80 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
May 6. 
is not so liable to clog m clamp soil, breaks the 
clocls when turned up more effectually, and for 
potato-digging, or working amongst other roots, 
it stands alone and unrivalled. It will take up 
as much soil as a spade, unless the earth be 
very loose and friable ; and even this may in a 
degree be obviated, by having the arrow-heads 
(which should be steeled) made a little larger, so 
that their inner angles may be closer together. 
Of course this tool may be made as heavy or as 
light as may be required, according to circum¬ 
stances. All I know is, that my father’s work¬ 
men in Berkshire will never touch a spade for 
hardly any purpose, if they can get one of these 
forks. I need not give any dimensions, as of 
course they would be the same with any three¬ 
grained fork. If you should not have happened 
to have met with Neptune’s insignia in this guise 
before, I am sure upon trial that you will be 
pleased with it, and I shall feel happy in hav 
ing been the means of bringing it under your 
notice.” 
precautions nature has taken to guard her vegetable off¬ 
spring ; and when the luxuriancy of it far surpasses any¬ 
thing of the kind in any other climate in the world, from 
the tallest tree to the most grovelling vine, every individual 
mutually aids and supports one another. The spreading 
branch and thick foliage of the lofty tree protects the 
humbler plants from the scorching rays of the sun, they, in 
return, cover the sm-face of the earth, and retain a perpetual 
moisture to nourish the roots of their protectors, so that in 
the woods of tropical climates there is a perpetual shade j 
and moisture, and so thick that most parts are hardly ; 
pervious to the smallest quadruped. 
Industry and integrity triumphed over all difficulties, 
and having obtained an intelligent, sergeant of Artillery 
as his deputy overseer of the garden, Mr. Anderson 
readily availed himself of a long-desired opportunity of j 
visiting the South American continent. The result is 
told in the following letter, dated from St. Vincent’s, 
July 10th, 1788. 
WE. A. ANDERSON TO MR. FORSYTH. 
FORSYTH MSS, 
Abundant proofs are in the letters before us of Mr. 
Anderson’s indefatigable industry and sound judgment, 
yet misrepresentations were sent home, and he had thus 
to defend himself in a letter dated June 6tli, 1780, and 
we insert the extract the more readily because it con¬ 
tains needful and sound advice to those about to migrate 
to a tropical climate. 
HR. A. ANDERSON TO MR. FORSYTH. 
I had letters from Sir George Yonge, Sir Joseph Banks, 
and Mr. Adair. They seem to think I pay too much atten¬ 
tion to the useless and neglect the useful plants, but that is 
far from being the case, for the introduction and cultivation 
of plants useful in medicine or commerce are objects I 
always keep in view, and flatter myself I have not been 
negligent that way, for all my disquisitions tend to the 
interest of the department. I assure you, the introducing 
those that appear useless has been no additional expense 
to the department, or occasioned any inattention to the 
necessary duties thereof. 
The idea of those plants whose properties are not yet 
ascertained being cumbersome to the garden, and taking 
place of more useful, is wrong, for it is absolutely necessary 
to get the ground as thick covered with plants as possible 
before the more useful will thrive, for there is no cultivating 
plants with success in this country without screening them 
from the direct rays of the sun, and retaining the natural 
| moisture of the earth by shade ; for which end I have been 
obliged to fill every part of the garden that was open and 
exposed with fast-growing plants, which prosper in all soils 
I and situations, and which are useless and ugly, such as 
j JEschynomeue grandijlora, Ricinus, &c., before I could get 
any others to grow. Shelter from the sun is as necessary 
here as from cold with you, and this holds good in the 
1 spontaneous productions of the country, and you may depend 
| upon it there is little less trouble in cultivating plants with 
success here than with you. The most proper plan, and is 
1 the one I should have adopted had I got possession of the 
; botanic ground in a state of nature, to have let it remain 
nearly so for some years, at least all the trees and taller 
plants should have remained, and only clearing the under- 
| wood and vines, and so sown my seeds, and reared my 
I plants with little trouble. Nor is there anything more 
j ridiculous than a spot of land intended for a garden in this 
country to be cleared as in Europe, and I have often viewed 
the negro gardens with surprise, being filled with all kinds 
of vegetables in the greatest perfection, while their master's 
garden was a bed of dry earth. This I readily found to be 
from the negroes tracing the footsteps of nature, by leaving 
every tree that would shelter the labours of his hand, while 
his master acted the contrary. Whoever has seen a tropical 
country in a state of nature, views with admiration the wise 
I am sorry to inform you my expedition to the main 
proved fruitless, through the ignorance of a rascally mulatto 
pilot, who, in carrying us into Cumana, run the frigate, 
among rocks and shoals, that it was with great difficulty she 
was saved, and that was solely owing to the sagacity and 
address of Captain Biekerton. After extricating the frigate, 
the captain, as well as every one on board, deemed it too 
serious a matter to risk her further on such a dangerous 
and unknown coast, where no more confidence could be 
placed in our pilot. With great reluctance we were obliged 
to return. You may readily judge of my disappointment; 
after running along a country for some hundred leagues, 
where every moment new objects excited new desires to get 
on shore, and when I thought the moment was almost 
arrived when I conceived my desires w'ere to be gratified, to 
find them frustrated. But I never can enough manifest my 
gratitude to Captain Biekerton for his attentions to me 
during my stay on board the frigate, which was three weeks, 
indeed, the wffiole of his conduct was that of a brother, and 
he was far more concerned at my disappointment than any 
other thing that happened. He is a young man of educa¬ 
tion, and has a natural turn for knowledge of all kinds. He 
much wishes to have it in his power, after the hurricane 
season is over, to carry me to some part. Could not a pass 
be procured for me from the court of Spain, in case I should 
make future attempts to the Spanish Colonies ? The Em¬ 
peror of Germany has at present two naturalists travelling 
over the continent. 
GOSSIP. 
Such a long-continued series of dry spring weather as 
has occurred this year is not within our recollection. 
At Manchester, one of the wettest districts of England, 
not three-tenths of an inch of rain fell in the course of 
eighty days, though those days included part of “ Fe¬ 
bruary lill-dyke,” and the whole of “ showery April.” 
To this most unusual season of dryness must be attri¬ 
buted the comparative exemption from any injury that 
has befallen the early blossoms of our fruits. Wall-fruit 
has usually set well; Gooseberries are most abundant; 
and we hope the same report applies to Pears; and all 
this despite the continued easterly winds and frosty 
nights. Mr. Errington, writing to us on the 35th, 
says:—“WindsEast! East!! Frosts nightly! sometimes 
half-a-dozen degrees of it! What say the no-protection 
men and spring planters now?” We should like to 
hear from various quarters of the British Isles what 
have been the effects of such a season on our various 
garden crops. Such weather, and the unusual coldness 
