Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1845-11-13
Henry Claws Farm.

correspondent Of the Cleveland Her
aid thus describes Mr. CLAWS residence
The city of Lexington, adjoining
which is Ashland, is neat and flourish.
ing inland town, of some eight thousand
inhabitants Ii is the centre of an extern
sive rabge Of country. second to no other
in fertility, beauty and cultivation -
AboN one mile East from this city is
Ashland. the farm and home of Henry
Clay. His house is handsome and
substantial litce. the main body about
forty feet by fifty, with wings ~ proper.
tionate dimension. ltstands in the midst
of a proiusion of venerable forrest trees,
ever greens and shubbery. upon gentle
elevation in the centre of 10. containing
about fifty acres, and is some forty rods
from The road. A serpentine carriage-way
leads through the grove TO the house, and
numerous path ways tas,efully arranged,
beauiity his grounds. His house is plain.
ly bot well furnished. containing many
choice and valuable evidences of the res.
pee, and affection of his countrymen.
Then there is stone cheese.house and
a stone butter house, Ashland being celc-
brated for the quantity and quality of the
butter made thereat. His chicken house,
dove house. stables, barns aud sheds, are
all IN perfect repair, spacious. neat, and
in order. His fruit and vegetable garden
contains ABOUT four acres, and in its ar
rangement, | saw Mrs. Clay giving per-
sonal directions. There is also large
green house, filled with choice plants and
beautiful flowers.
The negro cottages are exceedingly
comfortable. all white washed, clean and
well furnished and plenty of flowers in the
windows and about the dwellings. His
slaves possess more of the comforts of life,
have better dwellings, are better clothed,
and work less than majority of The day.
laborers of The North. have never seen
an establishment in any country, in all its
departments, furnish so many proofs Of
domestic comfort, permanent and useful
arrangement, united with such exceeding
good taste and unprelending elegance.
Mr. Clay's farm contains about 500
acres; and in all my wanderings. including
even New England, have never seen tbs
some as productive, as well fenced and as
well cultivated His woodland is cleared of
all under brush and dead woOd-his fields
are enclosed with good fences, with the
top rails all on, and not weed or brar
in the corners--hls hemp fields &C., are
prepared with The skill and care of a
Fthrillv farmer and he has ten acre lot
# ha 4,
extra labor and attention, with the view
of obtaining the premium.
Then there are his iine-b ,oded cattle,
sheep and horses, apportoned off into
lots. according TO age, and the use and
purposes for which they are designed. -
Indeed, there is no spot in or about his
residence or farm that will not furnish
evidence Of his being thrifty, profitable
and practical farmer. True ii is that
had read and heard much of Mr. Clay, as
the Farmer of Ashland but | regarded
him az what is termed a gentleman far
mer'-as one who had farm but knew
little and cared less how it was cultivated.
But let any one walk with Mr. Clay over
his broad acres-nolice his intimate
knowledge OF everything Pertaining to
farming--hear him relate how he prepares
and improves his lands, changes his crops,
improves his stock, and yearly renders
more productive and profitable his extern
sive plana,inn-an he will then see
with his own eyes that one of the best.
practical and most useful farmers, in this
or any other country, is Henry Clay, the
| farmer Of Ashland; and he will also see
and learn that The best butter and cheese
in the Lexington market are made by
Mrs. Clay, the wife of the Farmer Of
| Ashland