226 EIVERBY 



of the earth's surface, with the exception of parts 

 of England, I have yet seen. In one way it is more 

 pleasing than anything one sees in England, on ac- 

 count of the greater sense of freedom and roominess 

 which it gives one. Everything is on a large, gen- 

 erous scale. The fields are not so cut up, nor the 

 roadways so narrow, nor the fences so prohibitory. 

 Indeed, the distinguishing feature of this country is 

 its breadth : one sees fields of corn or wheat or clover 

 of from fifty to one hundred acres each. At Colonel 

 Alexander's I saw three fields of clover lying side 

 by side which contained three hundred acres : as the 

 clover was just in full bloom, the sight was a very 

 pleasing one. The farms are larger, ranging from 

 several hundred to several thousand acres. The 

 farmhouses are larger, with wide doors, broad halls, 

 high ceilings, ample grounds, and hospitality to 

 match. There is nothing niggardly or small in the 

 people or in their country. One sees none of the 

 New York or New England primness and trimness, 

 but the ample, flowing Southern way of life. It is 

 common to see horses and cattle grazing in the 

 grounds immediately about the house; there is no- 

 thing but grass, and the great forest trees, which 

 they cannot hurt. The farmhouses rarely stand near 

 the highway, but are set after the English fashion 

 from a third to half a mile distant, amid a grove of 

 primitive forest trees, and flanked or backed up by 

 the many lesser buildings that the times of slavery 

 made necessary. Educated gentlemen farmers are 

 probably the rule more than in the North. There 



