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Dear Sisters Steuben, May 28, 1832. I am going to write you a very short letter in answer to yours. We have had a very busy time here these last few days with our new building. The cellar was completed yesterday. The frame will be put up in the beginning of the week. We have had nine men at work here part of the time this week, - masons, carpenters, &c., besides our regular family. There are now two carpenters at work here, and a laborer whom we have hired for a month. My orchard is getting along pretty well, allowing for the unfarmable weather. The weather has been quite unfavorable for newly-planted trees, since they were planted. Some of them have leaved out nicely, others are just struggling into life, and some show no signs of life. I think I shall lose some trees. But I can "try again." Some of my trees have blossomed. I do not mean to let them perfect any fruit this year. I shall break off either the blossom or the young fruit for the purpose of farming the growth of the trees. The trees in the old orchard have some blossom buds on them. I think we shall have some fruit from them this year. The currant bushes hang gloriously full of blossoms. They evidently mean to make a show and create a decided sensation this summer. Our gardening is not very forward this summer. We have hardly touched the garden proper. I do not mean to have much of a garden of it. It's not good soil for a garden. Tomorrow (if it does not rain - we need rain) I am going to plant it with beans and perhaps potatoes. I have sowed down in the lot unclear my orchard some beet, carrot, squash, onion, pea seed, beside,