TO HIS GARDENER 43 



so many of a good size, you may find up and down the Wood 

 east of the Stone Park 100 or 200 such as you got last year, 

 that are overgrown by others and can't overtake their neighbours 

 and so will be lost where they are. If you don't take particular 

 care your men will take up all trees with too small roots. The 

 hurt we have every year sustained by this stupid neglect and 

 their obstinate insisting upon cutting the roots too small and 

 too near the trees in taking up and with the making the holes 

 too small for planting in, you may be sensible of. By this 

 and want of care in laying of the roots right and covering of 

 them carefully at planting, we have lost thousands of trees and 

 all the expense and trouble of planting every year. Saving 

 pains in doing things completely right at once, has cost me 

 very dear and the like practice will ever occasion disappoint- 

 ment and is throwing away money instead of saving. Attend 

 closs at all planting and then you '1 see them lay their roots 

 carefully and that every fiber is carefully covered with the finest 

 of the stuff and that the holes are widened if not made large 

 enough at first. Better plant the one half only, than double 

 the number to no purpose for want of care. If you meet any 

 that have been taken up with small roots, don't lose time in 

 planting them, throw such away directly, and don't spend time 

 only to deceive yourself and me in fancying we have more 

 planted than can answer any good purpose. I have said when 

 present and have wrote so much that one would think I needed 

 say no more, but as I know the obstinacy of our people in their 

 neglecting to do things right even when I am present and the 

 common practice in foolishly doing every thing by halves and 

 so losing their time and money in whole or in part under a 

 notion of saving. I again recommend care and doing every- 

 thing you do for me of every kind, completely well and never 

 to go into the foolish way of thinking as they do, that when 

 they neglect what is necessary to make a thing answer right — 

 Oh ! it will do well enough for all that. The chief thing from 

 which most of their undertakings fail in whole or in part. 

 Don't let any business of mine fail so, I desire. I shall be very 

 angry after all I have said if I find they do. The Firs in the 

 Wood and in the two places planted last year must be planted 

 out by middle Ocf^. Let Alex"" Cokb: and Robertson sned the 



