to
recognise the plant. In regard to the plates
Col. Benton desired me to tell you, that he has no
doubt Congress will pay for every thing of that kind.

I have always something to ask you. Will
you perhaps remember, my having sent you when
you were at New York, two little plants, the first
I saw in bloom in coming out of the snows of the 
Californian Mts. I cannot, after much
searching lay my hand on your letter, giving
them their names, and I am afraid it will come
up, when it is too late, and perhaps you can
still tell me what they were.

I have made up my mind to send you from 
the foot of the mountains, through Bents' Fur Company
the plants I shall collect up to that point. I see
that many of the trees, particularly some fine
oaks, you think are new, and as we have passed
over the country several times, we should not let
any one anticipate us in publishing them.

If you find leisure to send me any pieces of our
plants, they will reach me safely through the 
express, and will be very useful guides to me.
        