Yours of the 25 Aug was received some time since. In the mean time I believe Mr Phillips has written to you. He will probably keep you posted up in matters pertaining to Cambridge. I will therefore confine myself to some of the subjects mentioned in your letter, after having first told you what I am doing. The forenoons I spend in the Almanac office, except three hours each week I attend a lecture by Professor Peirce on the Mathematics. The afternoons I spend partly in the laboratory trying to apply what I know of chemistry by analyzing the specimens of soils, marls, & minerals bro't me by Mr Phillips . The remainder of the afternoon is given to the German Language and to Professor Agassiz lectures on Geology. What time I have for reading is given mainly to Agricultural works. In this way I expect to learn the theory & practice of farming as understood by those who have studied the subject. But the practice in one place & under given conditions of soil & climate becomes only theory when it is intended to apply it at an other place & under different circumstances.As theory however it is of the greatest value to any one who is able to use it.

In regard to the books to be purchased for the Library I should be very glad to suggest some of which would be more particularly useful in my studies. I think it would be well to procure sets of the principal scientific journals & the Transactions & Memoirs published by the various learned societies both in this country & in Europe. Of course it could not be expected to purchase them all at once: but only to begin with the more important: and have some arrangment by which in future they should be reviewed regularly as they are published. The cost of them is too great to be borne by an individual and yet it is very necessary for either teaching or studying any branch of science that he have them within his reach.

I suppose it is not too soon to make some inquiries in regard to the apparatus which will be necessary in my department. I will not require a great deal: still there are some things which I cannot furnish at my own expense. The apparatus it would be well to purchase before I return to Chapel Hill. I can in a short time make out a list of the articles most wanted & the cost of them. I have been corresponding with the agent of a firm in Berlin, & have their catalogue. Apparatus & Chemical of a better quality than those manufactured in this country can be obtained at less cost. As they would comeduty free it would be better to order them and have them imported direct. Please let me know what can be done towards equiping my department.

As soon as Mr Phillips has seen a little more of the working of the schools here we will be ready to suggest a plan for ours. I will write again soon