To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Main, 10 March 1807
March 10th 1807.
Directions to accompany the plants for the President
If the weather continues moist there will be little occasion to water the plants upon the road. But if it turns out dry and windy they may be watered once a day. They ought not to be waterd if it should freeze while they are upon the journey.
When they arive at Monticello, the Thorns should be untied from the large bundles and continue an hour or two immersed in water; they may then be left with their roots only in the water all the night and then layed in a trench pretty deep so as entirely to cover their roots, where they may remain until the weather &c. is suitable to have them planted in the hedge.
If the weather should be frosty on their arival they may be laid in a celler unopened until the frost is over.
Thos. Main
P.S. There are three bundles beside the Thorns. The two largest contain 13 paper Mulberries and 1 Buck eye. The smallest bundle contains 4 Robinia’s, 2 Snow balls 3 Mountain Ashes 2 Tacamahacs 2 Xanthoxylon 4 Choak Cherries 1 Fraxinella and 4 Purple Beeches Great care must be taken in unloosing this smallest bundle not to injure the buds of the plants particularly the purple Beeches and Fraxinella The large buds of the Buckeye are trebly secured with the bandages.
T Main
Note in TJ’s hand:
Maine
| 13. | Paper mulberries | |
| 1+1. | Buckeye | |
| 4. | Robinias | |
| 2. | Snow balls | |
| 3. | Mountain ashes | |
| 2. | Tacamahaccas | |
| 2. | Xanthoxylon | |
| 4. | Choak cherries | |
| 1. | Fraxinella | |
| 4. | purple beeches |
DLC: Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
Enclosure
March 7th. 1807.
The President
| Bought of Thos. Main | ||
| 13 | Paper Mulberries @ 50 Cents each | $ 6.00 |
| 4 | Robinias @ 25 Cents each | 1.00 |
| 2 | Snowballs @ Do Do | .50 |
| 3 | Mountain Ash @ 25 Cents each | .75 |
| 2 | Tacamahacs @ Do | .50 |
| 2 | Prickly Ash, Xanthoxylon @ 25 Cents each | .50 |
| 4 | Choak Cherry @ 25 Cents each | 1.00 |
| 1 | Fraxinella | 1.00 |
| 1 | Buckeye | —.— |
| 4 | Purple Beeches | —.— |
| 4 | Thousand American Hedge Thorns @ 6 Dolls per M. | 24.00 |
| $ 35.25 |