THE PRESIDENTS' GARDENS 139 



common vegetable level. This upper terrace enter- 

 tains only the finer herbs, the salads, simples and small 

 fruits, with the fine tree fruits against the wall as it 

 faces the south. Apricots, nectarines, peaches, fine 

 plums, pears all these were trained against the wall 

 in Washington's time, as is the English custom; and 

 the General's table enjoyed the earliest and richest 

 delicacies as a consequence. 



But even these too he was denied, a part of the 

 time at least. Writing his superintendent in 1794 he 

 says, "In the Gardener's report is a query, if Apricots 

 will be wanting to preserve. I answer No. for the 

 situation of public business now is, and likely to re- 

 main such, that my family will not be able to spend 

 any time at Mount Vernon this summer that is I 

 cannot do it, and Mrs. Washington would not chuse 

 to be there without me." So apricots from his own 

 garden neither fresh nor preserved, were his portion 

 for that year; but good for Mrs. Washington, who 

 would not "chuse" to leave him sweltering and weary 

 in the city, even 'to go home to her preserving! 



The upper terrace is really a charming garden, for 

 in addition to its herbs and wall fruits, there are grapes 

 trellised along the terrace edge, and shrubs here and 

 there. A border of venerable, unkempt boxwood in- 

 closes the walk from the lawn to the steps, and there 

 are old flowers, both annual and perennial, brightening 



