16 



one poor instalment of the debt of gratitude, by 

 dedicating the tree to its earliest planter.^ 



The testimony of the venerable fathers, of the 

 vigor of improvement and the exuberant fertility 

 around Salem, the first born of the towns of the 

 Massachusetts colony, is most express. 



" The aboundant encrease of corne," writes the 

 Rev. Mr. Higginson, in 1629, "~ " proves this coun- 

 trie to bee a w^onderment. Thirtie, fortie, fiftie, 

 sixtie, are ordinarie here. Yea, Joseph's encrease 

 in Egypt, is outstript here, with us. Our planters 

 hope to have more than an hundred fould this yere. 

 And all this while, I am within compasse. What 

 will you say of two hundred fould and upwards ? 

 It is almost incredible what great gaine some of our 



English planters have had by our Indian corne" 



" There is not such greate and plentifull eares of 

 corne, I suppose, any where else to bee found, but 

 in this countrie : Because also of varietie of colours, 

 as red, blew, and yellow : and of one corne their 



springeth four or five hundred" "Our governor hath 



store of green pease growing in his garden, as good 

 as ever I eat in England. The countrie aboundeth 

 naturally with store of rootes of great varietie and 

 good to eat. Our turnips, parsnips, and carrots, 

 are here, both bigger and sweeter than is ordinary 

 to be found in England. Here are store of pom- 

 pions, cowcumbers, and other things of that nature, 

 which I know not" — "Excellent vines are here, 

 up and down in the w^oodes. Our governor hath al- 

 ready planted a vineyard with great hope of en- 



(1) See note IV. 

 (2) Nciv England's Plantation, in 1 Mass, Hut. Col. vol. i, page US. 



