the Manuscripts of the late Peter Collinson. 277 



hcijj;hts of tliis famous plantation, whose beginning is so certainly 

 known. 



By a letter (November 28th, 1762,) from Tiiomas Knowlton, 

 gardener to the Duke of Devonshire at his seat of Londcsburgh 

 near York, and director of His Grace's new kitchen-garden, 

 stoves, &c., at Chatsworth, I am informed that the Duke of 

 Devonshire is now sowing seventy quarters of acorns, that is, oQO 

 bushels; an immense quantity: but this year there was the greatest 

 crop of acorns ever remembered. Besides this vast sowing, some 

 hundred thousands of young seedling oaks are planting out this 

 winter : between forty and fifty men are employed about this 

 work. In the year 1761, as many oaks were transplanted from 

 the nursery, of two, three, and four years old. 



1761. Our last winter, if it may be called so, exceeded for 

 mildness 1759. The autumnal flowers were not gone before^ 

 spring began in December with aconites, snowdrops, polyan- 

 thuses, &c., and continued without any alloy of intervening 

 sharp frosts, all January, except two. or three frosty nights and 

 mornings : a more delightful season could not be enjoyed in 

 southern latitudes. In January and February my gardea was 

 covered with flowers. 



'I'his summer, 1762, I was visiting Mr. Wood, of Littleton, 

 Middlesex. He showed me a curiosity which surprised me. 

 On a little slender twig of a peach-tree about four inches 

 long, that projected from the wall, grew a peach, and close 

 to it, on the other side of the twig, a nectarine. This Mr. 

 Miller also assured me he had himself known, although not men- 



voL. X. 2o tioncd 



