
          76

"Les Pechers y sont [ in Lousiana [Louisiana] on the prairies ] semblable
a ceux de l'Europe, et y portent de tres-bons fruits en si grande
abondance, que les Souvages sont souvent obligez de les soutenir
avec des fourches." Louis Hennepin p. 300.  Nouvelle Decouverte
d'un tres grande Pays situé dans l'Amerique, entre Le Nouveau Mexique
et la Mer Glaciale, etc. Utrecht. 1697

Hennepin traveled in Am. "depuis l'an 1679 jusques en 1682"

In another part of his book he mentions having found the peach along with other trees. <s>(In</s>

"In the month of May 1796, the society [Am. Philosophical],
in order the more effectually to answer the ends of their institution,
agreed to appropriate annually, a part of their funds to
be disposed of in Premiums to the authors of the best performances
inventions, or improvements, relative to certain specific subjects
of useful knowledge.  The following premium were thereupon proposed:-"
p. IV. of Advertisement.
*    *    *    *
V. "For the best method verified by experiment, of preventing
the premature decay of peach-trees,--A premium of sixty dollars.

"Papers on this subject will be received, till the first day
of January, 1798." p. V. of Advertisement.  "Transactions of
the Am. Philosophical Society, etc." Vol. IV. Phila. Thomas Dobson,
1799.

On page VI. it is stated that: "A number of papers have been
        