Such work was continued at intervals till his death.
In raising fruit, as in many other things, he was troubled by the thieving propensities of the slaves.

September tenth of this year he records that because of the scarcity of apples and the depredations that were being committed "every Night upon the few I have, I found it necessary (tho much too early) to gather and put them up for Winter use." The spring of 1785 proved an exceptionally dry one and he was forced to be absent from home several days, leaving the care of the trees and shrubs to his careless lazy servants.

He records that they _said_ that they watered them according to directions, but he seems to doubt it.

At all events, "Most of my transplanted trees have a sickly look .-- The small Pines in the Wilderness are entirely dead .-- The larger ones in the Walks, for the most part appear to be alive (as yet)--almost the whole of the Holly are dead--many of the Ivy, wch.

before looked healthy & well seem to be declining--few of the Crab trees had put forth leaves; not a single Ash tree has unfolded its buds; whether owing to the trees declining or any other cause, I know not....