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