George Washington branded American farmers “slovenly” in an attempt to recruit agricultural workers from Scotland - according to recently uncovered correspondence between the inaugural US president and an Aberdeenshire nobleman.

In a three-page letter to David Erskine, the 11th Earl of Buchan, Washington indicates his desire to move on from growing tobacco and enslaved labour in favour of producing wheat under the watch of tenant farmers.

The letter, dated February 20, 1796, shows Washington planning for his life as an estate owner after the presidency - which he gave up a year later.

READ MORE: Historic violin played to young Robert Burns to tour US

It was discovered in the University of Edinburgh archives and is thought to have been donated to the institution by antiquarian Sir David Lang in the 1870s.

Washington had previously kept slaves and grown tobacco at his Mount Vernon estate in Fairfax County, Virginia, however had sought to move into wheat when it became a more profitable crop.

The president never expressly attempts to poach Scottish workers, which would have been illegal at the time, but does share an advert he placed in a US newspaper for vacancies on the estate and suggests any workers looking for an abundance of land should contact him if they are “on the move” to the United States.

He demonstrates knowledge of the emerging discipline of agricultural science in Scotland – a by-product of Scottish Enlightenment thinking – and read deeply on the subject.

The Herald: The letters were uncovered in the University of Edinburgh's archivesThe letters were uncovered in the University of Edinburgh's archives

On future plans for his estate, Washington writes: "I have but little expectation I own, of maturing this plan so as to carry it into full effect next year; nor would I wish to do it with the slovenly farmers of this country, if I had a well founded hope of obtaining this class of Men from any other (particularly from Great Britain) where husbandry is well understood, and the language similar."

He is also careful to skirt round fractious relations between Britain and America - who would go to war again 16 years later.

Frank Cogliano, Professor of American History at the University of Edinburgh, said: “The Enlightenment is often referred to as a ‘Republic of Letters’ and exchanges such as those between Washington and Buchan were the social networks of their day – not only swapping ideas but advertising opportunities. How familiar it seems to us today.”

The Earl was a prolific letter writer, mainly on agricultural matters, and corresponded with Washington at least 18 times, even gifting him a box made from the oak that apparently hid William Wallace after the Battle of Falkirk.

READ MORE: Burns worth over £200m to Scottish economy centuries after death

Analysis on the letters was carried out by historians and archivists at the University and staff based at the Washington Estate at Mount Vernon.

Rachel Hosker, Archives Manager at the University of Edinburgh, said: “There is something quite compelling about the tangible nature of the original, created two days prior to Washington’s 64th birthday before making its way to Scotland.

"It enables us to imagine him writing it, and allows us to consider the private individual in context.”