A SUMMER DRIVE iN THE LAKE COUNTRY. 919 
visited this spot almost a century ago, when the country 
was comparatively a wilderness, his eye took in the 
great beauty,and he saw the wonderful possibilities 
in store when he exclaimed, “This is the loveliest spot 
God ever made, and a region of the greatest promise.” 
Wheat, broom corn, and sweet corn cover thousands of 
acres, stretching acrossthe valley and away towards the 
south as far as the eye can reach. In one field we saw 
sixteen horses followed by cultivators. The sweet corn 
will principally go into the canning houses, of which 
there are two large establishments here. 
Mount Morris is abundantly supplied with railroads. 
The Erie, Lackawanna, and Genesee Valley roads run 
through the place, the Lackawanna shortening the dis- 
tance to Buffalo, and the Valley road making Rochester 
more accessible. 
Fortunately for us we are the guests of Henry McNair, 
and during the week we alternate between his old 
homestead, “Elmwood” and his present home, “Oak 
Croft ;” the former three miles up the valley, and the 
latter in the village. Our host is a character, and has a 
history, the incidents of which, were they collected and 
written, would fill a most readable volume, stranger 
and fuller of interest than most fiction. A man of the 
“old school,” courteous, generous, and intrepid, he is a 
most entertaining host. His twenty odd years spent in 
Australia were full of enterprise and adventure. He 
was one of the first to recognize the country as one 
adapted to fruit culture, and a peach orchard which he 
planted there became the wonder of the inhabitants in 
