A Delightful Trip. 21 



Hugh Miller Thompson and several of her lady guests, Mrs. E. M. Hudson, 

 Miss Caroline Larose, Miss Eegina Prevost, Mrs. Francois Sancho, Mrs. 

 Trezevant, of Memphis, Miss Nora Howard, Miss E. Zachary, Mrs. Gomez, 

 Mrs. E. John Ellis, Mrs. Julia Chamberlain, Mrs. S. M. Wiggins and daugh- 

 ter. Miss Flora Hart, Mrs. Major Davis, and others. Among the excursion- 

 ists, also, were Dr. Chas. Mohr, of Mobile, United States Government Forester 

 for the Gulf States, one of the most distinguished foresters in the United 

 States, and Col. W. E.. Stuart, of Ocean Springs, Miss., who possesses an ex- 

 tensive orange grove of 1,000 trees, and is a well-known importer of Jersey 

 cattle. 



The weather was unusually propitious, and the excursionists enthusiastic 

 in their praise of our delightful climate. The old reliable Capt. Dick Sinnot, 

 was in charge of the vessel, and assisted in contributing to the pleasure of 

 all. After first coasting down the front of the city as far as the slaughter- 

 house, in order to give the excursionists a complete panoramic view of the 

 city from the river, the Bell's bow was turned up stream, creeping up close 

 to the city side. The numerous and varied sights, brought out by the civic 

 panorama, elicited as numerous and varied exclamations of delight. 



At 12 o'clock the point of destination was reached, and, upon landing, the 

 excursionists were received and welcomed by Major Roundtree in person, 

 assisted by his amiable sisters and household. Under the guidance of the 

 Major a tour of inspection of his model farm was ma^e, the principal fea- 

 tures of ijroduction, etc., being explained by the Major in the language of 

 agriculture and of horticulture, which, being more or less unintelligible to 

 the T.-D. scribe, had to be interpreted to him. 



The farm is situated at a point made by a bend in the river, arid is a dou- 

 ble concession of eighty arpents in length, about 175 acres in all, seventy-five 

 of which are cultivated in oranges. It is the largest truck farm in the State, 

 one of the largest in the South, and the only establishment of the kind de- 

 voted to raising early vegetables for the Northern markets, making a spe- 

 cialty of cabbages, cucumbers and tomatoes, the greater portion going to 

 Chicago. 



Majoi Roundtree bought the place in 1870, at that time in bad condition, 

 commenced operations on it in the following year, and in 1873 set out the 

 first orange trees, which at present are 7,200 in number, 6,000 of which will 

 be bearing this year. Besides the ordinary varieties, he has 2,500 mandarin 

 trees. And yet, notwithstanding the extent of the jDlace, and the variety of 

 the products, so admirably is everything arranged and conducted that the 

 entire work is effectually done by a force of not more than twenty or twenty- 

 five colored hands. 



Major Roundtree generally makes 800 to 900 barrels of cucumbers and 6,000 

 to 8,000 boxes tomatoes annually. He will make about 170,000 heads of cab- 

 bage this year, grown in a plot covering 40 acres. Besides these stnple pro- 

 ducts, a considerable portion of ground is devoted to the cultivation of 

 strawberries, cauliflower, peaches, grapes, etc., for family use. There is also 

 an apiary with an annual production of eight to ten barrels of honey. 



