1771.] TO HUMPHRY MARSHALL. 505 



propagate it both by seeds, layers, and cuttings ; and let us have 

 a few plants. 



I hope to write to thee again, by Captain OSBORNE. In the 

 mean time, accept my grateful acknowledgments, and think me to 

 be thy obliged friend, 



J. FOTHERGILL. 



P. S. The MocTcing-Bird unfortunately perished in the passage. 

 The box for Insects will come by Captain Osborne. 



London, 23d 4th mo., 1771. 



Esteemed Friend : 



I acquainted thee, in a letter by Captain Sparks, that I had 

 received all thy cargo safe and in good order. We have had a 

 winter exceedingly unfavourable to Botany. Not less than four 

 successive frosts, with intervening thaws of a few days' continuance, 

 so that many hardy things have suffered much. I had luckily 

 ordered all the plants I received from America, the beginning of 

 winter, to be planted, and then covered quite over with dry fern. 

 This has preserved them from the severe weather ; and I have 

 reason to think I shall not lose a plant. 



Our winter was not rigorous ; but the spring has been so, and 

 I believe no one remembers the like. We have not the least 

 verdure in the fields ; no green on the hedges ; not a leaf on any 

 tree, the Gooseberrys excepted ; and these are not fully expanded. 

 I think we are almost six weeks later than I have seen. Not a 

 Pear tree yet in bloom. 



These serve to accompany my empty box for Insects, and a little 

 box of roots of the Alpine Strawberry. If these do not arrive in 

 a growing condition, I will send thee seeds, and some plants, early 

 in the autumn. Let the beds they are planted on be dug up, 

 every two years, or they will degenerate, and plant fresh ones. 

 They continue good, two successive years ; the third, they grow 

 small and lose their flavour. 



In the insect box I have put up a little tract, tending to show in 

 what manner plants may be best conveyed to Europe, and insects 

 collected. There is, likewise, a small Botanical Dictionary, and 

 an introduction to a translation of some of LiNNEUS's works, which 

 I thought would not be wholly useless to thee, or unacceptable. 



