CLOVER IN GEORGIA, ETC. 
373 
five years ago, and now, in consequence of the 
improvements, rot alone of the soil, but because 
the improvements have added to the value of the 
neighborhood, the same land would sell for five 
times as much as he paid for it. One of his first 
acts was to build a residence, which is neat, sub- 
stantial, convenient, roomy, and in every way com- 
fortable, without having the appearance of a castle, 
or any unnecessary extravagance. And the " stone 
cottage" is all this, at least. It is built of rough 
granite, in diamond blocks, one story high, but 
from its size, 52 feet square, it affords ample lodg- 
ing rooms up stairs. It is finished, and furnished 
richly, yet as plain as neatness could imagine. In 
front, lies a broad, smooth, grassy lawn, beautifully 
ornamented with a great variety of trees and shrubs, 
with ornamental cuts for flowers in the sod, the 
whole forming a lovely, shaded retreat, almost 
hidden amidst a cluster of native trees, which stands 
like an island in the grassy slope that reaches from 
the front door down to the road. South of the 
house, surrounded by a rustic fence, is an extensive 
flower garden, arranged in the neatest order ; and 
in the rear, not too far distant for convenience, 
though well screened by shrubbery, stand the very 
neat and commodious stable, carriage house, and 
out-buildings. A little further on, towards the 
" farm house," the passer will notice a sweet little 
cot, quite an ornamental gem. This was built by 
Mr. M. for the home of a couple of servants, man 
and wife, which he brought from the south, and 
who are now serving him for wages, instead of for 
^ife. 
Many of the trees seen around here have the 
appearance, both in size and vigor, of having stood 
in the same place since they first sprouted from the 
acorn, or the winged messenger of reproduction 
from the maple, as well as many other native 
American trees, that now adorn and beautify a 
spot, that, only five years ago, was as bare and 
unsightly as any other old rocky pasture in the state. 
Moving Forest Trees. — This, Mr. Mudge had 
never seen done ; but the Yankee character is suffi- 
cient for all emergencies. He first went to the 
woods, about five miles off, and selected his trees, 
some of them eight or ten inches through, and dug 
a trench around, leaving a good mass of roots and 
earth to the trunk. This was done in the fall. As 
soon as the earth was frozen, so as to hold together, 
each tree was ready to be moved. He then took a pair 
of timber wheels, the tongue of which was hitched 
behind a wagon ; and when backed up to the tree 
that was to be moved, the tongue was loosened and 
turned up into the tree top, and firmly lashed ; and 
the trunk of the tree was bound to the axle, taking 
care to protect against bruising. The tongue was 
next hauled down and fastened, and the roots 
elevated, by this easy process, clear of the ground. 
When the place was reached where the tree was 
required to flourish, the wheels were backed up to 
the hole, which was previously dug, the fastenings 
cast off, and the whole tree allowed to settle in the 
position it was required to grow. 
Protecting and Keeping Roots Moist. — I was 
struck with the manner that this was done effec- 
tually, while it added much to the looks of the 
work. After the ground is well smoothed off and 
made firm, a coat of coarse hay, or straw, several 
inches thick, is spread over the surface, and some 
small poles laid on so as to radiate evenly from the 
trunk ; then other poles are bent round to form a 
rim, like a wheel, and all fastened down by wooden 
hooks. This, besides being of great advantage 
to the tree, rather adds variety to its appearance, 
instead of marring it by a view of the naked earth 
at its base. 
Other Improvements. — The front fence is a solid 
wall of granite, which I much prefer to iron, where 
stone is abundant, and needs to be got rid of, or 
appropriated in some other way. Mr. M. has ex- 
pended some $16,000 in his house and grounds, 
but it is one of those common-sense improvements 
that will always command a return when required ; 
and it is certainly a much more rational way for a 
gentleman to expend his money, in providing, as 
he has done for a lovely family, a lovely home, 
than it is to hoard it up, and spend a life of dis- 
comfort in an uncomfortable house, or mewed up 
in close quarters in some brick and mortar street. 
I cannot close without adding a due meed of 
praise to Mr. Mudge. for another expenditure which 
he has made at Swampscot, for the benefit of the 
large settlement of fishermen there. With the 
assistance of a few other gentlemen, whom he 
roused to action, a beautiful little church has been 
erected, whither he and his excellent wife go every 
Sabbath, with their children, to attend a Sunday 
school ; thus giving his personal influence, as well 
as the influence of wealth, to improve the condition 
of his fellow men. May his days be long and 
happy. Solon Robinson. 
New York, Oct. 2 5th, 1849. 
CLOVER IN GEORGIA. 
Mr. Richard Peters, of Atalanta, informs us 
that he has some forty acres of red clover now 
growing upon his place, and a hundred more 
seeded, that bids fair to afford him as rich a return 
as some of the clover fields of New England. 
Mr. P. is reversing the common order of things in 
that country ; for, instead of regarding grass as a 
nuisance upon a plantation, he treats cotton pre- 
cisely in that way, exterminating it as he would a 
worthless weed. He thinks that clover is to be 
the salvation of Georgia; as cattle can be sup- 
ported by it, and by them corn can be manured, 
wheat grown, and yet the soil not be exhausted. 
Mr. P. has purchased another supply of improved 
stock, tools, and seeds, with which he is determined 
to show his neighbors that Georgia lands can be 
improved, as well as in the northern states. He 
has also employed a young man who has been bred 
a New- York farmer, to go out with him, to try and 
teach his laborers how to cultivate his land upon 
an improved system. _ 
A Profitable Sow. — Mr. Grant, who keeps the 
hotel upon the wharf at Poughkeepsie, informs us 
that he has a sow that dropped thirteen pigs last 
April, five of which he sold, at four weeks old, at 
$2 each. The others he kept until September and 
fed upon the slops of the house until they became 
very fat, and averaged 148i lbs. a-piece, making 
1,188 lbs, which brought five cents a pound, mak- 
ing the snug little sum of $59.40 for the pork, and 
a total of $69.40 for one litter of pigs within five 
months. 
