RKBP-257

Greencastle, Ill. Oct 1 1857 Dr John A. Kennicott, Dear Sir, We have not heard from you, I believe, since we received the plants from you last spring, nor, do I remember that we ever acknowledged to youthe recipt of them. Even now it may not be too late to tell you that we received them in good order, and that they were exactly what we wantedThey have, moreover, nearly all grown well the past season, and a great part of them have bloomed. They were exactly what we wanted, and have filled a place in our nursery which was before nearly vacant. We have not advertised our forest trees this fall, as you may

have surmised from not having seen our case inthe columns of the Prairie Farmer, here must not judge from this that we have given up the undertaking, or have any notion of doing so. But The reason of our not having advertised is that out forests were so burnt over the last year, and new seedlings of all kinds are so scarce this year that we have been unable to find a sufficient quantity to jsutify our advertising largely. Seeds of most kinds are very abundant this year and we will not fail to lay in a good stock, so as to render us independent of the woods. If we succeed during the fall in making a good collection of plants, we will advertise in the spring. Last spring in our correspondence, we spoke of obtainingbulbs of you

this fall in exchange for our forest trees, and you encouraged us to hope that at the proper time we would be able to get our bulbs in this May. We would like to exchange to as best an amount as would be convneient to you for bulbs and perhaps other plants of similar kinds to those we obtained of you last spring. We have to offer you this fall.-- Such (kinds and qualities) plants as we sent you last spring---------- Tulips and soft maples that have grown one year in the nursery ,by 1 1/2 to 2 ft high.- also Birches ( a few hundred) same size a few red bud, ash, etc so-------Catalpas 1 1/2 to 2 feet high--- also this year's seedlings, 1000,000 or more, We could send Tulip trees and Dogwood of large size if they would suit you and what we have heretofore

forgotten we will now add--- We could supply any quantity of the beautiful red fruited evonymous? Americanus or Strawberry Tree. In fact our inventory would comprise almost everything that our native forests produce. In exchange we would want mostly autumn bulbs: the bulk to consist or Tulipp, Hyacinths and crocuses, with a few Crown Imperials, ranunculuces, narcissus, Anemones, etc, (all ?aportioned and named varieties of course). We would also like perhaps, if you have them to spare, a few more perennials of various kinds. The quantities and proportions of these things, of course would depend upon the amount of the exchange and what you could

best years, Please write and inform us whether such an exchange would suit you, if so to what extentalso what articles you could best spare. We have been bless with one of the most bountiful seasons that the earth ever saw. Every crop in this region has been full. Which on some farms, ws light , but as their neighbors succeeded by good care in raising thiry to forty bushels to the acre, we can not lay the failure to the bad season as much as to bad farming. ?? examples? all farmer production and is just ripening. We have had two light frosts, which have injured nothing. Our fruit crop is very large. Apples are more abundant here