HISTORY OF THE PECAN — TRUE. 441 



On August 14, 1761, Bartram writes to his botanical friend and 

 correspondent in London, Peter Collinson (p. 232) : 



I have not yet been at the Ohio, but have many specimens from there. But 

 in about two weeks I hope to set out to search myself, if the barbarous Indians 

 don't hinder me (and if I die a martyr to botany, God's will be done; His will 

 be done in all things) * * *. 



It will be recalled that at this time the French and Indian War 

 was in progress, the English under the lead of General Forbes and 

 Colonel Bouquet having captured Fort Duquesne about two years 

 before and named it Fort Pitt or Pittsburgh. Thither Bartram 

 seems to have gone, probably near the date assigned, and from thence 

 safely returned, since on December 12, 1761, he seems to have sent a 

 box of plants and seeds to Collinson which provoked from the latter 

 the following sportive comment, dated at London, April 1, 1762 : 



I really believe my honest John is a great wag, and has sent me seven hard, 

 stony seeds, something shaped like an acorn, to puzzle us ; for there is no name 

 to them. I have a vast collection of seeds, but none like them. I do laugh at 

 Gordon, for he guesses them to be a species of Hickory * * *. I think they 

 may be what I wish, seeds of the Bonduc Tree Gymnocladus canadensis Lam. 

 which thou picked up in thy rambles on the Ohio. 



A footnote, probably by the author of the memoirs, states: 



Gordon made decidedly the best guess, for those " stony seeds " were no 

 doubt the nuts of the Pecan or Illinois Hickory (Carya olivaeformis, Nutt). 



In reply to Peter's remarks, John Bartram says: 



The hard nuts I sent were given me at Pittsburgh by Colonel Bouquet. He 

 called them Hickory nuts. He had them from the country of the Illinois. 

 Their kernel was very sweet. I am afraid they won't sprout, as being a year 

 old. (P. 233.) 



Thus the nuts obtained by Bartram in September, perhaps, 1761, 

 were seen in England very early in 1762. 



A letter from John St. Clair to John Bartram locates even more 

 accurately the date of his visit to Pittsburgh and the date of his 

 receipt of the pecans. This letter is written at Belville, November 

 4, 1761, and says in part: 



I congratulate you on your safe arrival from Pittsburgh * * *. I give 

 you many thanks for the valuable (Pecan) Hickory nuts. I should have 

 thanked you sooner for them, but I waited to see if I was to go on the expedi- 

 tion (to Africa) that is fitting out. 



It is probable that Belville was at the end of no long journey from 

 the home of Bartram, since St. Clair closes his note by saying : 



If you will send anybody to this place to bring a cow for Mrs. Bartram, she 

 will oblige me in accepting of her. 



It may, therefore, be assumed that little time was lost in transit 

 either by the nuts in going to St. Clair or by his acknowledgment of 



