1746.] PETER COLLINSON. 175 



one species, which open not till the second or third year after 

 they seem perfectly ripe. I have been much surprised at observing 

 these trees have upon one branch all the cones of three, four, or 

 five years' growth, at once. 



*^^ ^^ ^* ^^ %& *** 



*y **(* *y* ^^ ^W ^^ 



April 12, 1746. 



Dear Peter : 



I have now but little to write, having received no letter from 

 thee since last fall. I sent a cargo of forest seeds for my corre- 

 spondents, and garden seeds for thee with many curiosities, as 

 presents, for several of our friends, in three ships ; but can hear 

 nothing, whether they be arrived at London or not. We hear 

 there are great troubles in England, and dread the consequences. 



Our friend Joseph Breixtxall, departed this life, the middle 

 of last month ; so that now, what letters thee sends for me, let them 

 be directed to me, or to the care of I. Pembertox, Jun. ; for every 

 merchant of note in town knows me. 



I am mightily pleased with thy letter from Petersburgh, giving 

 an account of the Russians' discovery of America. Pray, doth 

 thee hear any more of it ? I love to hear of any new discovery of 

 any kind. 



April the 16th. 



This day I received thy kind letters of October the 12th, 1745, 

 and January the 24th, 1745-6, and Sir Haxs Sloaxe's of Oc- 

 tober the 16th, with all the seeds mentioned in those letters, except 

 the Strawberry and Sloe, the last of which we have had in the 

 country these fifty years. I plant them about my hedges, where 

 it grows to a large size. The blossoms are prodigious full, but 

 never one ripe fruit. They are bit with the insect, as all our stone 

 fruit is, but the Peaches, and some kinds of Cherries overgrow 

 them. 



I have some hopes of the Horse-chestnuts, though most of them 

 were blue moulded, yet some seemed to be pretty sound. But 

 alas ! the four fine large roots of Madder, had no more appearance 

 of life than if they had been drying in the house a year. 



Jf* >JQ J|* JJC *j^ / J^ JJ 



My pretty plant is just in flower, that thee saith Dillexius 



