THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 



Humphry Marshall also writes to Benjamin Franklin 

 in 17*"), and -uggests that his cousin, \\'illiam Bartram. and 

 his nephew. I>i-. .Marshall, would lie willing to explore the 

 western part of tlie l/nited Slates it' they should nu-ci with 

 proper encouragement, and thinks that the Philosophical 

 Society, or possibly Congivs-. \\-ould give them substantial 

 -upport. This a | >pears to have heen tlie work that the elder 

 Marshall had mapped out for him, and it is evident that 

 I>r. Marshall was favorable to such an undertaking, for in 

 177s lie writes to Dr. Lettsom : "I have, indeed, had a design 

 highly favorable to discoveries in view a journey to the 

 Mississippi westward, but have not yet been at leisure to 



prosecute it." 



lie had. already, in 1784, taken his iirst trip in search 

 of seeds and botanical specimens. This was almost 

 immediately after entering the family of his uncle, and 

 consisted in going to Pittsburg with the wagons and return- 

 ing by the same route. He writes from Bedford to his 

 uncle: We have been among the pine mountains, where 

 we have seen cucumber trees, rhododendrons, mountain 

 raspberries, and yesterday about Juniata the broad willow- 

 leaved oak and the red-berried elder. In coming along 1 

 have seen many strange plants, but may be chieily varieties 

 of what we have already. However, I shall gather what 

 seed I can of any such or bring the plants." lie kept a 

 journal of the trip, which has been preserved. He also 

 -peaks of having seen the horse-chestnut and of getting 

 specimens to bring home. 



In 17sii Sir Joseph Banks wrote to Humphry Mar- 

 >hall asking for a hundred weight of the fresh roots of the 



