368 Original Letters of Dr. Franklin. 
The Collinson you mention is the same gentleman I cor- 
respond with ; he is a most benevolent worthy man, very 
curious in botany and other branches of natural history, and 
fond of improvement in agriculture, &c. He will be pleas- 
ed with your acquaintance. In the late Philosophical Trans- 
actions, you may see frequently papers of his, or letters that 
were directed to ~ on various subjects. He is a member 
of the Royal Societ 
An ingenious cinta of mine here, Mr. Hugh Rob- 
erts, one of our most curious farmers, tells me that it ap- 
pears by your writings your people are yet far behind us in 
the improvement of swamps and meadows; I am persuading 
him to send you such hints as he thinks may give you fax- 
ther insight into that matter. But sin other respects, he 
greatly esteems your pieces: He says they are preferable 
to any thing of late years published on that subject in Eng- 
land. The late writers there, chiefly copy from one anoth- 
er, and afford very little new or useful; but you have. col- 
lected experieuces, and facts, and make propositions, that 
are reasonable and ey You —_ taught him (he 
says) to clear his meadows of elder, (a thing very pernicious 
to banks,) which was at Se hspatindetn art of all our farm- 
ers; and given bim several other useful informations. 
Lam exceedingly obliged to you for the plan and diree- 
tions concerning ditching. It is very satisfactory and I hope 
will be useful here. 
Our Academy flourishes beyond expectation. We have 
uow above one hundred scholars, and the number daily in- 
ereasing. We have excellent masters at present; 
we give pretty good salaries, I hope we shall always be able 
to proeure such. We pay the : Ractor, write tea aces Latin 
and — &c, per. val £200 
lish M - ‘ee we a © 50 
The Retiomaintel ‘Hieclaaie = i 125 
Three Assistant Tutors, each 60£ “i 180. 
Total per Ann. © £695, 
_ Our currency is something better than that of New York. 
The scholars pay. eal 4£ per Ame: 
_ The changes of the barometer sensible in. bigh 
latitudes. In the West India wre ag the mereury continues 
