| Description | Comments in detail on the order for fruit trees. Has an experienced gardener (Peter Beahan) who is looking for a place and will drive the trees down in a cart. Has heard that a gardener will be coming to Soho from the Botanic Gardens.
Prescot Nursery, 4th November 1810.
Sir,
Your late gardener, Mr. Stevenson, intended, had he got back, to have inform’d you that 4 yards from tree to tree is a great distance for apples on Paradice, and he told me he should want 120 instead of 96; this you must determine.
As I understand the order, it will be thus, viz.
26 dwarf train’d peaches and nectarines in a bearing state, as per list.
26 standard do. do., or riders.
7 dwarf train’d plums, no riders.
7 do. do. cherrys, do.
15 do. do. pears, do.
120 do. do. apples, half standards, train’d round, in a bearing state, or 96.
These will be a good one-horse-cart-load. I have a very experienced gardener here waiting for a place, who was head gardener to Mr. York twelve years; to oblige, he will drive the cart, and we have calculated the expence at 12/- per day, himself, horse, and turnpikes. His wages will be 4/- per day. Sum total, 23/- per day. I should recommend the holes immediately to be made. I then think, with assistance, he will be able to plant the trees in two days, and, I hope, would be able to make the journey in four days each way; this would cost about fourteen guineas. This would be more than if the trees came by canal, but then the expence of mats and package, risk, injury done the trees by being tyed, renders this most adviseable. For instance, the gardener comeing and goeing by coach and expences would take a good deal, and the uncertainty would be great.
I observe the list of apples is most part, pye, and sauce apples. The sorts I would recommend are annexed. I understood from Mr. Stevenson you would want a many other trees: I have only to add, I shall thankfully receive and punctually execute any order you may be pleased to give me. I was this day inform’d a gardener was engaged to come to you from the Botanic Garden. This I could hardly credit, as, without you want one for nothing but botany, he would do you little good.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Willm. Butler
T denotes table fruit.
K do. kitchen.
List I would recommend.
6 Ribston Pippins T
2 Golden Do. T
6 Golden Russet T
2 Nonsuch T
6 Margele T
6 Nonpareil T
6 Summer Pearmain T
6 Margent T
4 Juneating T
6 Wareham Rennet K
6 Golden Rennet T
6 Keswick Codling K
4 Eve Apples T
6 Spice Apple T
6 Calvile T
6 Spitsenburg T
6 Orange Pippins T
6 Dutch Codling K
96 F. train’d. |