Since last letter received four male woodcocks from an outkeeper and has not seen one dead or alive since. Favourable season for his son's shrub planting; tempertature 52°F today. His son went to York nursery recently and found 'Menziesia caerulea'; proprieter says it is difficult to keep alive. Stopped Duke of Gordon's factotum [James Hoy], brother to [Thomas] Hoy [(c 1750-1822)], the Sion gardener, getting anything from the 'Menziesia caerulea' growing at Inverness.

Asks Smith to recommend a "Genera plantarum" more recent than his Vienna 1767 edition. Request to [James] Dickson for price of cut asparagus 3 November met with "almost a doubt of the possibility of having it so early", but they cut 274 this morning in addition to a regular supply since they began, and in addition it is sweeter than that raised by common process as the pigeon holed frames keeps the manure detached from the bed.