TO HIS GARDENER 91 



ground, I am for opening of it to receive that nourishment 

 and am only sorry that the season has made ^ the corn sooner 

 off than it might have ten days more time to be opened before 

 sowing again. Let me know when it is thought the plough 

 may go into it after the corn is carried off. Let me have 

 early and particular advice of such things that I may return 

 my thoughts the sooner and before they'l come too late to 

 do any thing I may advise. The business at this time of year 

 should be done with life as not only this crop's being saved 

 but next year's crop in a great measure depends upon dis- 

 patch now. 



Employ the thorns you have in the hedge you propose east 

 of pan Meadow. Pray do the Oaks from Runchiehall West 

 along the top of the Brae over against the Church ^ put out 

 good shoots get strength and thrive strongly ? 



I hope your pidgeons are laying and Breeding strongly 

 Kill all the young not white. Let me know the numbers that 



Half answers only give me more trouble 

 to write new Questions which a full answer would have 

 prevented or vex me that I know no more than if you had 

 not wrote at all. I can't have time to write ten times before 

 I can know all the circumstances which a line or two more to 

 your first letter would have made me understand at once. 



Tell Mrs. Miles that I had a Letter from a Gentleman who 

 was at the last Club,^ Bantering me for there being no good 

 Malt drink at Ormiston. I had no excuse to make but to 

 acknowledge the obstinate stupidity of our people — who talk 

 of being good Countrymen but act against any thing can 



^ This sentence is obscure. He seems above to be anxious to have harvest 

 over so that his plan of exposing the newly ploughed earth before winter sowing 

 might have more time to tell. This sense would require us to read, * has not 

 made the corn sooner off that (for than) it,' etc. 



2 This is not the old church near the house, but the new one, much further 

 away from both the mansion and the village. 



^ Refers to a meeting of the Agricultural Club. Mrs. Miles seems to have 

 been Ramsay's successor. 



