TO HIS GARDENER 81 



only repeated what I bid you tell when at Ormiston — tell the 

 Carrier, and now only you promise to speak to him. I can''t 

 bear such trifling. Let the Gravel Pit stand open. Take care 

 to strengthen the roots of the Silver firs in Nursery. Try 

 again the Seed of the Swedish fir if you can find any. If you 

 got no answer from Kelso why did you not try some other 

 place to prevent being disappointed entirely or lose this fine 

 season. But excuses for putting off is the highest pleasure 

 of our Indolent Country. You never tell me what Alex*" Cok: 

 is doing in the Wood. 



17 Oct^ 1742. 



XXVIII 



Charles, — I have yours of 29*^ Oct"^. How does the first 6 Nov. 1742. 

 cut Hag in Easter Wood look now that I reckon Alex*^ has 

 gone through it ? Do the planted trees advance equally in 

 height or which kind gets the better ? Does it want any and 

 of what kinds to supply any spots or do you think it will prove 

 thick enough ? If you think it must be supplied do it with 

 trees a little taller than the rest as they '1 stand 2 or 3 years 

 before they begin to take roots strong enough to enable them 

 to make strong shoots, so if you plant too low trees now the 

 former planted ones will overgrow them much. 



Is not the Stripe West of the Upper Wood and East of 

 Stone Park too thick ? You '1 be able to observe that the 

 better that you say Alex^ has dressed it. If too thick give 

 Alex"^ Wight or other of the Tenants what can be spared of 

 proper sizes for them, or take for your own use such as you 

 think of proper sizes for our own planting any where. Let 

 them know this and if they want more than to be had 

 there give them out of the Haining or where else you can 

 spare them. 



Let Alex'" do completely where ever he goes as we can'*t be 

 going over all every year nor even every two or three years. 

 I find you have had much less rain than we had before your's. 

 This Week has been pretty dry so I reckon you advance well 

 where the ground is not too dry. I hope you plant tall trees 

 in the East Wood by the Town as they are sheltered from the 



