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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) to John Threlkeld re: arboriculture, tree planting and forwarding seeds

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04888 Author/Creator: Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1807/03/26 Pagination: 1 p. 25.6 x 20.9 cm Order a Copy

Discusses arboriculture and tree planting. Also forwards seeds. With a spray of leaves and three pecan nuts said to have been collected from the trees grown from the seeds originally enclosed.

Notes: A small branch and nuts, which supposedly came from descendants of the trees discussed in the letter are in the GLC collateral file.

Washington Mar. 26. 07.
Sir
I thank you for the kind offer of the trees mentioned in your letter of yesterday. The Peach Apricot which you saw at Hepburn's was lost on the road, but I received with it from D. Laly [?] at the same time a supply of the stones of the same fruit, which are planted at Monticello, and from which I hope to raise some trees, tho' as yet I do not know their success. Should these fail I will avail myself of your kind offer the next fall or spring. The two peach trees you propose [inserted: will be] very acceptable [inserted: at the same time]. I am endeavoring to make a collection of the choicest kinds of peaches for Monticello. Presuming you are attached to the culture of trees, I take the liberty of sending you some Paccan [sic] nuts, which being of the last years growth received from New Orleans, will probably grow. They are very fine nut, and succeed well in this climate. They require rich land. Between the two edges of the [struck: nut] kernel there is a thin pellicle, excessively austere & bitter, which it is necessary to take out before eating the nut. Accept my salutations & assurances of respect.

Th: Jefferson

Mr. Threlkeld

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

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