Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-03-13
Agriculture.

Agriculture
The following letter from Rev. H. w
Beecher to the editor of the Northnester7
Farmer gives some of his early gardening
experiences, and will be read with inter
est:
. BROOKLYN. January IL
To Il. Bland
Dear Sir: | am much obliged to YOU
for the two numbers of the Northuestera
Farmer. Three volumes of the Indiana
Farmer and Gardener were issued under
my auspices Almost all the old nursery
men and amateur horticuturists of that
day have ripened and dropped. The whole
state Is wonderfully transformed, and In
dlanapolis, which fuctuated in population
from three to four thousand inhabitants.
has risen to the proportions of a great CITY.
The little tin-foot house in which then
lived is gone. But dwelling which
built and lived in for few months before
my removal still stands. and is interesting
to me from the fact that | worked on it
with my own hands, and, so far as paint
ing was concerned, performed almost the
whole OF 1t myself, inside and out. In the
grounds adjoining / had a garden which
would cut poor figure by the side of
stylish eastern gardens, but | suspect few
gentlemen extract from ampler estates and
more gorgeous pretences half as much deep
delight as did from my two city lots. [
was too poor to hire much labor, and was
therefore my own gardener and being an
enthusiast, | always planned twice as much
work as l could possibly perform well, and
so my garden was not very trim and clean.
But things grew well in it, and that salts
fed me. If blight has not done the work
OF death there ought to be some pear trees
now In their glory which L planted with
my own hands. In some sense NV garden
was missionary work, The whole CITY
was given over to politics and money max |
ing. | remember but two enthusiasts for
towers-Dr. Mears and Mrs. Bobbs. T /
lived to see very general taste spring up
Tor gardening, i'll part from the education
and growing refinement of the city through |
Its excellent schools, and | hope also in
some small measure from my labors. Some
ludlcrous experiences abide in my memory
Good old Daniel Yandes lived opposite to
me when l occupied what the old citizens
will remember as the Joe Moore house
My health was rendered feeble by chills
and fever, yet [ would creep out and pain
fully prepare ground for nv bulbs and
roots of various kinds. The kind old man
came one day, and leaning on the front
fence, watched me for a long time. as if to
be perfectly sure that [ was wasting
thought on flowers. Well said he. |
suppose you enjoy it. Indeed | do
Then with little sparkle in his eve, as if
ne half felt the humor of the thing, he said
We'll, the prettiest flower in the whole
garden, [ think, is a cabbage,' Being a
Pennsylvania Dutchman Il believe) by
birth, he came honestly by his taste. But
Of the same blood came also good old
mother Bobbs, and whoever loved flowers
more exceedingly than she did? During
ny residence in indianapolis everybody +,
>ept pigs, and everybody kept them in the {
street Gov. Noble presented me with a
'air and in two years | found myself own j
r. OF a herd, some thirty children of the
treet, and OF not good conduct Their I
Kill IN opening gates, digging into field
lnder the rails, of squeezing through them 5
vent far to convince me of the reasoning y
'ower OF pigs. My slow and wearisome q
abors were provokingly neutralized by :
unnlng old SOW who, about twice week.
you'd get in, spite of all nails and strings, q
atches and hinges The chills made ii
light excursion dangerous to me, vet one
midnight [ heard her eating, and could en-
ure it no longer. | seized nv gun. omit
ed formalities of toilet, and dashed out af =
er her Away she scampered down the \
arden, and away went / down the central
Hey TO he ready for her return. She
topped and | stopped. | could see moth
~ hear nothing, and it began to strike me
nat had rather the worst of it, and ONLY
eeded a spectator to appear decidedly lu-
ferrous just then, with a bark, she dash
1 by me on the left. l took aim with nv NJ
ar, and let off in succession both barrels ar ar
he squeal which each evoked was music s.
} me. She left the garden and never re-
lrned, nor do | recollect afterwards to 81
ave met her on the street. But if I were to
indulge IN all the recollections of India
ipolIs that come up l should run on end 10
ssiy L hope that you may reap both an
edlt and profit IN vocation that bears sp
ch an honorable relation to the thrift and
telligence of the great working state of
diana Nothing that interests Indiana al"
n never be Indifferent to me. I remem- NJ:
II with vivid pleasure the years that | !
ent in her bounds. Happier ones shall l.. La
yer sec Her noble conduct i'm the civil
'r, and the glorious good conduct of her '0I
lulcTS. nIle0 me with a nrIdp n Imocf ac NJ,
NV ,..,..-..-.1 r. "a" ii lea
- ny own household NV R.,
IL I a
iouSn inc whole lin,
IT, Is not ashamed to be called a H0OSier nee
am truly yours. IS 5
HENRY WaRn Rrrcurp frai
HIM. Alb