Collinson was a businessman-gardener and a member of Britain's Royal Society devoted to furthering knowledge of natural history, especially through overseas seed exchanges and correspondence with the likes of Benjamin Franklin and John Bartram. His other correspondents include Carl Linnaeus, William Pitt, Hans Sloane, and the Virginia planter, John Custis. All letters in this volume are Collinson's; they're fully footnoted, and all correspondents are well-introduced. The color plates of correspondents, flora, and fauna make this a beautiful, as well as informative, read. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
