RKFP-111

[two checkmarks in upper right corner]

Jacksonville Dec 15 1854

Dear Doctor I received yours of Nov 2 some time since and have been waiting hoping I could get up a subscription through my agents & say something [class?]= -[nite?] about spring trees -

But as trees of first quality are retailed all round here now at 15 cents apiece I hardly see any chance - Even the N York men have had to come down to from 18 to 20 cents each for good 5 to 7 feet apples - I fear that to engage them & pay freight from your place here & run all risks would not pay - But if I could only see my way to make a clean fist of it I would gladly do it - Agents must have 25 per cent on their sales for travelling & selling - then I fear the freight added to 80 dolls for thousad would more than amount to all the ballance they could now be sold for here No peaches are wanted here that I know of - I suppose you could not offer either peaches or apples

[page turned] Have not heard from Murry in an age Do let me hear from you soon again -

and [line?] lay it so that they could be sold here for cash as money now is so as to pay costs and agencies to let alone any profit to the receiver and deliverer - But if I could see that it could be done I would try to do it -

I am off to the farm again tomorrow - was there nearly all summer - I sold it once and had to take it back again - and 900 acres of farming land 50 miles from home is enough to make a slave and a beggar of any man as the times now are -

All our boys but the oldest are in college & the town schools - He is reading law at home - So I have them all here and no out door help from any of them - The two next graduate next summer and thenk of going upon the farm for me - They all appear to have some force & talent but what they will do I dont know yet -

"Little Mary" now much taller than her mother has

been sick with the typhoid fever but is now better - She is a very amiable and intelligent girl still, and as you say we have hard work to keep the boys away - but have succeeded so far - & hope to do so for some little time to come - She can do every= thing that she tries to do. Excepting always to give up her books and to forget the "Old Doctor" - which [last?] especially I dont think she tries much -

I perceive you are better off than I am - for you paid off as you say the Agl Society "in curses" but I cannot raise even a curse to pay debts with these hard times -

I am now getting out in company with Mssrs Eno & Co my Universal Seeder & planter - to sow and plant all sorts of seeds & grain & grass in the field & garden also corn in rows or hills - it is strictly a Universal seeder & planter - and will sow broad-cast or drill - or kill and plant any sort of field or gardecn seeds, corn oats Rye wheat, corn, Beans, carrots turnips

[illegible] wet or Dry - apples &c &c - in beds of 6 rows each or two or one row - or [broad cast?] or[strikethrough] among corn or in the field and at any rate per acre from one pint to 15 bushels, and rows at any distance apart from 9 inches to 4 feet as with corn - and can be adjusted to any one of these uses in 5 minutes - and when it is sown will culturate corn or wheat or [illegible] or carrots from 1 to 6 rows at a time and at the rate of from 5 to 10 acres per day - My man wed out 10 acres of garden plants in one day last season - though com= =monly only 5 or 6 acres

All say it is a fine thing for the public & I hope it will prove so - Some say it is better even than the steam plow - But I do not wish to speak of it yet only to a few friends - I have worked hard at its various parts for the past 10 years & now think it quite perfect the whole will cost less than 100 dolls -

Mrs Tan M[illegible] & the boys [illegible] in our warmest regards to you and yours

Yours Truly J B [Turner?] - Turner