1734-5.] TO JOHN BARTRAM. 61 



Was sailed, or no, before it came to hand, I can't say : but by the 

 list inclosed, thee will know if they are come to hand, or if he 

 had them. 



Pray what is your Sarsaparilla? The May-apple, a pretty plant, 

 is what I have had for some years sent me per Doctor Witt. 

 It flowers well with us ; but our summers are not hot enough to 

 perfect its fruit. 



The pretty humble beautiful plant, with a spike of yellow 

 flowers, I take to be a species of Orchis or Satyrion. What sort 

 of root it has thee hath not mentioned. If it is taken up with the 

 earth about the roots, it will certainly flower the first, if not the 

 second year. I wish thee'd send me two or three roots, if it is 

 plenty. 



The Ground Cypress is a singular pretty plant. If it bears 

 berries or seeds, pray send some ; and if it bears flowers or seeds, 

 pray send some specimens in both states. 



Pray send me a good specimen or two of the shrub, 3 feet high, 

 that grows by the water courses. The shrub that grows out of the 

 sides of rocks, sometimes five or six feet high, bearing red berries 

 hanging by the husks, is called Euonymus, or Spindle tree. We 

 have the same plant, with a small difference ; grows plenty in 

 England. 



Your wild Senna, with yellow flowers, is a pretty plant. Send 

 seeds of both this and Mountain Goat's Rue. 



Thee need not collect any more of the White Thorn berries, that 

 has prodigious long, sharp thorns. It is what Ave call the Cock-spur 

 Thorn. I had a tree last year, that had at least a bushel of berries. 

 But haws of any other sort of Thorns will be very acceptable. 



Pray send me a root or two of cluster-bearing Solomon's Seal. 

 It is in all appearance a very rare plant, as is the Panax. 



Pray send a root or two of Joseph Breixtxall's Snake-root.* 

 Pray send a root of the grassy leaves, that bears pretty little blue 

 flowers, that's good against obstructions of the bowels, [probably 

 Sisyrinchium, L.] 



When it happens in thy way, send me a root or two of the little 

 tuberous root called Devil's Bit, which produces one or two leaves 

 yearly. 



* In a subsequent communication, it appears that Dillenius pronounced 

 "Breixtnall's Snake-root," to be " Sanicula Canadensis, amplissimo folio laci- 

 niato, of Tournefort." See P. Collinson's Letter to Joseph Breintnall, 1738. 



