Wrote brother Donald. Wednesday 18 Rainy weather. The dray at the bush. Self and man planting blue gums. Put in 100. Thursday 19 Fine weather. The dray at the bush hauling out timber. Self sowing clover seed over the hills. Paid of[f] James Baldwin for 11 days work @ 3/- per day 33/-. Friday 20 Fine weather. Employed rolling the grass on padock. Mr Lowry sent for me to call on him. Went over. Saturday 21 Employed rolling padock. Mr Lowrey came over with to see the place and gave me some tree seeds & a few plants in payment for 3 oaks and 3 pines. Sunday 22 Fine weather. Mr Lowrey with us. Monday 23 Fine weather. Employed rolling padock. Mr Lowrey went home. Self mending fence etc Tueday 24th Employed as yesterday. One man in gardin. Self went to the bush. Wednesday 25 Employed rolling the padock. Self sowing some pine seeds, oaks, ealms, ash etc. Wrote brother Donald. Thursday 26th Fine weather. The boy after the mears. Old Archy making yocks. Self and man at work planting trees and digging. Friday 27 Rainy weather. Employed one man in gardin. Boy after the horses. Killed a Poverty Bay steer. 645lb. Saturday 28 Dray after fire wood. Self employed sowing grass seed on the hills. Sunday 29th Fine weather throughout. Monday 30th Employed hauling timber out the bush. Posts from bush in readyness for a dividing. So end this month. I will send you October's diary in another letter. Hoping this will find you & Douglas quite well. I remain your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean