The same year thirty-nine varieties of tropical plants, including the bread fruit tree, came to him from a well wisher in Jamaica.

At other times he sowed seeds of the cucumber tree, chickory and "colliflower" and planted ivy and wild honeysuckle.

Again he once more planted pecans and hickory nuts.

It can hardly be that at his advanced age he expected to derive any personal good from either of these trees, but he was very fond of nuts, eating great quantities for dessert, and the liking inclined him to grow trees that produced them.
In this, as in many other matters, he planted for the benefit of posterity.
In order to care for his exotic plants he built adjoining the upper garden a considerable conservatory or hothouse.

In this he placed many of the plants sent to him as presents and also purchased many others from the collection of the celebrated botanist, John Bartram, at Philadelphia.