
          April 15
Mr. Pickering writes me that he & yourself intend to take measures to investigate
the geographical distribution of the plants of N. America. I am very
glad to find that you are striving in that matter & hope that you will
spare no trouble in completing it, which however will occupy many
years. I have been interested in the subject for a long time & the last
two seasons have taken much pains, & make many observations concerning
the distribution of the plants of N. E. {New England]. I shall continue to do so
with increased care & attention and have little doubt that I shall be
able in 2 or 3 years to [crossed out: give] answer [added: in some tolerable measure] for N. England myself.
While I think of it, let me ask you, if the state of N. York has ever
been tolerably well examined, say the counties of Ulster, Sullivan, 
Delaware, Broome, Tioga, Steuben, Alleghany, Cattagraugus, Chataqua, [added: Oswego,] Jefferson, Lawrence, Hamilton, Clinton, Essex. Mr Pickering ought
himselfif possible, to examine the state of Delaware & so on
down to Cape Charles.

April 15
I this morning recd.[received] a letter from my
friend in Boston, informing me that he had but a box of specimens
for you on board the schooner Mirror, which sailed last Wednesday, 
so that perhaps you have already received them. I should have
sent you a much greater number had I known what species
or how many specimens you wanted. So you want to give
an equal number of good specimens of species which I want
for a set of fine specimens, one or two to a species of the common
plants of N.E. a sample of which is inclosed by itself,
and forms the 1st 14 species a the catalogue on next page? So you
want [added: five] specimens of the carices generally? Of plants in
general how many specimens do you want of a species.
In the catalogie, of which I keep a copy, I have marked the number of specimens sent you, that I may not send you unnecessary species
or specimens in the future. If you should send me a box of specimens,
let it be directed to one to be delivered to "Robert Farley
Custom House, Boston". You need not send one Wahl.
at present, though perhaps I should be glad to have it at
some future time. I should be glad to hear that you have
recd.[received] the box. In any own case, I find the best [crossed out: antidote]
[crossed out: for a difficult [?] [crossed out: palliative] [added: cure] for a chronic [pancreutivatias?]
is to give this disease no quarter at all, cut it down
at the beginning [added: of the [?]]. For instance, I make it a point to answer
every letter the hour or day I receive it, if possible.

With respect,
Yours very truly
WOakes

I am going to collect on a greater scale
than ever this season, & better specimens

P.S. I confess I am somewhat surpised that a 
Botanist of your liberal notions should [added: doubt] the
value of a well executed Flora of N.E.[New England]
For my own part, I believe that there will
be room for a good [crossed out: thing of that] N.E.
Flora - fifty years hence - If you should go to White Mts. I shall
ddescend upon you passing through Ipswich.
        