9 July 1862 Maraekakaho My dear Donald I wrote you by the last White Swan but I forgot to tell you to bring a few good larch plants. It is a most valuable timber for fencing purposes. It would be well to bring a few with you and any other quick growing timber that you could find plants of cheap. I wish you would bring down a few filbart trees just for the variety as I have the ground all ready for a good many trees. The padock behind the stable we got a good many trees planted into it last month. 1/2 doz or a dozen plum trees assorted if you can get them as I only got two of them. Catherine told me you were going to get some grass seed. Please to get 50lb of white clover with it as it is most valuable. You never will require to buy any more seed after this year, indeed we ought to have plenty of seed next year but it is well to have a little to go on with in the spring. The clover that was put in here and their allong the swamps is coming on beautiful and some rye grass that I sowed just on the hill above the house since you were here just on the surface is looking first rate. I just burned one patch off and sowed it next day. It was raining and it is doing just as well and better than what I raked in. I told you in my last that the boundary fence was finished and Nelson was settled with. He had a balance of £2.3 to get. We got a drain made round the potatoe padock and the watter goes of there very well. I am going to comence to fence it in in a day or two. I am preparing the timber. Alex was at home most of last week and got some of the mares weaned and he is handeling the [Saint] Patrick entire and Douglas little poney. Douglas is doing very well. His aunt gives him his lessons regular. He was in a great way to get a stay mate. He wanted to get Arthur Newman but his aunt got a nice little boy of his own age that came out with them last year for a few days with him and I must tell you it was most amusing to see them. I never saw a sharper boy than Douglas for his age. I sometime gave him a bit of a lecture but he does not take it in good part. He thinks he ought to know as much as myself but he is on the whole very good and very fond of his aunts. Alick some days back made a settlement with Warren, Jenning & Mike. They take mares for their wages and have to work it out all but the balance that was against them for tobacco and clothes. Warren takes a little mare that he paid Fitzgerald I think £25 for for a year's wages at the rate of £40 and James Caldwell the missionary man @ £40 and he has to work from the 1st of this month at the rate of £40. He paid by labour £20 of the amount. Mike is also some in debt however I do not know his arrangement. I have not heard anything more of the Nairn affair, only Alexander says the natives are going to have him off. Alick I believe is at the pa today about it. I hope you will be down by this Swan and that nothing comes the way to prevent you. The sheep are doing very well but very few winter lambs which is as well as the weather is very cold. We took the ewes out last month, one of the big Lecester ewes have got a fine ram lamb and I expect the other two to lamb soon. Their has been very few callers since you left and we have been pritty quite thank God. If Alick was only to turn and be what he should be and the native land secured in a proper way with the help of providence we could get on to be a little comfortable in a few years. Douglas tells you to bring Fido down with you and sends his love. I have no more to say till we meet. Always your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean