412 PETER TEMPLEMAN [1765. 



Dear worthy Friend : 



I received the favour of your letter by Mr. Fox, with some 

 curious seeds inclosed, for which I am much obliged to you, and 

 return you my hearty thanks. 



I now send you the seed of the red flowered Chelone and the 

 Staphisagria, which I saved this last year out of my garden, and 

 hope they will prove acceptable. 



We have had, hitherto, a very severe winter. The frost set in 

 about the latter end of December, and has continued, with very 

 few and short intermissions, and now and then very intense, and 

 accompanied with abundance of snow to this day ; and even now, 

 there is no prospect of its breaking up. 



I was taken with an intermitting fever, about the latter end of 

 October, -which reduced me so low, that I have been confined to 

 my house almost ever since. All my hopes are, that I shall 

 recover my usual good health in the spring. 



My garden is entirely ruined with the cold piercing winds and 

 frosts. All the flowers which were in the leaf, tender, as Nar- 

 cissus, Polyanthus, Ixia, Leucojum, &c, are destroyed. I fear 

 much that it has been severe with you. 



I sincerely wish you health and happiness ; and remain, dear 

 friend, your affectionate friend, and most humble servant, 



John Clayton. 



Feb. 6, 17C5. 



peter templeman to john bartram. 



Sir: 



As the surest method of improving science, is by a generous 

 intercourse of the learned in different countries, and a free com- 

 munication of knowledge, the Society established at London for 

 the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, take 

 this liberty of addressing themselves to you, to intreat the favour 

 of an answer to the following inquiry : 



Do any herbs, or species of grass, grow in your country, during 

 the most inclement part of the year (which we consider to be the 

 months of December, January, February, March, and April), so as 

 to supply all sorts of cattle, at that time, with a vegetating food ? 



