Stranica 231 [231]
OCR
HisToOoRIC-GARDEN'S. “OF OVER GINTA EN nel 7 elit = — = = = = = —=— == — iaeiniienaeail dren and grown people with their delicious fruits—these ripen consecutively from June until November. When covered with their snowy veil of blossoms in the spring the trees looked like brides, so I heard one of their beloved mistresses say. The next owners were a most devoted and flower-loving couple who added much to the beauty and fruitfulness of the garden in its variety of raspberries, peaches, pears, apples, and grapes. They also added to the large number of figs planted by General Cocke. How well I can remember those fig-bushes against the stone-wall ! They have been a joy to friends and relations far and near; those visiting the family, or those dear ones near enough for the delicious fruit to be transported in large or small containers. Most of the late figs are gone now. All of the different kinds that are left are buried six inches below the surface of the ground and staked down about November 15th, to escape freezing weather. [hey are not taken up again until the middle of April, which treatment assures an abundance of fruit. Not very long before the War Between the States, a friend sent General Cocke two scuppernong grapevines from North Carolina. He sent them to his daughter, Mrs. Arthur Lee Brent, to whom he had given Recess after the death of his son, John, who died unmarried. Mrs. Brent planted them in the lower part of the garden and they were busily running over the arbor in my early childhood. They would have run riot all over the whole garden by this time had they been permitted to do so. However, loving hands restricted them and now they are not only beautiful . but have borne bushels of grapes, from which delightful -wine and jelly have been made. It was some years before the scuppernong vines began to bear at all, and when they did, at first they produced but one grape at a time here and there; then two and three came, until now they yield good sized bunches, which hide themselves under the pretty leaves of the wonderful vine, giving forth a very sweet odor. Another charming feature of the Recess garden of my child[140]
