TO HIS GARDENER 73 



I hope you have made good use of Matts for saving your 

 young Crops either by covering of them with hoops or setting 

 of them up to screen them from the very cold Winds. When 

 mild, water your Artichokes strongly. It will strengthen the 

 roots and make the fruit swell. Water whenever mild weather, 

 will also bring forward your Crops for the Kitchen, make 

 roots etc. swell. 



So far I wrote last Post when I was interrupted. 



It does not blow so hard to-day neither has any snow fallen, 

 but the wind is still N.E. and it looks heavy. 



Last night my Son had a Letter from my Wife telling that 

 the Lock Mare is dead, and she tells of her being opened. I 

 am so sure by the account she gives from the Farrier that she 

 has been heated and let catch cold, as if I had seen her so 

 used. All excuses or pretences for other causes are vain, for 

 that and that only has been what has inflamed her inwardly 

 till it produced a Mortification. She was a hardy thriving 

 Mare and not to be spoiled by work had she got fair play and 

 in the least taken tolerable care of. It is gross to kill me a 

 Mare the like of which is not to be got for handsomeness and 

 goodness every way. I never drove horse or Mare came up to 

 her. Tell the Coachman ^ such a Mare well deserved better 

 usage, and bad usage has killed her as much as if he had 

 shot her. 



31 March 1741. 



Tell J. Dods I have nothing to say but what is above. 



XXIV 



Charles, — I have only one from you since I left you. It 24 April 1742. 

 was of 9th. If you let the Saughs ^ be cut and dry we may 

 be disappointed of their growing. You say nothing of the 

 dung hill being made down at the Town. I never trusted to 

 your fir Seeds from the North as you did and your corre- 



^ The laird had his carriage like any modern country gentleman. 



^ Willows, Lat. salix. Very common in place-names. Even a considerably 

 thick portion of a willow will continue to put out shoots after being cut from 

 the tree, if kept fairly moist. 



