TO HIS GARDENER 5 



ploy'd about planting in the Wood, Garden or Nursery from 

 your Writing before. I designed to have had 1000 or two of 

 young Ehns gathered from Ditches and sent down, but this 

 hard frost has not allowed of itt, and there is now no Ship in 

 the River for Leith in case the frost should brake. You can't 

 plant the Walnutts too young, if they are well fenc'd from 

 Cattle. They if young may be taken up w* the earth about 

 them carefully and not a root . . . taking care to putt the 

 spade deep down to take up the top root without cutting or 

 braking of itt or any other. I desir'd you last year to speak 

 to Mr. Mathie about firr seed, his father gott me some Norway 

 and also some Swedish firr seed, and he will oblige me if he 

 can gett me some of each. Lay ffilberts and Cobb nutts for 

 propagating. 



17 Jany. 173f . 



Ill 



Charles, — I had yours of 31^* Jany. when I went on 12 Feby. 1733. 

 Saturday to Hampstead. I had left a letter that morning to 

 be putt into the post for Alex'^ Wight, a part of which I desir'd 

 him to communicate to you. As I dont know the post Master 

 of Haddington and how far he may take care of my letters, I 

 have of late directed to be left at my father's house in Eden. 

 Lett me know if they have come safe to hand or by what other 

 direction you think he and you may have them left for the 

 future. You should gett better Ink for the very direction of 

 yours was so pale it could scarce be read. 



I have sent down into Hertfordshire to see to get me 1500 

 or 2000 more Elms out of the hedges, in order to send them 

 by Capt" Man, who assures me he will sail the 22^ of this 

 month. I wrote to Alex'^ Wight to tell you about the getting 

 ground ready, and also of my having sent a small vial w* some 

 hundreds of Crab-Apple Seed.^ Itt was so late before I knew 

 of your coming to Orm : that I could get no more. I hope you 

 sent some of your Asparagus to my ffather.^ 



There are some particulars in yours you have not been full 



^ It is still used as stock on which to put grafts for fruit trees. 

 2 This was the usual capital / Cf. ffrance. His father died in Edinburgh 

 in the following year. See Introduction, p. xxvii. 



D 



