52 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Sept. 4, 1829. 



COI NTKV .^KA'IS NKAIt NKU YORK. 



[Exiracl ol a leiU:r tVuni a Tuurist *.u iltc EUilur ot ilic Aiiicri- 

 cau FarmiT, daicil Alloiiv] 



"Time and space would full me, should I at- 

 tempt 10 give even n hrief »ketch of ludf of tlic 

 interesting ol'jccl.-i, wliirli arrested ullenlion in the 

 course »( my passage hither. With a view to ex- 

 amine homu of the farms and country seats upon 

 the hanks of the Hudson, I sj>cnt a day at Hyde 

 Park, and was dchghted, not only with the charms 

 of nature, but also with the retinenitnis of society, 

 and ihesjiirit of hospitality, prevailing nrnong the 

 inliahilanis of this rich anil heauliful region. The 

 scenery will sustain a coni|)arison with the finest 

 specimens of English landscape. I passed a bright 

 afternoon in randding over the grounds, which be- 

 longed to the hito Doctor Bard, and have recently 

 been purchased by Dr Hosaek of New York. They 

 romprise a tract of 700 acres, bounded on the west 

 by'The noble North,' and extending hack a mile 

 or inorc into the fertile county of Dutchess. From 

 the beautiful lawn in front of the mansion and 

 the neighboring cottage, the view reaches on one 

 liand to the blue sununits of the Cntskill, and on 

 the other to the llighlands, in the vicinity of West 

 Point. The llud.on, with its green and rural 

 shores, is visible for the distance of tweniy miles. 

 An almost cndlsss variety of venerable forest trees 

 give shade and beauty to the landscape, tli:ough 

 which hurries a copious stream, headlong and 

 lioi.sy as the Arno itself, filling the hanging gar- 

 dens and groves on its borders with niurnuirs. 

 On the sunny declivity, sloping to this rivulet, I saw 

 (on the lOtli instant) cart loads of ripe water-mel- 

 ons, some of them weighing forty pounds each. 

 Truits and (lowers of all kinds are rich and abun- 

 dant. The woods are vocal with the song of 

 biids, and the Sfpiirrelfreipiently crossed my wind- 

 ing and tangled pathway. In many places, cojii- 

 oiis and i)urc fountains gush from the bank of the 

 river, afibrdiiig a plentifid supply of the best wa- 

 ter. The present enterprising pro])rietor of this 

 farm has but just conmienced his system of im- 

 ]>rovcmenl.s. With his wealth and taste, he will 

 doubtless render it still more thau it is now, a ter- 

 restrial jiarndise. 



Not far from the splemlid grounds of Dr Ho- 

 saek, is the residence of Dr Allen, the celebrity of 

 whose cla.ssieal institution has spread throughout 

 the country and attracted students from distant 

 states. His stately niansion is situated in the 

 midst of a lawn of eighty acres, intersected by 

 avenues and winding walks bordereil with orna- 

 mental trees. From the window of the library 

 the eye ranges down the banks of the Hudson for 

 a distance of twenty-fivo or thirty nulcs, and re- 

 poses upon the picturesque sceniTy on the oppo- 

 site shore. Here are porches and halls of science, 

 consecrated us the Pojcile, shades deep and ehis- 

 Kical as the groves of Aeadcmus, and waters 

 brighter than the Illissus. The li-arned proprietor, 

 as he himself remarked to me, belongs emphati- 

 cally to the peripnlttic school of philosophy. His 

 hours of relaxation from study are fietiuently eni- 

 I)loyeil in walking through the fiilds with his pu- 

 ))il.^, conversing faunlinrly on what liny have read, 

 and nt the same time enjoying the hirautics of na- 

 ture. All his scholars «re inmates of his roof, 

 Hud treated os the mondiers of one family. 



'J'he Doctor wns once asked by a visiter, like 

 myself, from the south, who kept the best house in 

 thir village ? He replied, that his own was proba- 

 bly about OS good OS that of ony of his ncigldiors; 

 and itu hospitality won freely tenJerf^d. Afker 



harniiig tlji-j anei-dotc, 1 took lodgings for ih 

 night without ceremony, and |)as<,ed a most agree' 

 able evening in various discourse. The next 

 morning we went to breakfast with one of the 

 Doctor'.' neighborsand friends,! he wealthy pro|)ri- 

 ctor of 300 acres, who contented with his success 

 in trade, has had the wisdom to beat his anchors 

 into plough sliares,ami to retire from the bustle of 

 the city to u rural atid romantic retreat ut Hyde 

 Park. He has cndiarked with rrithusiusm in ag- 

 ricultural and horticultural pursuits, and his farm, 

 his gardens, and his ornamental grounds are in 

 excellent order, evincing skill and taste in his new 

 profession. The whole atmosphere L> charged 

 with the fragrance of flowers, and the perfume of 

 " new-mown hay." In rambling along winding 

 pathways, by the side of gurgling brooks — amidst 

 a polished circle of ladies and gentlemen, who re- 

 galed me with music anil conversation, I here 

 forgot for a time the dejected spirit and morbid 

 feelings of an invalid. A little incident occurred, 

 which reminded me of the fables of Orpheus and 

 Ainphion, the sound of whose lyres was so 6v\'eet, 

 as to cliarm both animated and inanimate rature. 

 While an accotriplished amateur was giving some 

 of the finest specimens of her execution upon 

 the piano, and a young lady was breathing out 

 the very soul of musi'*, a thrush came and perch- 

 ed upon u tree near the window, filling uj) nith 

 its wil 1 symphonies, the pauses of tlie voice and 

 instrument. But 1 must quit Hyde Park, though 

 I could respond to the feelings of a learned pre- 

 late, who, lingering anudst the charms of its 

 scenery, exclaimed 'Aic requiescam — here would 

 I live, here die, here wish my ashes to repose.' 



