42 OLD-FASHIONED GARDENING 



these were all jumbled in with the "lettice and sor- 

 rel, Marygold, parsley, chervel, burnet, savory, time 

 (thyme), sage, spear mint, penny royal, smalledge,^ 

 feimel," and what-not of pot herbs and sweet herbs» 

 for kitchen, linen chest and still. 



Garden material was constantly being sent from 

 the mother country. A letter of Col. William Byrd 

 to his brother, in 1684, expresses his thanks for goose- 

 berry and currant bushes just received. He writes to 

 someone else, in the same year, his appreciation of 

 seed and roots sent him, which had been planted 

 and flowered. These were iris, crocus, tulips and 

 anemone. 



Cabins for the negroes were near by the dwelling — 

 the "quarters" of all plantations — and kitchen, milk- 

 house, wash-house, barns, hen-house, carriage-house, 

 the shop and the overseer's office formed quite a 

 group of little buildings, usually arranged to flank 

 the big house on either side, in an orderly fashion. 

 And many yards had a tall pole with a toy house 

 atop it, for the bee martin to live in; for the bee 

 martin hates the hawk and the crow, and gives battle 

 to both these raiders upon the poultry yard. Hence 

 his presence was highly desirable. Always there were 

 honey bees, too — ^many of them — the hives standing 

 under the eaves of the lesser buildings. And as time 

 went on, some planters fenced in the entire area about 



