92 ORMISTOUN'S LETTERS 



improve it. We complain of Barley being cheap and yet we 

 won't do any thing towards adding to the consumption of it. 

 I suppose she would be glad of more custom and yet she won't 

 keep drink which would bring her customers. Can our 

 Country thrive or She succeed in keeping a Public House 

 when she acts so foolishly against her own Interest and to the 

 shame of the place and indeed to the Country in general. Can 

 any thing be a stronger proof of the Indolent stupidity of the 

 people who live in so fine a Barley Country and won't be at 

 pains to make good drink of it, tho' the doing so would put 

 money in their pockets and be for their own and the Country's 

 good. 



If I have any time I shall add at night. I am interrupted 

 now. 



16 August 1743. 



You have now had a trial of what the Garden produces can 

 best be disposed of to advantage and also what goes best off, so 

 you can crop it accordingly. Let me be informed what you 

 propose to sow and Plant. Pray how do the Artichokes 

 answer which were planted towards the West of the Garden. 



XXXII 



3 Jany, 1742. JoHN,^ — I hope the sneding of the Wood goes well on. 



Let me know if they will be able to go through all the planted 

 trees this Winter of which they still have two months good in 

 which they may safely sned Oaks and Ashes particularly, as 

 they are late and the sap wont rise for two months after this 

 gets to you so much as to hurt them by being sned. Oaks 

 and Ashes are the chief kinds, and they may be sned last, by 

 which a fortnight if not three Weeks may be gained in the 

 continuance of the sneding Season, if right managed in the 

 following method. If they will now sned all the firs and other 



^ John Dods. See p. 50. 



