64 September 1748. 



fouth of Philadelphia, at fome diftance from 

 the high road to Maryland, Virginia, and 

 Carolina. I had therefore the firft oppor- 

 tunity here, of getting an exact knowledge 

 of the (late of the country, which was a 

 plain covered with all kinds of trees with 

 deciduous leaves. The ground was fandy, 

 mixed with clay. But the fand feemed to 

 be in greater quantity. In fome parts the 

 wood was cut down, and we faw the ha- 

 bitations of fome country people, whole 

 corn-fields and plantations were round their 

 farm-houfes. The wood was full of mul- 

 berry-trees, walnut-trees of feveral kinds, 

 chefnut-trees, faffafras, and the like. Se- 

 veral forts of wild vines clafped their ten- 

 drils round, and climbed up to the fummits 

 of the higheft trees ; and in other places 

 they twined round the enclofures, fo thick, 

 that the latter almoft funk down under 

 their weight. The Per/imon, or Diofpyros 

 Virginiana, Linn. fp. pi. p. 15 10, grew 

 in the marfhy fields, and about fprings. Its 

 little apples looked very well already, but are 

 not fit for eating, before the froft has affect- 

 ed them, and then they have a very fine 

 tafte. Heffelius gathered fome of them, and 

 dented my fervant to tafte of the fruits of 

 the land ; but this poor credulous fellow, 

 had hardly bit into them, when he felt the 



qualities 



