
          Having been interrupted by a visit of five M. Cs I sit down again to continue my letter. You will
percieve that my great object is to spread before Congress and the Country a compilation of all the scanty
facts that are known relative to our indigenous Agaves & Yuccas, and other indigenous plants with
fibrous leaves if any such there be. As however a figure of each will attract the attention of 99 out of [?]
100 of our people more than whole volumes of printed words without figures, and as a plate of each
kind will not only illustrate the characters of those I wish to introduce, but will likely stimulate
our population to look at our indigenous Yuccas & Agves and to make trial of the properties of their
leaves I feel still more anxious to have those figures than even those of the A. Sisalana, [Agave sisalana] B. Pita,
M. abaca at least during the present [month?]. I shall hence search in the Congressional Library
for the foreign authors which you cite as giving plates although I fear without success. (I cannot
find in it the Novbr. No of the Franklin Journal to which you refer for an article on the fibres
of Pineapple leaves). Perhaps I may find the "Botanical Magazine 1157" although the reference
is rather indefinite.

I conclude by thanking you with all my heart for your urgent
letter to Professor [Mirbel?] of the Jarden des plantes at Paris, requesting him to forward seeds and
living plants of Th[?] [crossed out: ?] & of Musa Abacas [Musa abaca]. I forget whether I mentioned to you
the fact that they may arrive at New York this spring and reach Florida before the summer rains
Proprietor of [Mehan?] They, and hence the former might be confided in toforward to the latter any
parcels sent to him fromNew York as the Mail packetsails from Charleston the 15th of each
month for Mehan Key and Key West. Hence any thing sent from New York in a steam packet
between the 1st and 10th of each month would likely arrive at Charleston in time to go in the
mail packet. I mention this in the event any thing should offer before a permanent contract
be made with responsible agents both in New York & Charleston. Once reaching [?]
then the fidelity of Mr Howe is a garrantee [guarantee] that every seed and plant will be diligently
preserved and propogated.

Very respy [respectably] your obt [obedient] sevt [servant]

Henry Perrine
come on.

S. Mowry [Junc?] a Merchant at Charleston S.C. is the Agent of Capt. [added: Jacob] Houseman the

        