or the half of it and I would gave you as much rent as any other one for it and I need not say but I am certain it would be more satisfaction to yourself and gave me a chance to make a living. At all events you then would know what was coming to you every year for the time you might be disposed to leace it to me. I know that if any other man would make it pay I would but if it is going to be the way it has been it will be no satisfaction to you or me. As to looking after stock if allowed to do so from what I have seen I can do it equally as well as any other that was not all his days among stock. No doubt Alex is a capital manager but what of that if he does not attend to it but leaving men just to do as they please and of course some of them consider I have no busness with them for they have been told by him I had not. I have often told him to tell this boy of his the stock boy that he was to obey me when he was away but he said no. The consequence is the lad does as he pleases and time is in that way wasted that could be put to good account if he was to stay about the place and carry on the work. I would be quite happy fencing, burning and sowing seed but of course I strive to do what I can under many dificulties just to keep things in their place. Both the Catherines are quite well keeping things in as good order as they can. We got all the sheep nose branded and it vexed me much that all the time we were at that work which is the most particular time for a manager to be among the flock that