1735.] TOJOHNBARTRAM. 65 



better off. Then let this box stand in a proper place in thy 

 garden, for two or three years, till the plants have taken good 

 root, and made good shoots ; but thee must be careful to water it 

 in dry weather. 



I wish that thee would not fail to put three or four specimens of 

 the sprigs of the Laurel, with the flowers fully blown (for I long to 

 see it) in the paper, transferring them from one to another, as I 

 have directed. As my design is not to give thee more trouble, so 

 a few specimens will content me. 



I have further to request thee to put up a little box of plants 

 (yearly) in earth, such as thou finds in the woods, that are odd and 

 uncommon. 



What thee observes of the frost, to be sure, had the effect thee 

 describes. I once remember one like it in England; but the effects 

 were not so severe. I hope, next year, thee will be able to make 

 some selections that may make thee some returns. 



The White Flowering Bay [Magnolia glauca, L.~\ is a plant 

 that grows in moist places ; the leaves are long, of a bay shape, 

 and of a silver colour on the back of the leaves. It bears a fine 

 large white flower, like the Water Lily, of a fine perfumed smell, 

 which is succeeded with a seed-vessel of a cone-like figure. I have 

 a plant that flowers finely, in my garden. It is in abundance of 

 places, in Maryland ; but whether it is found more northward, I 

 can't say. It is a fine plant to adorn thy own garden. But give 

 thyself no trouble about it : and, as the Fir and Cypress cones are 

 not found near thee, we will wait for some more favourable oppor- 

 tunity to collect them. Send first those seeds that are near thee. 



The- box of seeds came very safe, and in good order. Thy 

 remarks on them are very curious ; but I think take up too much 

 of thy time and thought. I would not make my correspondence 

 burdensome ; but must desire thee to continue the same collections 

 over again ; and to prevent trouble, only number the papers, and 

 give the country name or any name thee may know it by again ; 

 then keep a list of them by thee, with the number to the names, 

 and when they come here, those that do not come up, we have only 

 to Avrite to thee for the same seed to such a number, to send over 

 again. As I design to make a present of part of these seeds to 

 a very curious person [Lord Petre,] I hope to procure thee some 

 present for thy trouble of collecting. I am thy very sincere friend, 



P. COLLINSON. 



5 



