
          Penn Yan, Dec. 17th 1853

Dr Torrey

Dr [Dear] Sir

When Mr. Bigelow was
in New York last July, you
examined some plants for him
& when you wrapped them up
you enclosed a small package
for me containing some papers
of the Smithsonian contributions
& a few Mexican & Californian plants
Mr. Bigelow was not aware of
the package enclosed for me,
or had forgotten in [it] in the hurry
of business, & did not examine
his own parcel till yesterday
& found & brought the package to
me. This will account for my
long silence, for I certainly should
have acknowledged the favor in
good time. I thank you very much
for the parcel, the plants are
very interesting. Dr Gray sent me
his papers 1 & 2 on Wright's plants
        