+Source.+--_Letters of John Cockburn of Ormistoun to his Gardener,
1727-1744_, p. 22. Edited by James Colville, M.A., D.Sc. (Edinburgh:
Scottish Historical Society, 1904.)
_3 June, 1735._
CHARLES.[80]--I have had none from you since my last. We have this day a
great deal of soft rain, which if with you will do great service to
forward both Grass and Corn and may secure many of the weak rooted trees
planted last Winter and also make your lay'd trees strike root if well
earthed.
This I design chiefly for some thoughts about improving of your father's
Garden and land of which if you go right you'l turn a good deal off into
Kitchen and Orchard Garden. In doing of which I still think you might
have made more progress last Winter and by so doing you might have made
a beginning in drawing the people towards a better taste in Garden
stuff, which tho' you had made no other profit directly, yet that, if
you had saved yourself only, as to the expence, would have been getting
[profit], as it would have encreased the demand next year.... Your
father's Garden is well sheltered by the houses and rising Ground from
the one hand and by the high hedge of the other, and he has water at
hand. So he may raise any thing in it the climate will allow of. He has
crowded it with fruit trees, too thick even for them to bear as they
would, espicially when a little older, as in that warm place they
advance very fast. By this he loses the undergrowth also, by which he
might make double what he makes by the fruit from the trees, espicially
they being of the most common fruit, which would answer as well in the
most exposed part of his field. So warm a lying spot should either have
been employed entirely in doubled crops for a Kitchen, or, if for fruit,
it should have been in kinds every spot won't produce, and for that
reason yielded more. I incline to think mulberys would have done of
either side the walk at the lower end, as being warm and covered from
all severe weather. If so, one tree of them would have yielded as much
money as half a dozen of the common apples now in it, and would have
taken no more room than one of the present. I am convinced that if
Mulberys will do any where in Scotld. they will there, it being entirely
covered from Weather and yet open to the Sun, except in so far as shaded
by apple trees.... What I aim at is to turn your ground to the best and
most proper uses, the warmest and best to what requires it, and the
common coarse fruits or herbs to places where they will do and the nicer
won't....
Depend upon it there are people in Eden.[81] who have taste, and if you
can once get into the custom of some who have it, will put others upon
enquiring where they had good things, and this will hold in your herbs
etc. as well as in your Fruit. Do you think it possible that there are
not Families and Taverns in Eden. that would give reasonably for young
pease and Beans in July and Aug^t if they could get them. Suppose now
you sent a dish of young pease or Beans to any of your Customers when
only old are to be had, and desire them to let their acquaintances know
you can furnish the like, don't you think they would go off, or if you
got into the custom of such as Mrs. Thom, who keeps a Tavern, do you
believe she would not find people who would be glad of them, and so
would take from you. Possibly they may not give such a price as just
when first coming in, but if you get a price you can afford them at, it
does your business.... People would presently come to distinguish as
they came in to buy when Garden stuff was first introduced. But our
people are lazie, and saying no body will buy and no body will
distinguish, is chiefly owing to the want of activity, Industry and care
in providing at all or good of their kinds, and bustling a little to
introduce and get Customers at first. We are glad of all excuses for our
sleeping on in poverty and our old jog trott. How shall things be
carried to Eden. and no body will buy in the country are often very good
difficulties and convenient enough excuses, wherein excuse is wanted. I
don't know if you have a Carrier at Orm:[82] but I am convinced one who
understood his business, would get Employment for a Cart such as the
Higlers[83] to the Gardiners who come to Covent Garden use. They would
carry things cool and clean, and one man with two horses in such a Cart,
would carry in as much as four Carriers with 4 horses carry in our
common way and if you put your things up in Baskets carefully as
Gardiners do here, by which they'l not be wet, Bruised or Broiled in the
Sun, the Cart being covered as the Garden Stuff commonly is, in carrying
to Eden. Even care in this will make them fresher and better than what
is now to be had there.
HAMPSTEAD, _3^d June_, 1735.