RURAL GLANCES AT THE WEST. 



207 



the shafts of the columns, and z^jM^e marble 

 for the capitals and bases — for a column, 

 like a vase, depends mainly for its pleasing 

 effect on its 'proportions as a ivhole^ which is 

 disturbed by using different colors for the 

 three parts. This breccia might have been 

 more appropriately adopted for paving the 

 corridors of the Capitol, and would have 

 had a richly tessellated effect. The narrow 

 gorge in the Blue Ridge, through which the 

 Potomac dashes, makes close neighbors of 

 the river, the canal, and the railroad; and 

 beetling rocks threaten to fall as the cars 

 thunder on through this interesting pass. 

 Ere long, I suppose, we shall see the mag- 

 netic telegraph slip in also, with its skeleton 

 apparatus, and steal along with its spirit- 

 like communications. Mr. Jefferson, in his 

 " Notes on Virginia," says that the scene 

 at Harper's Ferry is " worth a voyage across 

 the Atlantic," which, now that steam has 

 epitomized the voyage, and reduced the 

 time from months to weeks, may be true. 

 It is certainly a very interesting scene. 

 The two rivers, the Potomac and Shenan- 

 doah, coming together from opposite points, 

 seem to have united to rend the barrier, and 

 the rent mountain serves as a rough frame 

 to the distant and mellowed landscape of 

 the lower country. 



I wonder that our tourist's, particularly 

 the sketchers of scener}^ do not oftener re- 

 sort to the upper Potomac. We traversed 

 a beautiful and fertile country, which will 

 some day be covered with tasteful villas. 

 I observed that there were {ew or no ever- 

 greens upon the Alleghany mountains and 

 the hilly country beyond. The Black Wal- 

 nut, Locust, Chestnut, &c., indicate a fertile 

 soil to the summits. 



In a tract of this region, marked by a 

 recent visitation of the locusts, I noticed the 

 preference of this insert for the Oak to de- 

 posit its eggs, and its avoiding the Locust. 



A first visit to the valley of the Missis- 

 sippi has much to allure the traveller — the 

 far-reaching streams — the gigantic trees — 

 the prolific soils, the mysterious caves ! 

 The national road traverses a well cultivated 

 and beautiful country to Wheeling. Wheat 

 and oats seem to be the favorite crops, the 

 latter being disposed of very conveniently 

 to the wagoners along the national road ; 

 the farmers are consequently opposed to the 

 extension of the Baltimore railroad to the 

 Ohio, which is certainly short-sighted ; for 

 whatever other classes may be injured, it 

 may be assumed as a truism^ that every 

 railroad promotes the interest of the agri- 

 culturist. 



The Ohio is a sweetly flowing, but mono- 

 tonously beautiful stream — it is never pic- 

 turesque or grand. This river is about 150 

 paces wide at Wheeling, and becomes 

 wider very gradually. The finely wooded 

 hills rise about three hundred feet, leaving 

 an irregular strip of alluvial land, and thus 

 it wears the same unvarying aspect for hun- 

 dreds of miles — and coming from the won- 

 derfully varied scenery of the Hudson, the 

 feeling produced in my mind was wearisome. 



The abundance of bituminous coal dis- 

 closed along the banks of the Ohio, is an 

 invaluable blessing stored away for future 

 use, where steamers are indispensable. The 

 present price is five cents per bushel. 



I was pleased to find that horticulture 

 and fruits were often the subjects of con- 

 versation. One person remarked that he 

 had effectually kept the peach-worm from 

 his trees, by planting the common Tansy 

 about the roots, and I presume any odorife- 

 rous plant would be a preventive. 



I observed some quarries of beautiful 

 freestone along the Ohio river, which I 

 hope may be extensively used, and before 

 long supersede brick walls, which are ugl}'-, 

 and wooden frames, which are perishable* 



