18 ORMISTOUN^S LETTERS 



bones together, he'l never think or act till some such opportunity 

 offers again when he can take ane advantage and gett double 

 price for something, and this we prefer to a large way of 

 thinking and acting, by which we may enlarge our busines, 

 gett constant and. good busines. Some again with us are 

 misers and from thence can't enlarge their business or find in 

 their heart to part with any thing at a small profitt. This 

 again hinders some from selling a third of what they might. 

 If you are wise youl avoid such narrow ways, encourage 

 customers by serving of them well and cheap, by which you '1 

 have ten for one your father has, and you '1 draw the country 

 in to rise ten times the Garden stuff they doe. Contrive how 

 to have crop under crop and something to bring you money 

 every day of the year and lett your Gain be from disposing of 

 quantitys. I hope the Town is upon Improving, and in a 

 little may make a pretty demand itself, Espicially if they can 

 gett things readily and cheap. One great reason for our 

 people's living as they doe and not as they doe in Engld. is the 

 difficulty there is in getting things at all, and if to be gott 

 they pay so dear for them, all sellers w* us thinking of nothing 

 but sharping a high price and sometimes for what is bad and 

 being Idle again till ane opportunity happens for their doeing 

 so again. This is wrong judging whether it proceeds from 

 Sloathfull Indolence or miserable covetousness. Could the 

 Lasie man bring himself to more activity or the Covetous man 

 to a larger way of thinking, they would both gett more busines 

 and more money from having more customers. If once by the 

 above method you introduced the use of Garden stuff, it would 

 encrease fast and take more and more in the Country, and I 

 make not the least doubt of your finding encouragement 

 and profitt from adding every year considerably, to your 

 Kitchen Garden Ground. Among other things which may 

 add to your demand a good publick House may and if George 

 proceeds I believe he will endeavour to have better things than 

 our CoiTion dirty Hog stays where nothing is to be gott but 

 nasty Barm which we call Tuppeny^ and by accident ane Oat 

 or pease Cake. The wise use your father will make of such a 



^ The favourite drink of the time, and occupying the place of the modern tea, 

 sold at twopence the pint, equal to two English quarts. ' Barm ' is yeast. Oats 

 and pease were the staple cereals. George Ramsay is ' mine host ' here. 



