THE PRESIDENTS' GARDENS 139 



common vegetable level. This upper terrace enter- 

 tains only the finer herbs, the salads, simples and small 

 fruits, with the fine tree fruits against the wall as it 

 faces the south. Apricots, nectarines, peaches, fine 

 plums, pears — all these were trained against the wall 

 in Washington's time, as is the English custom; and 

 the General's table enjoyed the earliest and richest 

 delicacies as a consequence. 



But even these too he was denied, a part of the 

 time at least. Writing his superintendent in 1794 he 

 says, "In the Gardener's report is a query, if Apricots 

 will be wanting to preserve. — I answer No. — for the 

 situation of public business now is, and likely to re- 

 main such, that my family will not be able to spend 

 any time at Mount Vernon this summer — that is — ^I 

 cannot do it, and Mrs. Washington would not chuse 

 to be there without me." So apricots from his own 

 garden neither kcsh nor preserved, were his portion 

 for that year; but good for Mrs. Washington, who 

 would not "chuse" to leave him sweltering and weary 

 in the city, even to go home to her preserving! 



The upper terrace is really a charming garden, for 

 in addition to its herbs and wall fruits, there are grapes 

 trellised along the terrace edge, and shrubs here and 

 there. A border of venerable, unkempt boxwood in- 

 closes the walk from the lawn to the steps, and there 

 are old flowers, both annual and perennial, brightening 



