Parson’s lot, College Hill, and would take good care of her. The old woman (old Aunt Nanny, you know) was up to see her not long since, the overseer informed me, and was very anxious to take her down with her, but that he did not feel authorized to let her go. When next you write to me let me know your wishes with regard to this matter and Hannah will be treated in all respects as you may direct. The farm is in pretty good order. The fences all look strong and good, and particularly the outer ones. I was told by the negroes that nearly all the fencing on the Donelson lands had been repaired—most of it, also, round the caney field. I did not see them but I have no doubt it is so. Some of the fences around the lots and stables have also been repaired, as well as the outer fence north of your brick negro houses. I think there is no fault to be found with any portion of the fencing—some few of the fences about the lots which need it have not yet been repaired; but the overseer says he intends giving his attention to them the first wet spell. He has made you some ten or twelve new gates and hung them. They are well made and well hung. The house looks, I presume, pretty much as it did when you were here last summer. I thought that perhaps it had not been sufficiently aired, and I directed Hannah, who seems to have charge of it, to open the doors and windows whenever the weather is dry and pleasant. The yard and garden look badly—neither is attended to as they should be. This, however, is more Dick’s fault than the overseer’s, as he has necessarily been much and constantly engaged in getting in his crop and withal I suspect he has very little taste for gardening. I told Dick he must put the garden in order forthwith and keep it so; that the walks, borders and squares must all be cleaned and kept so. The overseer promised me that in future he would pay more attention to Dick and the garden and yard. Finding the yard pretty much grown up with weeds, indeed the back part of it entirely taken with the green plantain, I directed the overseer to take his hoes into it the first rain that fell and scrape the whole of it over, not leaving a weed or spear of grass inside of the paling in front or rear of the house, and to keep it so until the last of September when he must chop it over lightly and sow it down thickly with good blue grass seed unmixed with any other. These orders were given because I did not calculate on your visiting the Hermitage this summer; and by the next, if the blue grass seed comes up well, it will look much better than it now does or ever has done.