210 PETER COLLINSON [1756. 



I can't imagine how, or after what manner, or with what, James 

 Alexander fills so many boxes ; but this I know, he frequents the 

 market, and discourses with all the people he can get any intelli- 

 gence of, where any trees grow that he wants, and offers them 

 money for any quantity they can gather of the seeds, if they will 

 bring them to town. So that, when I go to gather seeds, where I 

 used to find them, the people near where they grow will not let me 

 have them ; but tell me they will gather them all to send to Lon- 

 don. But where he gets so much Bog Moss to pack up his trees 

 with, unless he fetcheth it from Jersey, I know not, nor what 

 variety he puts in his boxes. We always speak friendly together, 

 and visit one another ; but do not communicate the affairs of our 

 correspondents. 



My dear worthy friend, thee can't bang me out of the notion that 

 limestone and marble were originally mud, impregnated by a marine 

 salt, which I take to be the original of all our terrestrial soils. 



PETER COLLINSON TO JOHN BARTRAM. 



London, July 20, 1756. 



Dear John : 



I have been just perusing Dr. Douglass's Summary. Pray 

 tell me, what are those Pines he calls American Pitch Pine, with 

 leaves about three inches long, with a prominent longitudinal rib 

 instead of a sulcus ? 



In New England, there is another distinct Pitch Pine, called the 

 Yellow Pine. If these are peculiar to this country, perhaps our 

 friend Eliot, or some of his friends, may inform us. He was 

 mightily pleased with thy visit. 



This day I received thy letter of May 30th. It gives me plea- 

 sure to hear my old friend is well. I hope he will not expose him- 

 self to Indian cruelties ; and yet I want a dozen boxes of seeds. 



I am glad the trifles came safe ; and that Billy has a business 

 offers, that may suit his genius. By all means don't delay it ; for 

 I think engraving a curious art, and if he succeeds in it, will not 

 want encouragement. We want one very much here, skilful in 

 engraving birds, plants, &c. Edwards has, in a manner, left off. 

 We have engravers enough I may call them scratchers ; but a 

 fine hand is much wanted. See Ellis's book of Corallines, at the 



