132 PETER COLLINSON [1739. 



finely. I never had such luck before. That stately Martagon thee 

 sent, found on a bank near Schuylkill, is now near flowering. It 

 is five and a half feet high, and will, I believe, have fifteen flowers 

 which is prodigious. It differs from the great Marsh Martagon, 

 for that will not flower till the middle of August, and another 

 sort, I had formerly from Doctor Witt ; but that Avas a smaller 

 sort, and never has but four Or five flowers on a stalk. 



I had three of your Red Lilies, that flowered this year, that 

 came in the last cargo : they had but one flower on each root. 

 Pray, have they no more with you ? 



The Laurels all grow, or Chamcerhododendros ; the two Shrub 

 Honeysuckles; and a very pretty plant a species of Hurtleberry, 

 a Vitis idcea has been finely in blossom. The Gooseberry, from 

 Conestogo, grows well; and above all, the AVhite Cedar thrives 

 finely, and the Pine, which is what we call Lord Weymouth'- : 

 and a many other pretty plants, which come out of the sods of 

 mould, taken up with the plants, two or three sorts of Hellebo- 

 rine, as they seem to be ; which shows that your woods are sowed 

 thick with rare and odd plants. 



There are several other odd plants, that I can't yet discovei 

 what they are : for all these I am much obliged to thee, and hope 

 the things per Captain "Wligiit are come safe to hand, and I 

 hope will make some part of amends for thy great care and 

 trouble. 



I am much obliged to thee for thy kind offers of service. I 

 shall ask nothing that I have done sufficiently already. It's fit thee 

 should take breath a little. 



As to the Society that thee hints at, had you a set of learned, 

 well-qualified members to set out with, it might draw your neigh- 

 bours to correspond with you. Your Library Company I take to 

 be an essay towards such a Society. But to draw learned strangers 

 to you, to teach sciences, requires salaries and good encouragement ; 

 and this will require public, as well as proprietary assistance, 

 which can't be at present complied with considering the infancy 

 of your colony. 



I have sent a few double Tulips, to ornament thy garden, and 

 a few seeds ; and some offsets of best breeding Tulips, which are 

 endowed with a wonderful faculty to diversify into variety of 

 colours. Consult Miller, on their culture. 



The Ranunculuses will not bear your severe frosts without great 



