1767.] TO JOHN BARTRAM. 295 



Mill Hill, 25th December, 1767. 



I had the pleasure of my dear John's letter of the 14th Sep- 

 tember, which is full of many entertaining articles. It is with you 

 as it is with us. It was a long while before some of your plants 

 could be reconciled to our culture ; but since we have found that 

 planting them in our bog earth, and making artificial bogs, I don't 

 remember any plant of yours, now, but what takes a liking to our 

 country. It may be the same with you, when you have found a 

 proper soil, and management. * 



My dear John, don't be astonished at anything. We remember 

 and forget, forget and remember. Some years agone I wanted the 

 Agave ; being disappointed, I thought no more of it ; but looking 

 over the Flora Virginiea, it revived again ; and so we go on, until 

 we forget ourselves, and are soon forgot. 



We have no luck with the Colocasia, so give it over ; Billy's 

 fine drawing will supply that defect. 



About the latitude 40 is generally allowed to be the finest 

 climate for habitation. Home, Constantinople, and Madrid, and 

 others under it, are celebrated by travellers for their temperature, 

 and choice vegetable productions. To find so remarkable a diffe- 

 rence with you, is very incomprehensible with me. The severities 

 of your last winter exceed any I have known here about twelve 

 degrees to the northward. I never knew a Privet killed by our 

 cold ; pray, was it our Privet, or some native plant of yours like 

 it ? Is it possible the cold could kill our friend Lamboll's vine 

 to the ground, in South Carolina ? Of how penetrating a nature 

 must your cold be ! for I never knew an instance here of a Vine 

 killed by it. 



These surprising extremes will never tempt me to change cli- 

 mates ; for every fruit seems degenerating, that comes from 

 Europe, but cherries. Is it not possible these defects can be pre- 

 vented by art ? For, as you increase, luxury will increase riches 

 will increase ; then rewards will encourage ingenious artists to 

 find ways and means to produce our fruits in perfection. This is 

 now something the case in England ; Cucumbers at Christmas, 

 Green Peas and Beans in February, March, and April, ripe 

 Grapes in plenty in May. I have myself seen, more than once, 

 some hundred bunches of the finest ripe grapes, in May ; cherries 

 ripe in March or April, at a guinea or two a pound. This golden 

 gain stimulates every artist to be first at market. 



