THE UNITED STATES AT THE PRESENT TIME. 437 



of the most beautiful seats on the river, for sale, but of greater magnitude than 

 you seem to have contemplated. It is called Bclvoir, and did belong to George 

 William Fairfax, Esq., wiio, was he living, would now be Baron of Cameron, as 

 his younger brother in this country (George William dying without issue) at 

 present is, though he does not take on himself the title. 



This seat was the residence of the above named gentleman before he went to 

 England, and was accommodated with very good buildings, which were burned 

 soon after he left them. There are near 2,0U0 acres of land belonging to the 

 tract, surrounded in a manner by water. The mansion-house stood on high and 

 commanding ground. The soil is not of the first quality, hut a considerable part 

 of it lying level may, with proper management, be proiitably cultivated. There 

 are some small tenements on the estate, but the greater part thereof is in wood. 

 At present it belongs to Ferdinando Fairfax, son of Bryan Fairfax, the gentle- 

 man who will not, as I said before, take upon himself the title of Baron of Cam- 

 eron. A year or two ago the price he fixed on the land was (as I have been in- 

 formed) 335 dollars per acre ; whether not getting that sum, or whether he is 

 no longer disposed to sell it, I am unable with precision to say ; for I have heard 

 nothing concerning his intentions lately. 



With respect to the tenements I have offered to let, appertaining to my Mount 

 Vernon estate, I can give no better description of them and of their appurten- 

 ances, than what is contained in the printed advertisement herewith inclosed ; 

 but, that you may have a more distinct view of the farms, and their relative 

 situation to the mansion-house, a sketch from actual survey is also inclosed ; an- 

 nexed to which I have given you, from memory, the relative situation and form 

 of the seat at Belvoir. 



The terms on which I had authorized the superintendent of my concerns at 

 Mount Vernon to lease the farms there, are also inclosed ; which, with the other 

 papers and the general information herein detailed, will throw all the light I am 

 enabled to give you upon the subject of your inquiry. To have such a tenant as 

 Sir John Sinclair, however desirable it might be, is an honor I dare not hope for : 

 and to alienate any part of the fee-simple estate of Mount Vernon is a measure 

 1 am not inclined to, as all the farms are connected and parts of a whole. 



With verj' ereat esteem and respect I have the hnnnr to be, Sir, 



Your most obedient and obliged h'ble servant, G. WASHINGTON. 



P. S. As I shall have an opportunity in the course of the present Session of 

 Congress to converse with the members thereof from different States, and differ- 

 ent parts of each State, I will write you a supplementary account, if essential 

 information should be obtained in addition to, or corrective of, what is given to 

 you in the aforegoing sheets. 



The first public allusion to the preceding correspondence, between the founder 

 and first President of the British Board of Agriculture and the illustrious Far- 

 mer of Mount Vernon, is to be found in a letter addressed by the former to the 

 Editor, then of the American Farmer, and now of this journal. It was pub- 

 lished in the former paper twenty-six years ago — nearly two years after its es- 

 tablishment. 



In that letter he says : " I think it right to add, that owing to some peculiar 

 circumstances, I have in my possession a description of the States of America 

 drawn up by the * illustrious Washington ' himself. I have some thoughts of 

 publishing that most valuable and curious document, that every true American 

 may be able to possess an account of his native country, from the pen and sanc- 

 tioned by the signature of ' its greatest ornament.' " 



With the names of Sinclair and Washington there are associations too in- 

 teresting to every true patriot and friend of Agriculture, to make any apology 

 necessary for appropriating to these documents, now more than fifty years old, 

 the space we have assigned them — even though, as may be admitted, thoy may 

 not directly conduce to any sheerly profitable result, which some would contend 

 everything should do which is offered for perusal to practical Farmers. As if 



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