The weather was so unfavorable, and the sum- 

 mits of the Catskill, girt with wreaths of luist, 

 looked so bleak, as to induce me to defer my visit 

 to the Mountain House till my return. \\ Albany 

 my first inquiry was for the head quarters of good 

 living, good company, and good feeling — of wine, 

 wit, and wisdom — the residence of' mine host on 

 the hill,' whose name first greets the eye of the 

 traveller, under the burnished wing of the 'Eagle.' 

 Though the imperishable fiime of Crultendcn, the 

 prince of landlords, has reached the ultima thule 

 of our country, and had often rimg in my cars, 

 yet the half had not been told me. He has twice 

 as much body, and thrice as much soul as I had 

 been led to cxiiect. From whatever point the 

 wind may blow, no tourist can sit at his table, and 

 bask in the light of his coimtenancc, without feel- 

 ing in good humor. Since my arrival, a curious 

 paragraph has been poiiiled out to me in the Na- 

 tional Ga/elte, stating that Ihrrt are no comfortable 

 litda in the hotelx at JUbany '. The author of such 

 a groimdiess report can surely never have stopped 

 either 'on the hill,' or under the hill. Had he 

 done so, the first question put to him by the cham- 

 ber-maid, would have been, whether he windd 

 sleep on a feather bed or rnatlrass. If the night 

 happens to be dainp or cool, a blanket is put un- 

 der the sheet, in the English slylo. In my ram- 

 bles over the world, I have never found better ac- 

 roimnodalions or tuore comforts at any hotel, 

 than at the one where I am i.ow sumpluouslv 

 lodged. 



A few days after my arrival, two gcnilemen and 

 myself rode three miles from town, to vi«it the 

 hue chief justice of the slate. We found him 

 like (?iiieimuilus, buried in retirement, and engaged 

 in agricultural pursuits. His farm of 200 acres, 

 entirely secluded froiu the world, at prcsout en- 



grosses his whole attention ; though ids fellc fci 

 citizens, not unmindful of his superior talei 

 and eminent services, have called liim, like 

 Koman patriot, from the plough, to mingle ii 

 turmoils of public life, and participate in the con 

 cils of the nation. It was due to his age, intelle 

 and weiglit of character, to liave been appoint 

 to the senate, instead of elected to the House 

 Representatives, wliere he must \>e brought 

 contact with youns men, who liave more repi 

 tion to gain and less to lose. But in any sit 

 tion, I trust he will maintain the dignity of 

 character, and prove himself useful to his count 

 He still enjoys a vigorous mind in a sound bo 

 The state of Now York lost ten or fifteen of 

 best years of his life by driving him constituti' 

 ally but i)remalurcly from the bench. Churn 

 with his hospitality and the easy flow of his c 

 versalioii, we accepted his invitation to rcrnaiu 

 ten, and did not return to town till a lute liour. 



On the 4th of July, three gentlemen and i 

 .self went to dine with Jesse Buel, Esq., whi 

 celebrated farm is two miles from Albany, 

 wluit place could the birth day of our nalio 

 freedom be commemoruted with more proprii 

 than at the bountiful table of the farmer, 

 fritits of wliose industry contribute so large!) 

 the reol independence of our country? This 

 mark is peculiarly a|iplicable to Judge Buel, wh [h 

 well directed elTorts and successful experiuie mb 

 in tanning and gardening reflect credit upon h . 

 self, and have been highly useful to the coniuu 

 ty. We found Idni iii the midst of a flowery 

 gion, which a scientific knowledge of his n 

 profession had enriched, and )iis taste enibeUisl 

 The largest and most splendid boquet I have e „ 

 seen, ornamented his fire-place, and a rich vari 

 of natives and exotics were seen in bloom ab^ 

 the mansion, siiaded by some of the original pi 

 of the fi>rest. Unfortunately the stale of 

 weather was such, us to prevent us from exan 

 ing very extensively or accurately his grout 

 which are perha|)s better cultivated and reiide 

 more ])rodiiclive than any in this part of 

 country. His corn and potatoes are much tin 

 nest I have seen this season. The exiraordio 

 growth of the former is ascribed to a inan» 

 consisting of the i)ith and ])arings of horns, 

 tuined al condi factories. Judge Buel ilesci 

 great prai.sc for bis attention to the culiivatioi 

 fruits, both indigenous and exotic. The ra 

 varieties to be ])rocured from diirorcnt part 

 the United Stales, and from Europe, are now 

 dcrgoing experiment in his gardens. Few s 

 jecls in rur.il economy have escaped his invest 

 ting miiul, and he possesses a bapjiy facility of 

 cording the result of his observations for the b 

 efit of others, as the pages of the American P' ■?' 

 mer can hear witness. 



My enjoyment of .Mr Bucl's society was not 1 

 ited to the conviviid pleasures of an annivers 

 dinner. On the Cili instant he harnessed his ■ 

 goii, ond wo set out on a rural excursion to 

 coimly of Saratoga, not for the purpose ol'jnin 

 the fashionable circles at the springs, but to c 

 mine the extensive and beautiful farm of He 

 W. Delavan, Esq. His homestead conipr^' 

 300 acres, finely situated, with n rich soil, and 

 der the best cultivuliou. About one tbinl of I 

 grass land, from which a heavy crop will he t» 

 this season ; and the jmstures of red and w bite ■ 

 ver are luxuriant in the extreme. Numerousdro 

 of tallle, 20 horses, and 2000 sheep revel in 



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K.n\ 



