D^r Sir.
I had y^e Fav.^r of y^rs of y^e 10^th X^r last, which brought me y^e agreeable News of y^e good Health of M^rs
Leighton’s. I shou’d have reply’d sooner, but that I waited for a Copy of y^e Sec^y at War’s Ans^r to the Memorial
I now send y^o under another Cover which {^answer} is not yet sent me given me: I durst wait no longer {^for it} {?lest}
you shou’d miss y^e Season ffor Sowing yo^r Melon Seed, Two [illeg] of w^ch y^o have under {^with the Memorial} the Same Cover.
As yo^r Ans^r to M^r Foy I suppose to be the Truth, I don’t see how it can displease him. I am [deleted] {^much}
Obliged to you for y^r kind Invitation to Scotland {^Fort William} but these long Acc^ts have been moulded so many different
ways, & swallow’d so much {^great apart} of my Time that I have not been to see my own Farm these 4 y^rs {?&} 4 Months.
I congratulate y^o upon y^r Improvements of yours & of y^e pleasure y^o seem to take in {^the} Amusements of the Country y^o are removed into.
I don’t _indeed understand the Husbandry of your Climate, but nor the Method of giving {?fresh} ground 3 plowings;
In my [deleted] {^Neighourhood} We plough new Land but Once, and that is as soon as the Rains fall after Michmas
then let it lye to receive the Frosts of the whole Winter, which well so mellow it that a pair of
high Harrows at the Spring Seeds Time, will {?shelter/shatter} it into {^as} fine Mold as in a Garden: it must not
be harrow’d with an heavy drag Harrow; that will tear up y^e Turf; nor it must not be harrow’d
w^th the light Harrows Crop Ways, for that will do y^e same Thing; but it must, w^th these light Harrows,
be harrow’d as it is ploughed, from Land’s End to Land’s End; This fine Mold will crumble in between y^e
Turf, and your Grain will Spring up in Rows, as [deleted] tho a Gardener had [illeg] it by his {?Lines} and this
never fails producing a plentiful Crop, if y^e Plough Man has [deleted] turn’d {?down} his Turf Workman
Like. I Envy your having such a Quantity of Dung: If I had it I wou’d not complement my new
Tillage with it, Unless y^e Land be very poor: [deleted] The Moors, or Fenns, in Lincolnshire are so rich
they never want Manure: If y^rs are but moderately so, they’ll only want a due proportion, in due
Time, none yet; for that will make y^r [deleted] {^Crop} run all into Straw: And {^then you} will also have Time to
[damaged] which will greatly {?inalionate} it. I wish M^rs Leighton
Joy of her Dairy, which I don’t question she’ll manage well, I have often {?ffed} of the produce
of her Kitchen to my great Satisfaction {^with no greater pleasure any where}. I hope you’ll {^equally} {?acquaint} y^r self [deleted] of y^r {^stores in the} Cellar
when the Barley is {^grown threshed} malted, & [deleted] {^melted} into Strong Beer. On the Rev^s off y^r last I [deleted] deliver’d
y^e Complem^ts to y^e Club at {?Alixes}, and we drank to y^r good Health: yesterday was y Night they
were all well there, but Hammersly don’t venture out much. The Admiral insists that y^e are
a Lr in his Debt. Y^e Sea, by y^e Com^m News, Friends & Enemys {^Foes} are in great Agitation, but it’s doubtfull
yet, I find, whether peace or War will be the Consequence. My heart Respects & Services wait
upon you & M^rs Leighton, As I am D^r Sir yo^r most obed^t {^and most} humble Serv^t
EH
Gray’s Inn
6. M^ch 1755
Col. Leighton
[new page]
[change hand] Copy of a
Memorial of the Field Officers and
Captains of the lat Regiments of
Martines
[original hand] to the Sec^ry at War
Sent Col. Leighton, with some
Melon Seeds, & the method of ordering
New broke up Ground
6 M^ch 1755

Dear Sir.
I had y^e Favour of yours of y^e 10^th X^r last, which brought me y^e agreeable News of y^e good Health of M^rs
Leighton’s. I should have replied sooner, but that I waited for a Copy of y^e Secretary at War’s Answer to the Memorial
I now send you under another Cover which {^answer} is not yet sent me given me: I durst wait no longer {^for it} {?lest}
you should miss y^e Season for Sowing your Melon Seed, Two [illeg] of which you have under {^with the Memorial} the Same Cover.
As your Answer to M^r Foy I suppose to be the Truth, I don’t see how it can displease him. I am [deleted] {^much}
Obliged to you for your kind Invitation to Scotland {^Fort William} but these long Accounts have been moulded so many different
ways, & swallowed so much {^great apart} of my Time that I have not been to see my own Farm these 4 years & 4 Months.
I congratulate you upon your Improvements of yours & of y^e pleasure you seem to take in {^the} Amusements of the Country you are removed into.
I don’t _indeed understand the Husbandry of your Climate, but nor the Method of giving {?fresh} ground 3 plowings;
In my [deleted] {^Neighourhood} We plough new Land but Once, and that is as soon as the Rains fall after Michelmas
then let it lye to receive the Frosts of the whole Winter, which well so mellow it that a pair of
high Harrows at the Spring Seeds Time, will {?shelter/shatter} it into {^as} fine Mold as in a Garden: it must not
be harrowed with an heavy drag Harrow; that will tear up y^e Turf; nor it must not be harrowed
with the light Harrows Crop Ways, for that will do y^e same Thing; but it must, with these light Harrows,
be harrowed as it is ploughed, from Land’s End to Land’s End; This fine Mold will crumble in between y^e
Turf, and your Grain will Spring up in Rows, as [deleted] tho a Gardener had [illeg] it by his {?Lines} and this
never fails producing a plentiful Crop, if y^e Plough Man has [deleted] turned {?down} his Turf Workman
Like. I Envy your having such a Quantity of Dung: If I had it I would not complement my new
Tillage with it, Unless y^e Land be very poor: [deleted] The Moors, or Fenns, in Lincolnshire are so rich
they never want Manure: If yours are but moderately so, they’ll only want a due proportion, in due
Time, none yet; for that will make your [deleted] {^Crop} run all into Straw: And {^then you} will also have Time to
[damaged] which will greatly {?inalionate} it. I wish M^rs Leighton
Joy of her Dairy, which I don’t question she’ll manage well, I have often {?ffed} of the produce
of her Kitchen to my great Satisfaction {^with no greater pleasure any where}. I hope you’ll {^equally} {?acquaint} your self [deleted] of your {^stores in the} Cellar
when the Barley is {^grown threshed} malted, & [deleted] {^melted} into Strong Beer. On the Reverse off your last I [deleted] delivered
y^e Compliments to y^e Club at {?Alixes}, and we drank to your good Health: yesterday was ye Night they
were all well there, but Hammersly don’t venture out much. The Admiral insists that y^e are
a Letter in his Debt. Y^e Sea, by y^e Com^m News, Friends & Enemys {^Foes} are in great Agitation, but it’s doubtful
yet, I find, whether peace or War will be the Consequence. My heart Respects & Services wait
upon you & M^rs Leighton, As I am Dear Sir your most obedient {^and most} humble Servant
EH
Gray’s Inn
6. March 1755
Col. Leighton
[new page]
[change hand] Copy of a
Memorial of the Field Officers and
Captains of the late Regiments of
Marines
[original hand] to the Secretary at War
Sent Col. Leighton, with some
Melon Seeds, & the method of ordering
New broke up Ground
6 March 1755