Page 239 [239]
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ee eee ee eee ern ÜT HisTorie::GARDENS .OF* VIRGINIA = — zs the carriage way leading to the residence. Ihe bank here is a mass of lilies, spring flowers, and hollyhocks its entire length. Across the way a large grove of splendid old trees serve as protection from the north winds. This grove is bordered with shrubs and Scotch broom and in it, about seventy feet from the main entrance to the gardens, is the grave of the famous Indian chieftain. Along the main walks of the garden many grapevines and foreign fruits are planted. [here are at least twenty-five varieties of grapes and many kinds of fruits from Asia and Africa. [here are still Chinese bush cherries and Chinese sweet cherries next, and plums from Natal and Russia; still other fruits came from the Himalayas. Scattered throughout the garden are box and mimosa trees, honeysuckle, indicera gerardiana, and other flowering shrubs. At the main entrance, for thirty feet or more, are long rows of figs of two fine varieties. Every November these fig trees are bent to the ground, fastened down and covered with two feet or more of earth. In April they are taken up, and ey yield two crops of delicious figs each year. On one side, between the house and sila! lies the orchard of pears and plums. A driveway through this is bordered with many kinds of altheas, and at the foot of the garden, the apple orchard extends to the stream below and beyond to the hillside which it covers. On both fronts of the house are extensive lawns, upon which grow many varieties of handsome old trees. Among the latter 1s a genuine cedar of Lebanon. ‘The Department of Agriculture IS authority for the statement that this is one of the few genuine specimens to be found in America. J. ALSTON CABELL. [144]
