Nicolaus Joseph von Jacquin has received Linnaeus’s letter of 20 December 1769{L4304} and postponed his answer until he could enclose some seeds from the last Loasaplant he had available. He has also received a Dionaea from England.
Cycas flowers every year, but the stupid Aadrian Stekhoven does not permit Jacquin to examine it, so Jacquin does not know very much about it. In spring, when it flowers, Jacquin will ask the Emperor, Josef II to force Stekhoven to give his permission.
Jacquin supposes that Anders Philip Tidström has received the box of minerals, since it was in Hamburg already on December 22. However, the correspondents in Hamburg did not know anything about a box to be sent to Jacquin, which surprises him.
Jacquin has no contact with Ferdinando Bassi, so that way to get a Dalechampia will not work.
Jacquin sends a specimen of the plates in his new work, Icones plantarum rariorum Horti botanici Viennensis (Hortus botanicus Vindobonensis). He gives some details on the process: 162 copies will be made; the copper plates will be reused, so there can be no additional printing afterwards. He has already about 100 species, but only 20 or 30 will be published each time to spread the expense.
Jacquin asks some questions about species that he can not define satisfactorily.