TO HIS GARDENER 61 



not let the Water run, some cloth or Matt laid on to let the 

 Water run through that gently, I believe is the best way and 

 to Water by degrees not all at once. As to watering of 

 other Seeds or Plants I need not put you in mind of helping 

 them as their ^ is occasion, only if watering is neglected even in 

 this cold weather I believe you'l have some late and poor 

 Crops and Plants that may be made better if minded in time. 

 I never did see such a Winter and Spring as this has been. 

 Nothing green to be got of any kind and few roots at any 

 price, except onions. Money could not buy what was not. 

 Carrots held longest out. We have been so used to open 

 Winters that little care was taken to provide against a hard 

 one, and this cold dry weather brings in very small supplies. 

 A mild day or two last Week with some Sun, made the buds 

 of some Horse Chesnuts near the Window of my room swell a 

 little, but that has been checked by 4 or 5 Days of dark 

 Weather and no Sun but cold N. E. Wind. Even sweet herbs 

 are scarcely to be got yet for any money. You may put 2 Sh. 

 worth of Spinage now, into a Saucer when boiled. No Grass 

 can rise in this Weather and want of rain will raise unequal 

 Crops of what is in the ground. I wrote to know if the Hares ^ 

 had done hurt in Barking or toping trees in Nursery or Wood 

 but you forgot to answer that. Is the Easter Inclosure pretty 

 well dunged.? Are the fences there made good, and will it 

 and the Middle one keep in Sheep ? Is all the Hay in 

 Middle Enclosure ate up. What Hay is in the loft and Barn ? I 

 hope you have supplied the Hedge Rows at the Town with Trees 

 and Thorns. I mean of such Enclosures as are in my possession. 

 We shall lose many of this Springs Plantations if hearty rain 

 dont come. Little showers now when the Sun is high dont go 

 to roots of any thing that have not their roots near the surface. 

 I think you should cut over all thorns in Nursery, transplanted 

 or not, it will make them spread. Do it now if not done, 

 three inches from the ground will give them room to put out 



1 Slip for ' there.' The winter 1739-40 is notable in history for its severity. 



2 This is the only reference to sport of any kind. All the planting done was 

 to supply timber and shelter to crops and stock. Not till the age of game pre- 

 serving was there much planting on a large scale. Coursing was at this time 

 the only sport indulged in. See Diary of Sir John Fotilis (S.H.S.). 



