Penfylvaniat Philadelphia, 127 



cones being much lefs. I afterwards faw 

 this tree in great plenty in Canada, 



Mr. Bartram was of opinion, that the 

 apple tree was brought into America by the 

 Europeans, and that it never was there be- 

 fore their arrival. But he looked upon 

 peaches as an original American fruit, and 

 as growing wild in the greateft part of 

 America. Others again were of opinion, 

 that they were firft brought over by the 

 Europeans. But all the French in Canada 

 agreed, that on the banks of the river 

 Mijifippi and in the country thereabouts 

 peaches were found growing wild in great 

 quantity.* 



September the 2yth, The tree whichthe 

 Englijh here call Perjimon, is the Diofpyros 

 Virginiana of Linnceus. It grows for 

 the greateft part in wet places, round 

 the water pits. I have already mentioned 

 that the fruits of this tree are extremely 

 bitter and (harp before they are quite ripe, 

 and that being eaten in that ftate they quite 



contract 



* Thomas Herriot, fervant to Sir Walter Raleigh, who was 

 employed by him to examine into the produftions of North 

 Jmerica, makes no mention of the peach among the other 

 fruits he defcribes, and M. du Pratz, who has given a very 

 good account of Louifiana and the Mijftjippi, fays, that the na- 

 tives got their peaches from the Englijh colony of Carolina, 

 i>efore the French fettled there. P. 



