Transcribe Morong, Thomas. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1879-01-24)

[page 3] I am ? you, if you choose to inquire about my qualifications, to re= fer to Dr Asa Gray, Cambridge, Mass. or Pres. E. P. Tenney, or others whom I mention below. - I am a Congregation= al clergyman, in good standing, settled at present over a Cong. church in this town: - A graduate of Amherst College. For the last 15 years I have, out of pure love for the science, paid great attention to botanical studies, investi= gating, collecting, teaching & publishing articles in the subject in various magazines, some of which I could send you, if desired. My private

herbarium contains upwards of 4000

sp. of American plants, all carefully & accurately named. I have, besides, some 1200 sp. in duplicate for sale or exchange most of them collected & carefully preserved by myself, & I know to be first rate Herb. specimens. I am in constant cor= respondence & exchange with most of