New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-06-21
2fCsIBER EIGHTY


1t may be said that the scenery Of the rural land
sGapes around our city is not of that very pic
taresque description in which painters as well as
romance writers, generally delight but if some of
our readers are of the same disposition with us,
we have always found in the quiet, happy retreat
| of some country seat, or some suburban cottage,
with fruit and vegetable gardens attached thereto,
the very acme of what ought to be the pleasant
abode of a contented family union. Such one
we have known, in one of the most modest looking
and retired farms, belonging to the ancient Creole
family by the name of Kernon, of whom, unread
ers will recoIleCt, one of the ancestors figured
already in the troublesome times of the French
colony, in the famous colonial convention of 1854,
some one hundred years ago. There it is stated
that one of the kernions, name which appears to
US of some Breton origin, was counted among the
twenty four delegates that formed the assembly,
who afterwards demanded thedeposition or expul-
sion of the Spanish Governor Don Juan de Ulloa.
But let US leave, for the moment these historical
"reminiscences, and turn our view to the country
farm, and that quiet life which, for a number of
years, we have witnessed to have been led by
SEINE of the descendants of those first French
eolonists, and Of whom, even at the present day,
there are several branches of descendants living
in our very midst.
The country farm Of which we intend to give
our readers few details, was situated a little
inside the GENTLY road, somewhat in front
of the present Fair Grounds race track,
and went generally by the name of the Kernioa
placesor farm Kernion. We do not know whether
any of the old family buildings are still existing,
for since a number Of years this property like
many others in course Of time being so near the
oitv 10. dad inf
better disposng thereof to spectators and real
estate buyers, and streets have been opened and
drawn across the old garden plots the fine or
chards and rosebush alleys so that the whole site
is no longer recognizable. But before these mod
ern changes these farming premises upon small
scale, we're, indeed, one of the most lovely rural
localities in the whole vicinity of our city. The
owners, with but very moderate force of black
gardeners, had been constantly attending their
grounds, and by dint of continued efforts, rem.
dered indeed, their estate a most productive
resource, although the extent of their territorial
grounds was by no means SO great as many others
of their neighbors, who, with more means, still
were unable to attain the same valuable results
We have observed upon these choicely cu-
tivated lands the finest specimens of fruit trees
in the fig plum and peach line that it was possible
again, there was number of beehlves, which
added considerably to the revenues of the farm
by the sale both of the honey and the equally
valuable product of the beeswax. Being upon the
subject Of keeping bees, we cannot conceal our
surprise that little pains should be taken by our
farming people generally in the neigh
borhood of our city, with regard to this
branch Of very lucrative rural production; indeed,
In iG 1lvA nfa hot
more attention is paid to this species of farm in
dustry, when, according to our views, there is
such an ample chance for pecunary profit in this
line, Some people may imagine, perhaps, that the
low lands of our delta region do not afford pro-
per field for the fostering of this branch of rural
economy, and that the farms in the high pine
woodlands over the lake offer more advarta-
geous chance for the successful carrying out of
bee keeping in general Although we shall not
eontroYert this latter view of the case we know
from actual examination upon the premises just
named, and that of another old gardener on the
Bayou st. John, Mr.. Conrad Lambre, long deceased,
that the bee keeping which was carried on by the
industrious people Melted them annually the most
splendid results. And we cannot admit that it
should not be profitable to attend to this special
department of bee farming, when we know
that the attention which it requires indeed quite
insignificant, and that there is by no means a lack
of material for nourishing ample beehiVes in the
many flower and fruit orchards surrounding our
rural enyirons. What then may be the reason that
SO few of our agricultural people have undertaken
bee keeping is what still remains a total enigma
to US.
We said that the family farm of the Kernons,
at the entrance of the GENTLY settlement, was in
former times most delightful rural retreat, Aye,
this is so true, that we have known more
than one poetical writer who, in those remote
times, has immortalized, in prose as well
as verse, these beautiful abodes olampeti'e
But it must also be said to the praise
of those long past days, that the country
sites in that vicinity did not present their present
naked deformity then the primeyal forests and
natural groves and Tickets had still preserved
that aspect which was capable Of inspiring peet-
ical genius there were then host of little song
sters that enligened the euyrons Of those retired
landscape spots, where now nothing is heard but
tie melancholy cry of some sweeping hawk or
mangeur de poule, and the eyesight is saddeped by
the desolated plains deprived Of every yezdaot