CLIMATE, SEASONS, ETC. 



which, in my opinion, surpasses all other trees, and some of 

 which, in this Island, are of a very great height and girt. The 

 Orchards constitute a feature of great beauty. Every farm has 

 its orchard, and, in general, of cherries as well as of apples and 

 pears. Of the cultivation and crops of these, I shall speak in 

 another Part of the work. 



16. There is one great draw-back to all these beauties, namely, 

 the fences ; and, indeed, there is another with us South-of- 

 England people, namely, the general (for there are many ex 

 ceptions) slovenliness about the homesteads, and particularly 

 about the dwellings of labourers. Mr. BIRKBECK complains of 

 this ; and, indeed, what a contrast with the homesteads and 

 cottages, which he left behind him near that exemplary spot, 

 Guildford in Surrey ! Both blots are, however, easily accounted 

 for. 



17. The fences are of post and rail. This arose, in the first 

 place, from the abundance of timber that men knew not how to 

 dispose of. It is now become an affair of great expense in the 

 populous parts of the country ; and, that it might, with great 

 advantage and perfect ease, be got rid of, I shall clearly show in 

 another part of my work. 



18. The dwellings and gardens, and little out-houses of labourers, 

 which form so striking a feature of beauty in England, and 

 especially in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Hampshire, and which 

 constitute a sort of fairy-land, when compared with those of the 

 labourers in Franc*, are what I, for my part, most feel the want 

 of seeing upon Long Island. Instead of the neat and warm little 

 cottage, the yard, cow-stable, pig-sty, hen-house, all in miniature, 

 and the garden, nicely laid out and the paths bordered with 

 flowers, while the cottage door is crowned with a garland of roses 

 or honey-suckle ; instead of these, we here see the labourer 

 content with a shell of boards, while all around him is as barren 

 as the sea-beach ; though the natural earth would send melons, 

 the finest in the world, creeping round his door, and though there 

 is no English shrub, or flower, which will not grow and flourish 

 here. This want of attention is such cases is hereditary from the 

 first settlers. They found land so plenty, that they treated small 

 spots with contempt. Besides, the example of neatness was 

 wanting. There were no gentlemen s gardens, kept as clean as 

 drawing-rooms, with grass as even as a carpet. From endeavour 

 ing to imitate perfection men arrive at mediocrity ; and, those 

 who never have seen, or heard of perfection, in these matters, will 

 naturally be slovens. 



19. Yet, notwithstanding these blots, as I deem them, the face 

 of the country, in summer, is very fine. From December to 

 May, there is not a speck of green. No green-grass and turnips, 

 and wheat, and rye, and rape, as in England. The frost comes 

 and sweeps all vegetation and verdant existence from the face 

 of the earth. The wheat and rye live ; but, they lose all their 



