THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
"labour'd in Vain, or to Little purpose; for some years; and
"obtained but very few seeds, or plants, Neither Money, or Friend-
"ship, would Tempt them. Notwithstanding these Discouragements,
"as I continued Engaged in Trade, with these people, New Corres-
"pondents Offered, and I continued to renew my Requests to them;
"they made fair promises, but very few performances, and those of
"little Consequence—thus this Difficult affair stood for some years,
"longer, at last some more artfull Men than the Rest, contrived to get
"rid of my importunities, By recommending a Person whose Business
"it should be to Gather Seeds, and send over plants. Accordingly
"John Bartram was recommended, as a very proper Person for that
"purpose, being a Native of Pensilvania, with a Numerous Family—
"the profits arising from Gathering Seeds would Enable Him to
"support It—at first it was not thought, that sending overseas would
"prove a Trade ; but the Demand Increaseing, the price was Settled
"at five guineas a Box. Besides my Self, the Next Person that gave
"J. Bartram encouragement, was Lord Petre, at Thornton Essex,
"who continued to Employe Him from 1736 to 1740,—Then his
"orders, increased from the Dukes, of Richmond, Norfolk and
"Bedford. Afterwards the Taste for planting Increased, the Annual
"Orders, for Boxes of Seeds as by the following Lists, will more
"Evidently appear. The Transacting This Business of procureing
"Foreign Seeds, brought on Mee, every year, no little Trouble, to carry
"On such a Correspondence, attended with so much Loss of Time,—
"viz. In keeping Accounts, writing letters with Orders, Receiving
"and Paying the Collectors Money,—Difficulties and attendance at
"the Custom House, to procure the Delivery of the Seeds, and then
"disperseing the Boxes, to their proper Owners, &c. &c.
"Yet all this trouble with some unavoidable Expence attending
"It, did not Discourage Mee for I Willingly undertook it without the
"least grain of profit, to my self, In hopes to improve, or at least
"adorn, My Country. Besides to Oblige so Many Great and Worthy
"People, many of my Friends, and Acquaintance, but more were
"Strangers, who all applyed to Mee, and asked it as a favour, I would
"take their Orders for Seeds,—I could not refuse their Requests, be-
"cause I had the Publick Good at Heart.
"It hath pleased God to prolong my Life to near 72 to see the
"Reward of all my Labours crowned with Success. In the Numerous
"Plantations, spread over this Delightful Island, which Gives Infinite
"Pleasure to
"Peter Collinson
Decem.r. 16, 1766.
"I forgot to Mention that after I had Supplied the Several persons
"in the following Lists with Seeds the next was pray Sr, how and in
"what Manner must I sow them, pray be so good Sr, to give Mee some
"Directions—for my Gardener is a very Ignorant Fellow.
"This Created more Trouble and Loss of Time, yet to encourage
"Planting, I never refused any One, and they were not a few."