
          Augusta, Hancock Co., Illinois
May 18-1844

My Dear Sir,

I sent by my brother who left
last July a parcel of plants for you with Mr.
Wm. A. Mead corner of Cherry & James Streets N.Y.
City, & are probably there yet those Mr Holton
refers to, I have been exceedingly busy in collecting 
plants for 2 yrs, in order to obtain by exchange one 
specimen of all N. American plants. I have collected
& distributed about ten thousand specimens within 2 years &
I have already collected a thousand or more this spring. 
I will try to make you out a parcel this season.
I have some rare ones growing here. Veratrum n.s. [nova species]
& Carex richardsonii?, C. hystrix ? [Carex hystrix] Gray &c., Heuchera richardsonii 
&c. Dr. Knieskern has I think specimens of these from me. 
Equisetum levigatum [laevigatum] [Equisetum laevigatum] I have found this spring &c &c.
I have been obliged to make returns to all
that sent me plants & as I had no plants
collected 2 yrs ago here [added: I put them up as fast as I collected]. I can press as good specimen
as Dr. Short or Mr. Oakes, & if Dr. Engelmann & others
send you any I collected in 1843 you will see good 
specimens. My plants are now all arranged &d am 
ready for detecting any thing new or rare here.
My chances for sending East are very few, but
will put out some so that whenever I find an 
opportunity I can embrace it.

I am sorry that I had not got hold of you & 
Gray, N.A. [North American] Flora 2 or 3 yrs. sooner.

If any person wants plants from Illinois, I will send
a full equivalent for [crossed out: that] any sent me which I want
from Europe or any other quarter.

Yours truly
S B Mead
        