Engelmann, George Jan. 18, 1843 [1] (seq. 74)

Arrvd Feb. 13. St Louis Jan 18th 1843

My dear Doctor

Mr. [Tewes?] will leave here tomorrow and take with him a package of more
than 70 seeds, some of them our rarer plants, but the greater part of
them from my friend Lindheimer from Texas; included in the parcel
is the bulb of new Amaryllis like plant and of a Crinum; this
last may be C. americanum, or probably some other species; both from
Texas; the first is certianly a new genus, Crinidium, of which below.—
Besides this parcel of seeds there is a considerable package of plants,
with a few exceptions Compositae, rare or doubtful which, or a few of which
may be useful to you. I am afraid I have made the parcel to large
already, though I have confined myself to this family alone,
but before spring I hope to be able to send to you another larger
parcel, with rare plants — Together with the Compositate is a
small parcel containing all my Cuscutaceae, 11 species for
Hooker; you will oblige me by forwarding them together with a
request to send me if possible a specimen or at least a small
piece of his American, Californian, Oregon etc, Cuscutae, especially
C. arvensis & umbrosa; and if it can be done, a flower or two
of the Gronovian, Tamaran, and other specimens of the old herbaira.

Lindheimer is with me at present; and we study his and
my specimens, — so that he will be enabled to make more
valuable collections yet next season, than he did before. You
have seen some of his specimens, and will see more and
can judge from them that they are better selected, more complete
and better preserved specimens than most of those you may
have seen before if I except Mr Geyer's — They are not
pressed so tight — crushed to pieces, — like Mr Lapham's
nor dried like hay, like Mr Buckley's, — nor only the top of
the plants like Mr Brownne's.— Now, as Lindheimer
is to devote a few years entirely to the exploration of Texas,
and the collection of plants there, and intends to make
at least his living by it; he as Geyer is to do the same
thing in our western & northern country, I have conceived
the idea to offer their collections for sale, by centuriae.
We would guarantee the genuineness, the good preservation
and careful selection of the specimens, and that only the
rarest plants of the western and south western country
would be contained in this collection; that therefore only two
to four centurieae in one year could be furnished, but
that the price could not be under 8 or 10 dollars, furnished
in St Louis, or New York; first centuria to be delivered next