CATHOLIC AND QUAKER 127 



John Bartram at his fanii on the banks of the Schuyl- 

 kill, within the limits of Philadelphia now, but three 

 miles from the site of the town then — 1728 — also 

 afforded a pilgrimage to travelers of all sorts, from the 

 old world and the new. Every one made a point of 

 visiting here, and visitors were always liberally en- 

 tertained. But General Washington's diary has an 

 entry concerning the gardens that reveals one over- 

 expectant guest at least: "Sunday, June 10 (1787) — 

 rode to see the Botanical Garden of Mr. Bartram, 

 which though stored with many curious Trees and 

 Shrubs and Flowers was neither large nor laid out in 

 much taste." Botanic gardens seldom please the 

 esthetic sense, however, though maybe the General did 

 not know this, hence his very evident disappointment. 

 John Bartram was a lovable, simple Quaker who 

 built his house with his own hands, in 1730-31; who 

 taught himself Latin that he might learn botany; and 

 who had all his household at his table, which ran the 

 length of the great hall — ^his servants and slaves 

 sitting "below the salt" in ancient patriarchal fashion. 

 His farm was as remarkable in a way as his botanic 

 garden, for he irrigated his meadows and orchards, 

 and had redeemed some portions of it from what had 

 been regarded as utterly useless ground. His system 

 of irrigation was one which he originated; the waters 

 of a spring which was a mile and a half away, were 



