JOHN BARTRAM AND WILLIAM BARTRAM. 2 7 



(founder of the Loganian Library, in Philadelphia), who gave 

 him several botanical works. In order that his explorations, 

 begun at his own expense, might be extended, Bartram's friends 

 prompted him to seek the patronage of some wealthy and in- 

 fluential person in the mother country. Accordingly, a quan- 

 tity of his specimens and a record of some of his observations 

 were sent to Peter Collinson, a Quaker merchant in England, 

 who was greatly interested in horticulture. Bartram's consign- 

 ment secured his interest, and led to a correspondence, which 

 lasted nearly fifty years. The first letter in Darlington's col- 

 lection is from Collinson, under the date January 20, i734-'35, 

 and refers to letters from Bartram of the preceding November; 

 hence this correspondence probably began when Bartram was 

 about thirty-five years of age. In his early letters Collinson 

 makes many inquiries about American plants and requests for 

 specimens. He sends Bartram seeds, roots, cuttings of trees, 

 vegetables, and flowering plants cultivated in England, pack- 

 ages of paper in which to preserve specimens, and gives him 

 directions for collecting and drying plants. From time to time 

 he sends presents of cloth and other articles for the use of the 

 botanist or his family. For Bartram's " improvement in the 

 knowledge of plants "he early offers, if duplicate collections 

 are sent, to "get them named by our most knowing botanists, 

 and then return them again, which will improve thee more than 

 books." In this way the learning of Dillenius, Gronovius, and 

 other eminent men was brought to the aid of the humble colo- 

 nist. Collinson obtained for Bartram many orders for seeds 

 and roots of American plants, and early secured for him the 

 patronage of Lord Petre, whose gardens and hothouses were 

 probably the most extensive in the kingdom. This noble ama- 

 teur ordered quantities of seeds from time to time, and when 

 Bartram asked for a yearly allowance to enable him to extend 

 his explorations, Lord Petre agreed to contribute ten guineas 

 toward it. As much more was obtained from the Duke of 

 Richmond and Philip Miller, and the twenty guineas were paid 

 each year till 1742, when Lord Petre died. The first expedi- 

 tion that Bartram made with this assistance was an exploration 

 of the Schuylkill River. He transmitted his journal of the trip 

 and a map of the river to his patrons, and with both of these 

 Collinson reported Lord Petre to be much pleased. 



Besides plants, Collinson asks Bartram at various times to 



