96 PETER COLLINSON [1737. 



willing to make thee some acknowledgment for the trouble of col- 

 lecting. I could not think of anything I thought would be more 

 acceptable than P. Miller's Dictionary, as it contains the whole 

 system of Gardening and Botany. By the assistance of that book, 

 and Parkinson's, thou will be enabled, by their indexes, to find 

 out any plant with a Latin name, that may be mentioned in the 

 inclosed catalogue. As I have taken a pretty deal of pains in the 

 catalogue, I have the less to write here. 



By what I can observe of the fine Laurels, No. 102 and 108, or 

 Chamcerhododendros, their seed seems to be light and chaffy, which 

 is the worst sort of seed to send over for keeping; that I don't ex- 

 pect we shall ever raise them here, but must depend on plants: so, 

 prithee, go at a proper season to the nearest place, and load a pair 

 of panniers or baskets, with young plants, and set some in thy 

 garden to take root, and send half a dozen at a time: for this 

 seems to me to be the most elegant tree that has been discovered 

 in your province. 



Indeed, in South Carolina, there is the Magnolia, or great 

 Laurel-leafed Tulip Tree, which is an evergreen grows sixty feet 

 high its leaves are as large again as yours, and the flowers white, 

 of a rose or water-lily figure, but as large as the crown of one's 

 hat. There is one in England, that flowers every year finely; and 

 I have several plants in my garden. 



Another particular thing I must request, that is, to get a hand- 

 ful or two of White Cedar cones, for Philip Miller ; for, in sepa- 

 rating the seeds, by accident he had none of the White Cedar 

 cones. 



But what I admire is, that thou doth not tell me how thou 

 would have returns made for the twenty guineas. Thou loses time 

 in making money, and an opportunity to have sent goods freight 

 free, per Captain Richmond or Captain Savage. It is surprising to 

 me thou did not send the order with the seeds, and leave it to my 

 discretion to send thy returns. Now, as soon as thou can, it will 

 be near a twelvemonth before thou will see anything for thy 

 trouble; and at last be obliged to pay freight, if a strange captain 

 or else not send the goods ; so that, be it as it will, thee art like 

 to be a sufferer by thy own neglect. 



Another thing I would gently touch on, and that is, to be as 

 close and compact in the packing the seeds as possible ; for the 

 freight and charges come to a great deal. The last cargo came to 



