252 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 

 Traveling Memoranda — No. 5. 



[Albany Cultivator, 8:179-80; Nov., 1841] 



Cincinnati, O., August 27, 1841. 



Editors of Cultivator — My last was written from 

 "Prospect Hill, the name of Judge Beaty's farm — a name 

 that, to eastern people, who build their houses upon a 

 bare hill, so as to be seen of the world, would appear 

 very inappropriate, for the prospect does not extend 

 beyond his own farm. And here let me remark that a 

 traveler upon the great thoroughfares of this state, never 

 sees the best part of Kentucky. The best houses are 

 located back from the road, and the way of approach to 

 them is generally through one of the woodland pastures 

 that add such great beauty to Kentucky scenery; and 

 it is no uncommon thing that the only approach to a 

 large plantation lies through one or two other planta- 

 tions. The inhabitants preferring private to public roads, 

 and not seeming to view it as any serious inconvenience 

 that they have to pass a dozen gates between the mansion 

 and the public road. But their gates are such as that too 

 numerous class who bave been "putting up the bars" 

 all their lives, without getting the gap stopped, might 

 examine and pattern after with profit. 



Judge Beaty's name has lately become well known as 

 a writer of several essays upon Kentucky agriculture, 

 and a letter upon the profits of the hemp culture upon 

 his own farm. The Judge also keeps 4 or 500 fine wool 

 sheep, and which appeared in very good condition, and 

 what appeared very singular to me, he takes no trou- 

 ble whatever to prevent breeding in-and-in, and stoutly 

 maintains that the importance of constantly crossing is 

 entirely overrated. Although I could not defend my 

 theory by example, of the deleterious effects of breeding 

 in and in, yet I could not become a convert to the Judge's 

 theory. 



One thing I learned from the long experience of the 

 Judge and many others, that the hemp crop, although 

 such a heavy one, does not exhaust the soil. He also 



