TO HIS GARDENER 101 



exact as you can, what do fly. I hope the hole fallen in upon the 

 Road near the House of the Muir is mended and well filled up. 

 Tell J. Dods of this that it may be gone about and not delayed 

 till somebody falls in which I suspect may be the case, for 

 nothing but something strong ever makes our people think of 

 any thing in time. 



Meikle has been with me. He says they ^ have made a road 

 on his ditch by the road side. Look at it. The beginning 

 of March will be the time for curing it, as they '1 make a road 

 again tho' made right now. 



Don't plant deep in wet places in the Wood ; just turn down 

 and chop the Sward, putting a little good earth upon it and 

 then plant a top of that. Plant neither Oaks nor other trees 

 in it that are too small. You may pick up a good many of 

 proper sizes by looking carefully round Haining and all the 

 Woods without trusting too much to weak in Nursery. 



I am told there was a good Market yesterday, but I have 

 not heard from J. Dods. 



The Nonpareil Apples you sent in were poor. The Non- 

 pareils Rectifie are fair. I hope you have grafts of them. 

 Think if you want any other Seed and let me know before I go 

 or as soon as I go to meet me against I arrive at London and 

 I shall send you a direction. 



Wednesday 2 o'Clock. 



XXXVI 



Charles, — I hope by this time you are well advanced with No date. 

 the Pits. I know you and your Men have been taken off, but 

 as the weather has favored beyond expectation they who were 

 at the work might do more by much than in any weather we 

 have had these two months. Tho"* you don't come down your- 

 self I may know what is doing every day if you '1 write a line 

 every night and give it to Miles ^ who will every day get it 



1 They, i.e. trespassers taking a near cut. 



2 The first mention of Miles and mining is (p. 38) 20th September 1735, 

 where he is cutting through the rock. In No. XXXIV., undated, he is to 

 push on with the setting off of rooms. Cockburn spent the summer and 

 autumn of 1736 at Ormistoun. Note that in one and the same letter, 



K 



