
          Washington City Nov. 7th 1847

My Dear Sir,

I have been daily promising
myself, the pleasure of a long letter to you
but accumulated business pressing upon
deranged health, has daily directed me from
this and many other attentions to friends
whom I have seemed to neglect. Whenever
I think of California and plants you come
in also, & this subject of frequent thought
rising in my mind this morning I write.
a line before becoming involved in the 
business of a trial which will occupy all
my time and not improve my health.
I enclose a little flower, the name of which
I should like to know, and which you
will remember as being among our 
California plants in the previous
collection. You know that this
        