Robert Carter writes to Prince William County resident [Robert Jones, October 18, 1728], to give his manager instructions about the care of hogs, the handling of corn, butter, and hides, construction at the new town of Falmouth, and the use of nails in adding laths to the slave cabins on the plantations under Jones's charge. He expresses the need to keep the slaves warm in the winter because it will mean fewer fatalities.

      [...] the feet and the Cheek are Victuals I love very well as for the hy [des]
]I] dont know what to Say to them if Sage will take of all the hydes [that]
[a] re there and all the Murren as well as the Slaughterd hydes and will
[illegible] of Pair of good Shoose apeice for them big Enough for my Neg [roes]
] . . . ] with another I do not care if you let him have them Pray be
[ . . . ]ng carefull that the meat be drest very Cleenly I think it was pretty well done last year --

     Now I come to the hoggs I would have the sevl. Overseers
call up their hogs every day and feed thm. and want them to the
Qrs. and as Soon as their Corn is gat [he] rd to put up the killable hogs
[in]to Penns to be ready to be driven down about Xmas I would
[have the . . . ] hogs that are for me killd there and the way for
[ . . . ] for the future shall be thus I will keep but half a doz
[ . . . ] they to be well fed and when they are near Pigen
[put] into Penns and kept there till their Piggs are near
[ . . .] and I would have troughs made to feed thm. with
[ . . . ] set to have no more hogs raised then I can afford
[ . . .] them in the Summer to want them to the Plantations
[ . . . ] good care I might very well Expect to have Twenty
[ . . . ] a year from Each plantation besides the Overseers the
[ . . . ] flesh for your house Workmen and the Doctor
[ . . . S]hall be all I would desire As for the stocks of Cattle
[ . . . ] ously decreased and the Calves that are raised thi [s]
[ . . . ] of them very ordinary Particularly at the Richld.
[ . . . g]reat deal of care taken of them Several I dare
[say . . . ] The Doctor must be allowd the Same beef & hogs
[ . . . ] The potts of Butter made at the sevl. Plans:
[ . . . mu] st be Sent down I would have them weighd and so markt
[ . . . th] at I may know from what Qrs. they come I Expect butter
[fr] om Threalkilld a good deal altho I forgot to talk about it wn.
[I] was there he has Ten Calves very fine ones and his wife
[s] eems to be a good huswife

     Now to the Corn I would have the Corn at the Sevl. Qrs. when
it is all huskd carefully measured and no Corn reckond in bu [t]
what is Actually measured at the time I would have the people's C [orn]
measured of by its Self two hogsheads of Ears for every working han [d]
and a hogshead of Ears for every two Children. The Overseers Corn I [would]
have taken away Some Corn I would have measured of [ . . . ]
Cattle hors's and hogs the rest of the Corn I would have kept by its
Self for [...] [ . . . ] use I would have all my Corn Yearly Shelld out
in [...] [ . . . ] and putt into hogsheads that it may be known how tis
spent and I would have the Corn verifyd every time [ . . . ]
Plantations I will sell no Corn nor will have any bar [rels made]
for any nor any removed from one Plantation to a [nother without]
my positive and written directions

     I think to have Daikens hors [e . . . ]
and to let him have the Corn from the red Oak [Quarter . . . ]

     Colonel Pages overseer Slaughter desird [to exchange?]
his Corn for Corn in the York I will Consult Colonel P [age about it]
if he is willing I beleive I Shall go near to let him [have corn from ?]
Ashleys in Exchange but of this you shall hear more

     I hope you have bin geting dow [n . . . ]
Cart ready for the Sloop and that you will ma [ke every effort ?]
to get the Tobbo: in the Fork as fast as it is Stript a [nd get it]
down to the red Oak before the hard winter wea [ther comes as you]
proposed to do and when this is done [ . . . ]
of the way at your Leizuere resting the [ . . . ]
Occasion,

     I have writ to John Hurst about my build [ing]
at Falmouth and also of other things I Send the Letter ope [n so that]
you know my Orders and take a Copy of them and be assis[ ting]
in the Execution of them I also write to Tim Dargan and [send]
it open to you that you may let him know what he has to

     My horses you have [been] Instrumental in bringing them
to that wretched Low Condition they are in I hope you will take
Effectual care that they are so placed and taken care of that they
may be recruited again --

     I have sent you 10,000 Nails for Lathing & filling in
all my Qrs. and pray let it be done out of hand that the Qrs. be made
as warm for the People as wee can I Expect the Overseers Shall reave
the Laths and naile them up, I have spoke to Several of them about
it and they promised they would do it I have Sent I reckon more
Nails then will do pray take care tht. it be well done if wee can bu [t]
Find a way to keep the People warm with warm hous's warm
[b] edding and warm Cloaths I cant beleive but wee Should have
[f] ewer mortailitys I am Sure I have done my part if the Overseers
[d] o but theirs There are a great many new hands in my Gangs
[Th] e oversrs. Should take care that the old hands does not Crow
[ov] er them be sure ]to] let them have their Belly's full