Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-08-10

towers OF ConlCal shape rise from inc ehuo VI
each of the wings, andrform almost the only
ornament. The approach is.oy a winding a.
venue on the northern side, leading through'a
thick grove of evergreens and other trees, ana
under the arch already mentioned, around
which hang festoons Of ivy, planted by the ceie-
brated Charles jams Fox, in one OF his visits
TO La Grange. Til. beautiful plant is as green
as his memory, anc mantles nearly the whoie
facade Of the CHATEAU. Its !uxuriant ioiiage'
shading the grey walls, the thick copse border =
ing the moat, and The four antique turrets hali
concealed by the intervening branches, present
view on this side, seldom equalled by an airy
rural, quiet, and transformations reuremenl-
An artist from our country has taken several
very exact sketches of La Grange, plates OF
which will hereafter be published
| AS the morning was bright and pleasant,
though the ground yet verdant, was covered !
with a heavy hoary frost, we made circuit Oh +
mile or two over the farm, which is one OF
the largest, as well as the mos compete, III
France. 1t contains FIVE hundred acres, lying
! in one body, in the form of circle, with the
| Chateau in the centre Great pains have been
| taken to round it off in this way, by exchanges
of contiguous territory. 1t is divided accord
ing TO the most approved models, into suitable
proportions Of tillage, pastures ana woodland,
with the minor compartments oil gardens ana
orchards. The General has planted hree nous
| and apple trees, which are yet small, out Until
", opening in yistas all over his plantation
| He is much engaged in the cultivation OF fruit
of the best kinds.
| The soil OF this large tract, though not per-
haps remarkable for its natural fertility, has
been highly improved by culture, and yields
wheat with other agricultural products IN abun-
dance. 1t is finely wooded and watered. Hall
mile-from the house, in the direction OF Rose,
there is large and living fountain, Graded IN
a green vale and sheltered from the sun in sum-
mer BY a grove of venerable oaks. Its limpid
waters at this season, repose on bed oil au-
tumnal leaves, and are as pure as they are CO.
pious. From this rural and sequestred retreat,
a distant view Of the chateau on one side, and
of two little villages, with spire to each, and
the smoke curling above them, on the other,
! makes quiet and cheering picture. Not lar
| from the fountain, Washington La Fayette,
Whose name perhaps use somewhat 100 Ia
military for the sake of disialction) is much en-
gagged in constructing an ice-house, upon the
plan of some Of those he saw in our country
In short, nearly all the improvements OF La
Grange, now in progress, are according to A
merican models.
On our return from this delightful promenade,
and after resting for few minutes, We were
merely consigned from the hands OF one part oil
the family, to receive the assiduous attentions
Of another The General himself accompanied
us to the farm-yard, which in point OF practical
utility, is more interesting, especially to the eye
of an American, than all the parks and pleasure
grounds we have seen. in Europe. A range OF
buildings extends quite round an open area, con-
tanning perhaps an acre of ground. The first OF
these is the granary, which was once chapel,
and the turret of which is yet left Standing
Men were at work in winnowing wheat OF an
excellent Quality. The second department is
appropriated to all kinds Of poultry, among
which are wild geese from the banks of the
Mississippi. A flock of about thousand Me
rinos, PRETTY feeding at their long ranges OF
cribs, occupied another portion OF the buildings.
II was odd enough to see the little lambs bear
ing on their backs the same name, which had
praced our triumphal arches; and to see the he
70 himself doating upon the construction OF
new piggery, upon plan recommended IN the
American Farmer. Among the twenty-five
COWS, are eight from Switzerland, sent the Ge-
neral by his friends in that country; and four OF
the Hokham breed, presented by Mr.. Patter-
son. of Baltimore The assortment OF horses
is as extensive as the other kinds of domestic
animals In making the circuit, we next came
to the farmhouse, kitchen and dairy, the walls
Of which are ornamen,ed with map OF the
whole plantation, designating the ground ap-
propriated 10 each department. Then follow
the pens containing several rare species OF AMI
mails. amonp-which are wild Turkles and par
tridees from the United States, Gntended, II
possible, TO be domesticatedO duck. which
came as present from the Garden OF Plants, at
Paris, and pair of beautiful Mexican phea-
SAINTS. For the latter, and for the American
partridge, new house is going up, to be artl-
6cialv warmed by stove. 10 these ANIMALS
may be added dog from Washington, and
racoon from our forests, who are inmates OF the
Chateau, instead of The farm-yard. The latter
is so tame, as to play about the parlor, and
climb up into the Generals lap.
: ATS O'Clock, the bell called US to dinner,
which was boun,iful, and served up without any
formal parade. Among the peculiar dishes
were Ientiles, much resembling boiled peas; and
rich kind Of pastry, such as we had not found
in the infinite assortment Of Paris table.
desert ofapples, pears, and dry fruits, with three
or four varieties of wine, including champagne,
crowned the festivities of the board. The Ge-
neral entcrtains no doubt, that the grape from
which the latter is made would flourish n the
United States: blu; whether the wine could be
nrocured ;s lore .problema,ical, as il is comm