Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-08-20
Horace GreeIey,s Home.
HIS so ACRE FARM AT cHAppAquA.

tFrom the N. Y. Tribune, Aug 11th,l
On the Harlem Railroad, 35 miles from
New York, and al Chappaqua, little sta
ton of perhaps l50 inhabitants. is Mr.. Gree
ley's farm, containing about so acres. Com
ing to Chippaqua in the morning we passed
an so acre lot of hist recent purchase, which
is devoted to the growing of timber. About
70 acres have been planted to locust, and 10
acres are to be planted to larch. The whole
region is mountainous, and yet ii is thickly
settled the farm houses are numerous and
well built, there are extensive orchards, the
soil is good the roads hard and of easy
grade, the air is delightful, and the scenery
imposing.
Chappaqua is at the head Of the Neperan
valley, which extend to Yonkers distant Is
miles. Going along the mountain road we
saw range of high hills before us, mostly
wooded, and between is the valley, at least
200 feet deep. Having descended into this
valley we stopped at a cream-colored house,
conspicuously neat but not pretending. A
modest country church. without steeple,
is at the next door. This is Mr.. GrceIey's
residence, but the house in which he had
been living is down on the edge of the val
ley, thickly surrounded by trees
Leaving the house in search of Mr.. Gree
ley, we came to beautiful playground,
with carpeted floor for the girls; then pass
ing along well-kcpt private road at the
base Of high HILL where springs frequently
burst forth among the rocks, We found
a number Of hay-makers, who said
that he had gone up the hill with his
ak. Taking the direction through an
open wood We reached a tolerably level
| field, in which stands a concrete barn, four
stories high. Here we find another field,
but not so steep as to forbid cultivation for
a large extent OF corn was planted. Evil
| deE;ly the ground had been wei, MANFRED
and deeply plowed. The corn was remark
ably thrifty. Often there were three or four
suckers to stalk, and if there was any de-
feet it was in the rank growth, making one
doubt whether 1t would ear well hut OF this
it was too early in the season to Judge.
| Whatever may be the crop this year, it is
certain that the ground must be in the very
best condition for any future crop, and that
| for many years it will continue productive.
| Passing up beyond this field TO another level.
bordering an apple orchard, we saw the
owner in little thicket, taking out such
trees as would interfere with the growth of
those that were to stand. 1t was a warm
| lay, and the sweat ran down in streams.
A little beyond was a small vineyard, moder-
| ately loaded with fruit, and good sized APP
pie orchards but it would seem that the cuI
tivation had been SO good that there was
little show of fruit since the wood, on which
fruit buds depend, could not harden suiii-
GENTLY. In such cases little neglect has
been found wholesome. However the fruit
crop is poor in all this section whatever the
management may have been. Then we
all went down a hill leaving the fields
beyond the orchard unvsited, and
Immediately we entered a forest as dark
and as lnlrequented as can be found
in the lumber regions of Michigan There
were oak, hickory, hard maple, hcmlocl,
pine, white wood, and other trees, and in
many cases it was evident that they had
been trimmed to great hight, which had
been told Mr. Greeley himself had done,
using ladders. There must have been ten
acres Of this forest along the steep hill side.
On reaching the bottom we entered the road
which we had left, the woods still being on
either side In one place we saw where q
swamp had been drained, the line Of the
drain being pointed out among the trees
Coming out of this wilderness my compan-
ions were about to turn and descend another
hill, when heard the roaring OF waters and
and saw bridge. Going thither we found
a good sized stream coming down through
the woods, and pouring in a cascade just
above the bridge. The hight OF the fall is
Increased and made more beautiful by i
convex wall Of mason work, built on the
rock-bed of the stream. Below the bridge
! is a series of falls, in tortuous passage
lined with perpendicular bluffs, making
what in the Rocky Mountains might be
called canyon, over which lofty tree!
throw somber shade. Then we descended
: by road, and at the foot of the descent
J saw staircase leading down the bluff, at al
, opening in the canyon, and as we were go
ing down the stream was seen pouring il
two shutes or falls, each eight or ten fee
high, above which the walls turned, shutting
off further view. All about is forest
grown. Along the edges and tops of til,
bluffs the roots of the trees clasp around til,
inches and enter the crevices, and the root o
a large birch descends to the bottom, ant
fastens itself among piles of fallen rock. Ii
high water, after shower, tho stream pours
through this chasm with musical roar ant
immense velocity, the water often being s
or 10 feet deep In Simmer the murmurinp
soothes the idler to sleep. The stranger Is
reluctant to leave such a scene. Going up
the stairway, Mr.. Greeley's house is seen al
u short distance, and below, and along the
stream, barn in cultivated field. The
house is in forest Of majestic trees. 1t is
J plain structure, of no great cost, still of neat
appearance, ana with many convenlances,
: but it is admitted that SO much shade makes
the rooms damp. 1t has been declared that
} a portion of the trees shall come down.
AT no great distance in front of the house
i is large garden, containing greenhouse
and on the north side is wind-break Of
evergreens as much as fifty feet high Be
yond this is an orchard, which has had deer
!, cultivation and plenty Of manure, although
in grass the ground was so porous and
, spongy that good sod could not form. Ac-
cording to recent theories, it will be required
) for the roots of these trees to descend deep
, and anchor in hard ground before they can
hear rnunL aftar fhai iha,r nhe,,ld hon,