FLORIAN - The Most Traveled Man on Earth

Bring along also a few bushels of Scotch barley, if you land at Pensacola. [In French:]
Think also about Jerusalem artichokes.
[Page 3 of the main letter:]
<strong>The</strong> hop plant grows wild in the woods [here] and only needs to be collected, and the land
is just right for the cultivation of barley [rye?]. Mr. Skipwith was for a long time a
general agent for the United States in France. I am enclosing a note from Mr. Herries so
that you can get acquainted with him, and confer and arrange to come on the same ship.
I urge you again to bring along all the seeds, nuts, kernels, roots, and fruit seeds that you
can. In order to keep them in good condition, you must put them in galvanized
containers, “canisters” [in English], etc., otherwise the rats and mice will devour them
during the voyage. Also bring seeds of Lucerne [alfalfa?] seeds, sainfoin [?] “Barnet
grass, Rye grass, Clover” [in English], at least a boisseau [12.5 liters] of each, “in
barrels” [in English] as well as “broad beans and horse beans” [in English], which are
unknown here.
It seems to me that Peter and Joseph could by one means or another, with the help of M.
de Tastet, sail under the Spanish flag. That could be very advantageous for them if they
find a good means of shipping freight to this region. It is an idea which I am suggesting,
but it is up to them to use any way they please.
[Margin note:]
Do not fail to bring several pianofortes if you come by Pensacola, they sell for double the
price here.
[End margin note]
Mr. Herries is highly educated and pleasant, and is a man who has seen a lot of the world
and has no prejudices. He has two sons 34 of 16 and 18 years, to whom I will start to teach
mathematics. Baron de Grandpre has many children, especially daughters. Quite
possibly I will stay at Mr. Herries while waiting for you, and start our academy in
advance.
Address me still care of Duplanty at New York, or, if there should be some English ships
bound for Pensacola before your departure, address me in duplicate at M. LeDet,
Merchant, New Orleans, and to Mr. William Herries, Esquire, Montesano, West Florida.
I hope, or rather I see with some certainty, that in one way or another we will succeed in
making use of our know-how in this land, and if it is not at Montesano then it will be near
the city. Three leagues from New Orleans 35 there is a boarding school for young people
run by Mr. Lefort. He has 40 to 50 students at 300 piasters per year, and can pocket 5 to
34 One translation says sons, one says daughters!
35 One translation says Orleans, one says New Orleans.
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