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Historic Gardens of Virginia 



and the two squares next the entrance were laid out in formal 

 gardens. 



As the walks extended to the north and south the borders were 

 planted with fig bushes for some distance. Then followed borders 

 of raspberries, currants and gooseberries. Farther on there were 

 quinces, apricots, nectarines and cherries, and there were two 

 squares planted with rare peach trees. From north to south across 

 the garden ran the pear-tree walk, a heavy green sward border on 

 either side, out of which grew the carefully nurtured dwarf pears. 

 Then there was the long grape-walk, and towards the eastern side 

 of the garden was its most interesting feature, the cedar-hedges, 

 one plot nearly encircled by the cedars was used as a forcing garden 

 for the early vegetables. The hotbeds and cold frames were on 

 the extensive eastern slope and were well protected by the hedges. 

 There were some unusual shrubs, a very handsome Irish yew being 

 of special beauty. Multiflora roses, now rarely seen, formed what 

 would now be styled a pergola, but was in those days called an 

 arbor, down the greater portion of the central walk. 



The forces of two invading armies visited Rock Castle. General 

 Tarleton, during the Revolutionary War, at the head of a large 

 cavalry force, swept off everything in his course, and he wreaked 

 his special, petty spite upon the Flemings, his near of kin. He cut 

 down, with his own sword, from the wall of the principal room, the 

 coat-of-arms of Fleming and Tarleton and bore it away with him. 



Later, in 1865, a marauding company of Federal cavalry, 

 ordered to destroy the locks on the James River and Kanawha. 

 Canal, in the absence of the Rutherfoords, forcibly entered the 

 house, broke into the wine-cellar and, despite the entreaties of the 

 faithful house-servants, destroyed everything they could not carry 

 off with them, leaving a desolate house and no provisions for 

 Mrs. Rutherfoord and her little children, who returned by carriage 

 from Richmond a few days later. 



During 1 864-1 865 a box containing jewelry and silver was 

 buried by Mr. Rutherfoord and his "head man" behind the hedge, 



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