
          Union College Dec 17/44
To
Prof John Torrey

Sir,

Although a stranger to you I have
been in [?] from the request you made in your report
on the plants of the State of New York, to send you a
catalogue of plants some of which are rare about
Scehnectady and others not severally found perhaps throughout
the state. During my rambles in this vicinity the
two seasons past, I have noticed about 1000 species of
flowering plants and ferns: There are undoubtedly
100 to 200 sp. [species] more, which I have not as yet found.
I have received so much assistance from your [?valuable]
"Flora of North America." That I have been inclined a hundred
times to enquire [inquire] of you when we may expect your
formal report on the plants of this state and at the same
time to beg of you in behalf of the beginners in botany
in this state to make us a small pocket manual for the
use of our Colleges and academics containing all our plants
hitherto discovered.    I know of nothing which would
so facilitate the study of Botany.
We have 167 academics; at 120 of which Botany is 
thought; more than 100 of these use Mrs. Lincoln Botany
a book totally unfit to teach the true principles of the
science and at least 30 years behind the age.

        