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1786 J.B. to Lee Nursery-man Hammersmith
Seeds of trees and shrubs should be included, except such
American seeds as are not to be had without extraordinary
expence. Kitchen Garden seeds such as pease, beans &c should be sent in such a
quantity as will afford a small plate at once to be served
as a specimen upon table. Let them be divided into
classes tied up in several bundles, such as Kitchen-garden
seeds, flower-garden seeds — deciduous shrubs — evergreen
shrubs, and trees. As for such fruit-trees of which the
goodness depends on grafting, it will hardly be worth the
while. I have told him that I would desire you to
put upon each paper not only the English & Linnean
names, but the French if whenever you happened to
be acquainted with it. The case is he has a high opinion
of a French gardener he has lately engaged from
the King's botanical Garden at Para, and, I want to wean him from this predilection to let him to
see what we in England are acquainted with and
possess. Ships from London to Constantinople are
very few and I fear not seasonable: to Smyrna
they are more numerous and possibly some may be
in season for the next sowing time (Direction for Smyrna) I have told him
that I would desire you immediately upon receipt of
this and due enquiries made about ships to write him a line telling him whether he may
expect to receive the collection this next season or whether
he must wait till the season ensuing. Send
what catalogues you can get masking such plants as
you are possessed of or can procure. He as well
as other men of eminence in Constantinople are fond of gardening,
but it is hitherto in the formal meagre French stile:
if they can be brought to look up to England as the
centre of perfection in gardening, they may send to us for
plants of all sorts, and your name I have taken care
shall not be unknown. You will be surprized when I tell you
that except peaches, apricots, figs, pears very few of our fruits
grow or are even to be met with at Constantinople. As this order
comes not from Mr Bulkahoff ly by whom it is was totally unlooked
for, but purely from myself who have no favour
to ask of him, and have nothing to actuate me but my love for
Botany Gardening & old England, unless you will give me leave to add my regard
for you, and as I have at some expence as well as trouble in making
the collections above-mentioned, and the more expence of seeds will to
you be little or nothing, I shall take for granted that if they come to
hand
hand you will not charge me expect payment
for this order: if otherwise
send me the Bill as soon
as I know the amount of it
I will send you a draught on
my Banker for the discharge
of it. If you think I have given
you or are likely to give you an
equivalent , I should be glad you would
send a similar collection in my name to our
own Ambassador there, Sir Robt
Ainslie. A few of our best sorts of
Potatoes should not be forgotten, as
they prize a very different sort they
have there. Finding an excellent sort
of Rudeski t'other day at Bucharest
the of Valachia: as mild as
our best though bigger than my two
thumbs I thought that might
perhaps
perhaps afford some add varieties we
are not possed of. I accordingly
under a collection for you of
about 15 or 20 sorts which
are all the place affords.
I send them from hence along
with this through M. Bulhakoff
leaving him to choose
the best of 3 or 4 channels
which I suggest to him Brusa
Brusa a place within reach
of Constantinople affords, I
am told a very remarkably large peach
or apricot I forget which: I
wish you had it. Perhaps, if
upon sending the above-ordered
collection you were
to ask him or his gardener
they would get some plants
& send you.
I am told from good authority
that the transparent apple is
neither a fable nor a casual
disease but a permanent
variety as good to eat as
to look at, & is to be had
in great proportion at
Moscow; if so, I will strive
hard but I will get you a few
plants of it [+]
[+]But as such an enterprize
would unavoidably be
attended with expence, I should
be glad to know to what expence
if to any you would go
for it.
Having observed in you a
liberality not manifested by
others in the trade, I have
confined my correspondence to
you, that the benefit of it
may be yours.
Direct to me at Crichoff to
Messrs Hey & Zuchebacker
Merchants in Riga
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Identifier: | JB/540/232/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 540.
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1786-01-?? |
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540 |
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232 |
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002 |
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Correspondence/copy |
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Jeremy Bentham |
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