for a month. Really he is a fine old man and completely adores you. He was in a great way to here how you and Sir George Grey got in. Everything is looking beautiful in the country at preasant and very well here the sheep are in excelent condition. You speak about expences. I have done all I can to keep them down and you will find that out at the year's end. Certainly there was a few things got for the house that could not well be dispenced with in the way of furnature which will not be wanted again. Catherine is very proud of her mare. She will be sent to the horse in a day or two. I have sent you the diary for August which I hope you have got. I now send you September. Sunday 1 Fine weather & calm. Monday 2 Fine weather. Employed sowing grass seed. Self went to Napier to see brother Alex on busness before going to Auckland. Tuesday 3 Showery weather. Killed a Poverty Bay steer 490lb. Came home from port. Found the men employed as above. Wednesday 4 Fine weather. Putting in grass seed & harrowing. Thursday 5 Fine weather. Employed as yesterday. Self gardining. Friday 6 Good weather. Employed plowing. Self & boy Jim [?] picking potatoes for seed. Saturday 7 Fine day. Employed planting potatoes. Sunday 8 Pleasant weather all through Monday 9 Grass sowing oats. Self and one man digging ground for trees. Tuesday 10 Employed sowing grass and harrowing it. Self gardining grafting fruit trees. Wednesday 11 Fine weather. Employed the dray after fire wood. Self hauling gravel with horse & cart for Walker. Thursday 12 Employed picking potataoes. Self & boy went to Mr Ormond's for 400 blue gum plants etc. Friday 13 Employed planting blue gums. Old Archy in the bush. Stock boy after a stray cow. Saturday 14 Fine weather. Employed planting blue gums. Put in 124. Old Archy in bush. Sunday 15 Fine weather and sultry. Maorie dogs in sheep. Killed 2 sheep and one of the dogs. Monday 16 Fine weather. Went to the bush to count timber and found the natives burned a number of our posts. Tuesday 17 Fine weather. Went to the bush with the dray and commeced hauling out posts to safe them from being burned.