Changes of Timber and Plants, ^c. 299 



thriving and healthy, 1 1 feet 8 inches diameter. These 

 bottoms were covered with flourishing shell bark hick- 

 ory, wild cherry, white walnut, and an immense variety 

 o^ plumbs ; though the whole country, in other parts, 

 had no other timber than beach, sugar maple and hem^ 

 lock', and some stately chesnuts on the ridges. My son 

 also brings to my recollection, that when we surveyed 

 the tract, called in old times, the pine tract, in North- 

 ampton county, a great number of ash trees, were inter- 

 mixed with the present growth of oak and hickory. 



With no overweening zeal • but to obtain incontesti- 

 ble proofs of a fact I consider, as I believe now that it 

 is, very generally known here, though overlooked by 

 many very intelligent men, both here and in Europe, 

 I wrote to Dr. Caldwell; who is observant, and, I un- 

 derstood, well informed of facts on this subject. He 

 has politely favoured me with an answer ; for which he 

 is entitled to my thanks. I send his letter, that such 

 parts of it as apply to the general subject may be ex- 

 tracted. I have not ventured to give any opinion about 

 the immediate cause. I leave my practical conclusion 

 to the consideration of those for whom it is intendeds 

 I am satisfied that experience in practical agriculture 

 will incontestibly prove the position ; even if the means 

 I have taken to strengthen it, should not to others, be 

 so apparent in their application, as to me they seem. 



April Uh, 1808. 



