TO HIS GARDENER 55 



in that case I would not pay for what could be of no use, so 

 I gave him this notice in time. He pretended a Boat ^ was 

 gone down and was expected back with the Bill of Lading 

 every Minute, and he would send the Bill to day. It is not 

 yet come ; if it does come you shall have it next post. The 

 Wind is now very fair and if it continues the Ship may be soon 

 down, so as soon as you get the Bill send to Leith and don't 

 let the things lie on board to be kicked about or huddled into 

 a Cellar and so the trees spoiled, but as they have been put 

 late on board they may be got soon out, so go in and take a 

 Cart with you, or horses to get all safe out. I ordered 4 Low 

 Morello Cherries and as many tall for Walls. Get the Border 

 and Wall ready for them as I wrote long ago. If you can get 

 plates put under their roots you need not take up such of 

 the trees now for Nursery upon that Wall if they are not in 

 the way where the Cherries should stand. That Border must 

 get a good mixture as it is damp and the soil heavy. If you 

 have no right plates get presently :J of a hundred of the large 

 Brown plates ^ such as are upon the Old House. I told you 

 before that I had ordered 2 Mulberries. I hope you have stuft' 

 in order for them and plenty of it. Turn chop and make it 

 fine upon receipt of this that it may be in very good order 

 against they arrive. Plant one about the Middle of one of the 

 Plots in the low Garden where the Evergreens are of west side, 

 but have no regard whether it will fall in one of the now Walks 

 there or on the Border, let it be the middle of each, for I 

 propose in time to take out all the Greens ^ now there and lay 

 all flat in grass as the Bowling Green was and leave only the 

 Mulberries standing. Dig the Pits deep and broad, at least 

 5 feet over and round. The turf or upper soil may be chopped 

 very fine and mixed with the stuff's you have prepared to help 

 to fill up, but none of it to touch the roots just at first plant- 

 ing. You must lay plates or thin flags one foot square in the 

 middle of each pit and 2 feet under the surface. Guess the 



^ A lighter taking goods for the packet. 



^ Large pieces of thin sandstone, used for roofing purposes. They are called 

 * thin flags' below. The reference to the Old House implies that the new, or 

 modern, mansion was then a-building or finished. 



^ Evergreens, so named above. 



