1773.] TO HUMPHRY MARSHALL. :,]*[ 



delphia, in a letter, which is very prosperous. Don't forget the 

 Fern tribe. This is a very pleasing part of the creation. 



I have sent the second part of Li.w.li s and 

 shall not omit the rest, as they are published. I have also sent a 

 few numbers (all that are yet published), of a very useful work for 

 young botanists, now carrying on here. There are three plates to 

 each plant, and one sheet of description. The coloured plates 

 make the price high; and the whole, when finished, will come to 

 upwards of 15 guineas. These will not be half the money ; and in 

 respect to use, are as valuable as the whole. I shall continue to 

 send them to thee, as they come out, which is very slowly. 



A set of William Pexx's select works, some smaller series, ami 

 the Insect Apparatus, will make up my present cargo. I consider 

 myself much in thy debt ; and shall procure thee anything here 

 thou chooses to have, to the value of ten guineas, or make thee a 

 remittance of that sum, if thou chooses it, which may entitle me to 

 thy future regard, in these respects : for the labourer is worthy of 

 his hire. 



The insects were, divers of them, singularly beautiful, the ninth 

 tribe especially. We have not yet succeeded with the Colocasia. 

 I think the water about this city does not suit it ; but try to get us 

 some good roots. I think by the help of such a bended fork as is 

 used by farmers to drag the dung out of their carts, tied to the end 

 of a long pole, would fetch up a good root ; and I am persuaded it 

 would come as safe in a box of wet moss, as by any means whatso- 

 ever. The best time would be to take it up late in autumn, and 

 send it home by the spring ships. I see by the Chinese drawings, 

 that it grows in shallow ponds very freely, as well as in their deep 

 waters. 



We have got the true Tea Plant, at length, in England. We 

 are endeavouring to propagate it, and hope we shall succeed, not 

 so as to raise it as a commodity, but merely, in this country, as a 

 curious article. It would thrive in Virginia and Maryland ex- 

 tremely well. I propose to send thee a pretty good account of it, 

 wrote by an acquaintance of mine. 



I think the account of the deluge contains as many things untrue 

 as true. I have it not by me ; but if I meet with it, I will endea- 

 vour not to forget it. 



This little cargo I expect will be delivered by Dr. Parke, whose 



