Sherwood Forest
April 6. 1854

My Dear Col;
Your letter was duly recievd and
the pear trees being detaind by the boats a week
are now well planted. Those 15 trees with what
I before had made us the best pear growers in
this country. The sickle has already so far leaf'd
as to have passd the season for grafting. In
fact the tree had partially bloom'd. I had
recievd through Col Saml. Gardiner the same
information from Judge Savage which you sent.
The Col. procurd it through Mr. Horsford. I did
not delay writing to Mr. Dallas, sending it thro'
the State Department and recieving a most
kind letter from [?].
The enclos'd letter from Mr. Lopping will
best explain itself. If you see nothing
to object be good enough to endorse
the new note and hand it to Mr. Lopping taking in
my old note and enclosing it to me.
I send Mr. L to day a check for the March interest.
The country hereabout is all alive to a
celebration to be held at Jamestown commemo-
rative of the first settlers, on the 13. of May, and
I am invited to deliver the address, which I
have consented to do. My whole time will

therefore be occupied from this time. I have to curse
the several histories of Virginia in which task
I am now engag'd. They have not given me
time enough. However the greater the pressure the
greater the spring of the machine if it be of any
value. My health is by no means as firm
as such a task requires it to be, but I hope
to struggle through it. I think from all I hear
that the throng will be a large one. Allen's
wheat looks beautifully on the Island, but
it can scarcely withstand the tramp of 10000
heels.
With best love to your mother (I suffer,
Margaret will be on her way here before this [?]
and therefore I need not mention her.

Truly & Affecly. Yrs
John Tyler