The Asa Gray Papers consist entirely of correspondence between this 19th century American botanist and various (mostly American) correspondents between the years 1838 and 1887. The largest section of this collection of one hundred letters are from Gray to Charles Edwin Bessey, professor of botany at Iowa Agricultural College from 1870-1884, and afterwards professor of botany at the University of Nebraska. Another earlier group of nine letters from 1840 is from Gray to Yale University chemist Benjamin Silliman, publisher of the first American scientific journal. The remainder of the collection consists of correspondence with individuals. These include a September 24, 1839 note to the New York botanist John Torrey (Gray’s mentor), as well as letters to fellow scientists and collectors. For example, his December 31, 1840 letter to Silliman offers an article manuscript for the Journal on Constantine Rafinesque’s botanical writings; another letter to Rev. Porter is a letter of introduction for English botanist Dr. Alexander, seeking housing in Cumberland, MD.; while a circa 1850 note promises to a Mr. Owen fifty copies of Gray’s 1836 textbook, the Elements of Botany. Also, much of the correspondence regards specimens submitted to Gray for identification or other questions of a botanical nature. Some of these letters include an April 18, 1853 letter to Parker Cleaveland, acknowledging receipt of a parcel of multiple specimens such as Persian Lilacs and Chinese Honeysuckle, and an 1871 note to Josiah Hoopes, thanks him for sending Magnolia and [Hydrangea] macrophylla seeds. Other letters answer queries, such as a December 20, 1853 note to Samuel Batchelder, explaining why leaves change color in the autumn, or a March 22, 1883 response to a question from a young student Cora Dike, regarding the location of “auxiliary buds” on Sumach and Honey Locust tree branches. Tables of contents available