12 ORMISTOUN'S LETTERS 



I remember old Trees at Nithry.^ The sooner you gett the 

 seed of the common ffirrs out of the Apples the better, try 

 some few before a ffire not too near, to gett a bed early sow''dj 

 to try if they won't advance further than what came out with 

 the Sun some time hence. I hope the Tennents dibbled in the 

 Acorns in their dykes before the rains came. Don't plant out 

 the ffilberts this year, it is now late so keep them till Ocf, 

 but you may lay a few of both White and Red and also of the 

 Cobb Nutts, and as it is late even for that, twist the small 

 branch a little where you cover itt with the ground, which I 

 believe may make them take root sooner. You may try some 

 this way and some not twisted, to see which does best. I have 

 thought of a place for planting of them against Oct^. Doe 

 non offer to bear which were planted in the hedge of Swine 

 Ward or other places. Your new planted Nurserys^ will 

 require wattering this Spring and Summer. A cart for Water 

 will be wanted, and the Watter will be much the better it 

 stands in the cask 24 hours and in the Sun before being us'd. 

 Don't trust to little Spring or Summer Showers which don't 

 reach the roots. If once the roots drie and shrink, wattering 

 won't recover them, for they'l dye or Stunt. Little more can 

 be done to Nurserys this Season but to keep them clean and 

 such as are transplanted this Spring, well watter'd. I fear the 

 winds will loosen all the new planted trees. Squeezing the 

 earth fast to their roots will be of great service. I wrote to you 

 last year about the Walnutts wch were planted of North and 

 South sides of pann Meadow. Lett me know if any of them 

 look thriving, how tall they are, how many are gone or seam 

 not to be worth keeping in the ground. If any have been 

 supply'd since you went down or if they have been dug round 

 as I wrot to you before you went away. If not I wish you 

 will make a trench two f* broad and near the like depth round 

 each thriving tree, throw the turf into the bottome and good 

 light mold to fill it up to the top, that they may spread their 

 roots, for the Walnutt roots are tender and if the earth is not 

 open they can't force roots through itt, and if they shoot ane 



^ Niddrie, the ancient seat of the Wauchopes, near Musselburgh. By 1740 

 he had secured silver firs. See p. 59, 

 "^ Here not a place, as now, but nurslings. 



