(seq. 3)

5. Jany. 1809

Paid 25
Stephen Elliot PAID
Esquire
at Beauford
S. {South} Carolina

[postmark]
[LA]NCAR. P
JAN
10
franco

Lancaster Jan. 5. 1809

Sir

It was at the latter end of October 1808 that I had the great pleasure
to receive your excellent letter and the double paquet of dried specimens of
Jersey and Carolina plants. My family was then in a poor state of health
and my time so taken up with my patients that I could not examine the
plants with the accuracy they deserved. However I did my best and
sent them after adding the names Nov. 8 to Philadelphia, from whence they
went with the ship Betsy to Charleston. The captain of the vessel promised
to see them forwarded to Beauford with a safe opportunity. Nov. 9 I sent a
letter with the mail from here with a copy of the names and other observations.
whether the pacquet and my letter have safely come to hand, I have hitherto
not heard. If you will please to mention a merchant in Charleston or Savanna
to whom I could address a pacquet for you, perhaps our correspondence and
intercourse would be more quick and safe. Any pacquet for me addressed
to John Musser n. 146 Race Street Philadelphia without doubt will be for-
warded to me with care.

After looking over the specimens kept back and the short descriptions I made of
the unique plants I find very little to alter in the names
n. 8 of the Jersey plants is Rhus cotinus. I suppose no native
n. 73 a seems to be Ranunculus flammula Walter, humilis Persoon
n. 199. very near our Carex folliculata, but the capsules much longer

I am sorry that a number of plants were single specimens. I did not venture
to examine them closer for fear of destroying them, and beg you will be pleased
to let me have them at a future day. I have marked in my former letter all
such as I have not seen before or in bad specimens only. Should unfortunate-
ly that letter have miscarried, I will send immediately a copy of the names
according to the numbers I have added to them in the pacquet. Pray do not with-
hold your corrections and doubt on my nomenclature.

You would add extremely to the obligations I owe you allready, if you would
favour me with some of your living plants. If they are packed in moss they
will come safe. I will mention the chief
1. a few cuttings or Salix 216, b. male and female early in spring
2. a root or seed of Paspalum districtum 5, a Rottboellia 8, a
3. a root of Prunus pubescens 25.
4. a root or seed of Astragalus glaber 212

Grasses have been my favourites since a long time whatever you have to spare
of them will be very acceptable, especially Carices, of which you have many
unknown in our parts. I wish to have every American grass alive and con-
tinue my experiments for agriculture. Only a few seeds of each will do.

Unluckily, I live at a great distance from the sea shore amd my herbarium
contains hardly anything of the numerous American Fuci, Ulvae, Confervae
How happy would I feel if you can let me partake of your sea-plants!

Neither Walter nor Michaux have described any Cryptogama worth men-
tioning. Your beginning from 1—11 shows that Carolina is not destitute of
curious plants. If you wish to see what we have you are exceedingly
wellcome to any thing we have here. The mosses of our state are very near
all figured in Dillenius and Hedwig, therefore well known, the lichenes are
less known and deserve close attention.

Since I had the sight of your specimens Walter and Michaux have pleased
me more then ever. A few plants I miss still, which you will find in the lists
I handed to you at Lancaster. Have you seen the Allionia?

The Quercus Catesbaei is still wanting in my herbarium, so some others of Walter
and Michaux growing in Carolina. Whatever you have to spare of Quercus
with the American names will be a great favour. The same I could say of
Prunus and Crataegus but I have begged too much already.
By