8 ORMISTOUN'S LETTERS 



time, it will appear thick, in good order and the trees well 

 bodj'd both in hight and bignes of body. Was my advice to 

 be taken I would not sell above two years cutting att a time 

 and I dare say c£*300 pounds worth will yield c£^350 if not sold 

 att above one or two years cutting at a time. If two years 

 cutting is now to be sold I would thin a little now what is to 

 be putt up in Spring 1736, but not thin it or make so great 

 wounds in it as you may venture to doe now in what is to be 

 cutt in 1737. If all is now to be sold that is below the Bark 

 Barn, you '1 sett it ill off by thining or Sneding it much now, 

 for as that will require many years cutting the advantage of 

 the growth of so many years, will be lost and not valued by 

 the buyer near to what in all probability it will really deserve. 

 In short it is my opinion that not above what can be cutt this 

 next Summer, or at most this Summer 1734 and Summer 1735, 

 should be now putt up to Sale and that what will come for 

 being cutt in Summer 1736 shall be presently drest by thining 

 and sneding up, but not so throughly sued up as what will 

 fall to be cutt in Summer 1737. I hope I have explained my 

 way of thinking as to the management of the Wood next to 

 be sold. But I am not obstinate and if I am in the wrong and 

 it is thought that . . . years cutting will sell for more money if 

 sold . . . than if parceled out and not sold till it has gott all if s 

 growth I give up my opinion I have us'd a great many words to 

 explain what I mean, I wish you may doe it better than I fancy 

 you did before. Itt would have been a much properer season 

 for executing of this when I wrot first than it will be when 

 this getts to your hands, but delays are the delight of people in 

 Scotland when no delay is necessary and att other times they 

 are in a hurry to have things done when by allowing of time 

 they wood succeed better. You tell me 800 Trees have been 

 planted in the Hedge rows at the Town. I wish you had been 

 more particular as to their size, kinds and where planted and 

 if all taken out of the Wood there or from whence gott. You 

 say D. Wight has gott 200 and Alex"" for the Mains the like 

 number. I shall be glad to know their size kinds and from 

 whence gott. Has Rob* Wight and James Ranoldson gott 

 non. Have they given over planting. You sent me a List of 

 Trees in Nursery and the Sizes. I wish you had told me how 



