We frequently saw Asparagus growing near the enclosures, in a loose soil, on uncultivated sandy fields. It is likewise plentiful between the maize, and was at present full of berries, but I cannot tell whether the seeds are carried by the wind to the places where I saw them; it is however certain, that I have likewise seen it growing wild in other parts of America.
The Worm-seed, is likewise plentiful on the roads, in a sandy ground such as that near the ferry opposite to Philadelphia. I have already mentioned that it is given to children, as a remedy to carry off the worms. It is then put into brandy, and when it has been in it for one hour, it is taken out again, dried and given to the children, either in beer sweetened with treacle, or in any other liquor. Its effects [[171]]talked of differently. Some people say it kills the worms, others again pretend that it forwards their encrease. But I know by my own experience, that this wormseed has had very good effects upon children.
The Purslain, which we cultivate in our gardens, grows wild in great abundance in the loose soil amongst the maize. It was there creeping on the ground, and its stalks were pretty thick and succulent; which circumstance very justly gave reason to wonder from whence it could get juice sufficient to supply it in such a dry ground. It is to be found plentiful in such soil, in other places of this country.
The Bidens bipinnata, is here called Spanish Needles. It grows single about farm houses, near roads, pales and along the hedges. It was yet partly in flower; but for the greatest part it was already out of blossom. When its seeds are ripe it is very disagreeable walking where it grows. For they stick to the cloaths and make them black; and it is difficult to discharge the black spots which they occasion. Each seed has three spines at its extremity; and each of these again is full of numerous little hooks, by which the seed fastens itself to the cloaths.
In the woods and along the hedges in [[172]]this neighbourhood, some single red Ants, (Formica rubra) crept about, and their antennæ or feel-horns were as long as their bodies.
Towards night we returned to Philadelphia.
October the 8th. The shore of Pensylvania has a great quantity of the finest oysters. About this time the people began to bring them to Philadelphia for sale. They come from that part of the shore, which is near the mouth of the river Delaware. They are reckoned as good as the New York oysters, of which I shall make more particular mention afterwards. However I thought that this latter sort of oysters was generally larger, fatter and more palatable. It is remarkable that they commonly became palatable at the time when the agues had left off their fury. Some men went with whole carts full of oysters, crying them about the streets; this is unusual here when any thing else is to be sold, but in London it is very common. The oyster shells are thrown away, though formerly a lime was burnt from them, which has been found unnecessary, there being stones for burning of lime in this neighbourhood, and the lime of oyster shells not being as good as this other lime. The people shewed [[173]]me some of houses in this town which were built of stone, and to the mason work of which the lime of oyster shells had been employed. The walls of these houses were always so wet two or three days before a rain, that great drops of water could plainly be perceived on them; and thus they were as good as Hygrometers.[27] Several people who had lived in this kind of houses complained of these inconveniences.
October the 9th. Pease are not much cultivated in Pensylvania at present, though formerly, according to the accounts of some old Swedes, every farmer had a little field with pease. In New Jersey and the southern parts of New York, pease are likewise not so much cultivated as they used to be. But in the northern parts of New York, or about Albany, and in all the parts of Canada which are inhabited by the French, the people sow great quantities, and have a plentiful crop. In the former colonies, a little despicable insect has obliged the people to give up so useful a part of agriculture. This little insect was formerly [[174]]little known, but a few years ago it multiplied excessively. It couples in summer, about the time when the pease are in blossom, and then deposites an egg into almost every one of the little pease. When the pease are ripe, their outward appearance does not discover the worm, which, however, is found within, when it is cut. This worm lies in the pea, if it is not stirred during all the winter, and part of the spring, and in that space of time consumes the greatest part of the inside of the pea: In spring therefore little more than the mere thin outward skin is left. This worm at last changes into an insect, of the coleoptera class, and in that state creeps through a hole of its own making in the husk, and flies off, in order to look for new fields of pease, in which it may couple with its cogeneric insects, and provide food sufficient for its posterity.
This noxious insect has spread from Pensylvania to the north. For the country of New York, where it is common at present, has not been plagued with it above twelve or fifteen years ago; and before that time the people sowed pease every year without any inconvenience, and had excellent crops. But by degrees these little enemies came in such numbers, that the [[175]]inhabitants were forced to leave off sowing of pease. The people complained of this in several places. The country people about Albany have yet the pleasure to see their fields of pease not infected by these beetles, but are always afraid of their approach; as it has been observed they come every year nearer to that province.
I know not whether this insect would live in Europe, and I should think our Swedish winters must kill the worm, even if it be ever so deeply inclosed in the pea; notwithstanding it is often as cold in New York (where this insect is so abundant) as in our country, yet it continues to multiply here every year, and proceeds always farther to the north. I was very near bringing some of these vermin into Europe, without knowing of it. At my departure from America, I took some sweet peas with me in a paper, and they were at that time quite fresh and green. But on opening the paper after my arrival at Stockholm, on August the 1st. 1751; I found all the peas hollow, and the head of an infect peeping out of each. Some of these insects even crept out, in order to try the weather of this new climate; but I made haste, to shut the paper again, in order to prevent the spreading of this [[176]]noxious insect.[28] I own, that when I first perceived them, I was more frightened than I should have been at the sight of a viper. For I at once had a full view of the whole damage, which my dear country would have suffered, if only two or three of these noxious insects had escaped me. The posterity of many families, and even the inhabitants of whole provinces, would have had sufficient reason to detest me as the cause of so great a calamity. I afterwards sent some of them, though well secured, to count Tessin, and to Dr. Linnæus, together with an account of their destructive qualities. Dr. Linnæus has already inserted a description of them in an Academical Dissertation, which has been drawn up under his presidency, and treats of the damages made by insects.[29] He there calls this insect the Bruchus of North-America.[30] It [[177]]was very peculiar that every pea in the paper was eaten without exception.