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THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 1. 
In the year 1775 a young man might he seen at New 
York, lodging with his brother, a printer, ready to turn 
his hand to anything for a livelihood, but who had been 
instructed in gardening at the Royal Gardens of England, 
and whose best love was devoted to the study of botany. 
Everything was against him. The war of independence 
was as its height—no one thought of engaging a gar¬ 
dener. “The banner of Mars is displayed in every 
comer ; nay, even in the churchyards,” said Mr. An¬ 
derson, writing to Mr. Forsyth in the May of 1775. 
“Nothing is heard here but the noise of drums—nothing 
to be seen but the gun and bayonet; so that all America, 
from 16 years old to 00, is in arms." “ They laugh at 
me when they see me lugging home my plants.” Jt 
would have been well if the English Government had 
judged of the issue as he did; for, adds tins clear-sighted 
young Scotchman—“ All the force of Britain and Ire¬ 
land cannot subdue the Americans. They are unani¬ 
mous—they are all linked together as with a chain— 
they are numerous—aud Britain will find to its sad 
experience they are men of courage and resolution.” 
He remained at New York until the summer of 1777, 
i and a sketch of what occurred to him during the time, 
and until the beginning of 1778, is told in the following 
letter, the improved handwriting and orthography of 
which testify that he had not misspent his time. 
MR. A. ANDERSON TO MR. FORSYTH. 
Philadelphia, 24lh February, 1778. 
As to the situation of affairs on this side the water at this 
alarming juncture, I shall not say anything, for if you see 
the young man that carries this letter, he will satisfy you as 
to that particular. But, in my opinion, things have a dismal 
aspect at this present time, nor do T think there will be an 
exit to this fatal conflict until the country is totally laid 
in ruins. 
Notwithstanding the necessity that the Americans are in 
for many of the necessaries of life, and the Europeans 
daily deserting from their army, yet they remain equally 
obstinate and persisting in their wretched and foolish 
schemes. 
May the all-ruling hand of heaven put a speedy end to 
so tremendous and unnatural war, and restore peace and 
plenty again to this once happy land. 
Trade is but dull here at present, owing to the critical 
times, which terrify people in engaging in business. For 
my part, I have transacted but little business since I came 
into the country, it being simply impossible to settle in any 
way whatsoever, on account of the times, but I did not 
mind that, as I had board and lodging from my brother, and 
money when 1 wanted it. So, having but little or nothing 
to attend to, I devoted my time entirely the first summer to 
collecting plants, specimens, and seeds, as my inclination 
has ever been in pursuit of such disquisitions; indeed, I 
found enough to gratify my curiosity in this fertile land. 
The second summer being very turbulent, by the rebels 
busied in raising their armies, I was constrained to seclude 
myselt from all society, for fear of being entangled to take a 
part with them (and it was with the utmost difficulty and 
precaution that I avoided it). In this situation I was de¬ 
terred from the principal object of my desires of tracing 
the vegetable kingdom. I applied myself to reading and 
improving in the Latin, and to learn the French, in which 
tongue I have.for I understand it 
almost as well as the.(MS. imperfect.) 
Last summer I went from New York a volunteer in the 
army, and stayed with them during the campaign until they 
arrived at Philadelphia, at which place I left them. And as 
my books and clothes are at New York, I intend to return 
I there as soon as an opportunity offers, when I may have a 
chance to begin my collection again on York and Long 
Islands. If my chest had been here with me I think I 
should have returned to England with these vessels, as there 
is but little peace, or comfort, on this side the Atlantic at 
this period. 
Among the plants common about New York (viz., within 
ten miles) are Laurus sassafras, Viburnum Units, Gledilschia 
(or what the people here call the Honey Locust), Li quid - 
ambar styracifl.ua, Liquid-ambar asplenifolium (grows on high 
and sandy grounds—most commonly it grows on eminences | 
by the sides of rivers, among sand), lAriodendron tvlipifera 
(waxes to a large tree in a fertile soil), Acer trifoliata, Oahs 
(many species), Red Cedar, Chesnuts, Walnuts, Gum-tree 
(vulgarly so called—unknown to me), Magnolia glauca, \ 
Kalmia latifolia in great plenty (grows in a high and dry 
black soil, commonly a north-west aspect, by the sides of 
woods; I think your bog is by far a too wet situation for 
this plant); Azaleas, Andromedas, Clethra alnifolia, Colllnsonia 
canadensis, Mcspilus canadensis, Acorns calamus, Chelones 
(these all grow in moist soil), Solidagos, Asters variety, 
Heliantheums, Serratulas, Gnaphaliums, Geranium sylvaticum, 
Pohjgonalums, Hieraciums, Hypericums, Phytolacca decandra, 
Virginian Sna/ce-rools, a species of Onabranche, grows in 
thick woods among rotten leaves; Ceanothus Americanus, 
Aden spicata, Roses, many; Cactus opunlia, flowers beau¬ 
tifully on rocks; Asclepias, the white, purple, and orange- 
flowered—fine plants, growing in watery grounds; Apocy- 
nums, Anemone nemorosa, Bryonias, Rhus Virginianus, ditto 
toxicodendron, Hedcras, Nymphea, Satyrions, Martegons, a 
species of Mcsembryanthemum, grows in the sand; a Sym- 
phetum, Pyrola, Paris quadrifoliu, with many others too 
tedious to mention, besides a vast number of trees . . . 
(MS. imperfect) unknown to me; aud I am confident many 
of them have never been seen on your side of the Atlantic. 
The country everywhere spontaneously produces esculent 
fruits and roots. 
The water-melon comes to the highest perfection here, 
especially in Jersey, where the soil is for the most part 
sandy. I think it is far superior to either the Musk or Can¬ 
taloupe melons in Europe. They grow with but small 
trouble, sown in the end of May, on the most sandy fields. 
There is a great variety of insects, birds, serpents, and 
other animals, in these parts ; moths extremely large, and 
of beautiful colours. A number of snakes, some very 
dangerous in bite, as the rattle, black, yellow-striped, and 
copper-head. The black are very desperate in the time of 
their copulation, and will chase a man a great way. Some 
of them are six or seven feet long. 
Among the offspring of the winged tribe is that rare and 
curious creature vulgarly named the humming bird. It is 
in bigness scarce the end of a man’s little finger, with a bill 
about eighteen inches long, with which it extracts the honey 
from the flowers, like as a bee, still continuing on wing— 
same time makes a kind of humming noise with its wings, 
from which it derived its name; and here is the mocking¬ 
bird, so called because it imitates the notes of all other 
birds that it hears (this is as large as your blackbird): much 
esteemed for its singing. 
I should be much obliged to you if you would be so good 
as to send me some directions for the preserving serpents 
and birds. 
Among my papers that I lost at New York, I had some 
observations on the fascination of snakes, and exhalation 
and falling of rains in America, and on the virtue of small 
plants, as ascertained by the country people and Indians. 
The Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of Eng¬ 
land, as our readers are aware, have announced that 
prizes will this year he offered for poultry. The prize 
list, in a complete form, has just been issued, and we 
published it in our previous number. Those who, during 
the last few years, have laboured so energetically in the 
establishment of exhibitions of this nature, with the 
view of directing attention to a neglected branch of 
rural economy, must be highly gratified to find that the 
most influential agricultural society, not only of Eng- 
