Arvine Wales letter to Thomas Rotch, 1st Mo 17th, 1812

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                                   1st Mo 17th 1811 [1812]
 Thomas Rotch
 Esteemed Friend

      Sam arrived the 14th and James today both flush with the accounts of your improvements. I carried thy letter to Dickenson the 15th and found the people of Steubenville well. I have received 11 tons of hay which is all unpaid for except $17.  The sheep have eaten a ton in 5 days in the most extre,e weatjer amd never in the most mild. qite a week and have fed 100 bu of oats, 50 of corn, 50 of bran and 10 or 12 of buckwheat and with all this feed the ewes that have lams grow poor and dry as to milk. I believe it to be principally owing to their being kept in too crowded a situation if the lams are let loose this extreme weather they chills them and they die if they shut up they smother and die. there about 70 living