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Home - Sunday, May 3^d

Dear Bob. On Friday, the 1st May, we mailed you 6 cents worth of letters to Cairo. Hope you have got them. - 4 or 5 in one envelope - Same day we sent Col. Ashley a box of things by Express, to "Anna, Joneboro Station". Last mail lost us some more orders, and also several "invoices" of trees &c which we have purchased, & exchanged for - Our cash (or cash promised) purchases will amount to about $350. - and our Exchanges $250 - our posi=tive sales, up to Saturday, about $1,200 - about 1/4 paid - balance not yet paid, but promised.

Now, unless we sell at least $500, more, we shall not pay ^one dollar on all debts, where we ought to pay three - for we must pay the men, and feed them, which send absorbs $50, per week, expenses to town included. It is these heavy expenses, and our purchases of stock that use up the proceeds of sales. And yet, from what I learn, we are doing as well as some other Western Nurserymen, and as not a tree bud has swelled yet, but a lilac was opened, we may hope to sell $500, more, - though scarcely probable.

We have been forcing the sale of our large Ever=greens, at rather low rates, - $25, for a lot of 25 trees; or from 75 cts to $250 each, singly, for selected specimens - according to sorts, size and form. The [illegible] arbor vitae being the lowest priced - according to size, and the Scotch and Austrian pines next - as being most abundant. The Spruces and Balsams we are in no hurry to sell, - as they will grow better, for several years yet - while the Pines and arbor vitaes [illegible] ^[illegible] getting too thick, and too large for safety. We have sold all of those in the thick bed, south of the old house, and a good many from the lot north of the new house. And we have bought 2,000 (1,000 of them Norway Spruce) at a cost of ^{say about} $70. and $130, per 1,000 to replace them & furnish stock in future. This estimate includes Express charges. but if they come by ordinary train we shall probably save $30. in freight.

Out of Chicago, our local sales have been nothing. Uncle Joseph has paid us more money than all the rest of the country - Evanston included - and we have some hopes on future country cus=tom - though Uncle Joseph will probably make about $70. or $80. that might to have come to us for retail lots, supplied by him.

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Now, good Son, you see about how things are shaping at home - certainly not so bad as I feared, at one time - and we may yet get "out of the woods," should the cool weather last 10 days longer.

And our heavy purchases, if all live, will always be worth something more than cost - and we get a year's credit, at 10/100 per cent. Not so very bad, after all - if the miserable, half-built new house were only a good one, we paid for - But a slice of the farm will do the last, and we must "make the best" of the failure in the work - leaky cis=tern, "spring" in the cellar, crumbling foundation - spoiled walls, smoky chim=neys, doors off the hinges & all that -

Noon

Well I did think I would "rest" this on sabbath - but Uncle Asa's & Hiram's trains both here, and things to get for both. By the way, Asa has abandoned his big house and gone to Board - Expecting to move down to his "Park" soon -

Now one word about yourself, and I will close - You must not get home=sick[double underline] - I think you are very fortunate in being able to get something to do, that will pay, in money, and help, on your Education, at same time. Hard one "John Albert Kennicott" would have gloried in such an appoint=ment, when four or five years older than you are, & with M.D. to his name. You are fortunate Bob -

Dr Andrews Editorial to your Circu - =lars is very good - though not at all like those I wrote, and [illegible] to write again, if I ever get time.

Major is just in with a lot of [illegible] and Uncle Hirams french woman "Governess" or "Companion" - or whatever she is called - is here - all chatter and giggle - Hard to tell what to make of her - Says she's a "widow" and had a child & lost it - very likely She seems to know enough. -,

I still think it not only possible, but probable that I may [illegible] down & [illegible] in course of next three weeks.

Old Father

[page turned written on left side] I cant think of leaving home till after the selling season