128 PETER COLLINSON [1739. 



So get a stock by thee, as soon as thee can, and be sure conceal 

 thy intention from every one. In twenty-four months my friend 

 will be here again from China, and then shall give thee notice. 

 Pray send me a root or two in mould, for my garden. 

 It is now very late, so must conclude. 



Thy real frend, 



P. Collinson. 



London, April 12, 1739. 



Dear Friend : 



I hope thou has mine per Captain Wright, with the ten pounds 

 in halfpence, and a piece of Sagathy. 



And now I shall take notice of thine of December 9th, which 

 came very opportunely, and in pretty good season for the seeds ; 

 for it was March the 9th I received thy letter, and in about a 

 week's time I got the seeds from on board. All seemed in good 

 order, but two parcels of acorns that had spired and were good for 

 nothing had been better left behind than sent. These I have 

 distributed as formerly. 



We think this year thee had better rest from thy labours, for I 

 find travelling furnishes little but herbaceous seeds and specimens. 

 What thy employers most want, are shrubs and trees ; and I find 

 nothing new of these that thee has sent seeds of, but the fine Pine, 

 which thou found in the Vale, which seems new to us ; and if thou 

 could go at a proper season, and bring a horse-load of cones, it 

 would be a very acceptable cargo. This sort, I observe, has three 

 leaves in a sheath. The White Pine, of which thee sent a plant 

 which thrives finely, is called here, as thee will find by Miller's 

 Dictionary, Lord Weymouth's Pine. This sort is scarce and rare 

 with us. Now a cargo of this will be very acceptable, and what 

 thee must endeavour to collect ; and a quantity of the common Red 

 or Jersey Pine, which has only two leaves in a sheath, more White 

 and Red Cedar, Rose Laurel cones this was the most valuable in 

 the last cargo, Papaw, Sugar Maple, Black Haw, or Indian 

 Sweetmeat, Spruce cones, and all the sorts of Firs. 



Perhaps thee'll say these are only or chiefly to be had in New 



required ages and a political revolution to subdue the obstinate prepossessions 

 cherished in the mother country against everything coming from or belonging to 

 these colonies. 



