The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-08-28

Jands-USeEui l4cssehs ih r"i
A correspondent of The Washington
National Republican, writing from Gunston
Hall under date Of August 25, says:
On last Saturday morning small com.
pany of friends, the press being represented,
took passage on board the little steam
er Arrow. with the obliging Captain Hol-
lingshead. for Mount Vernon and River
side, the latter place being the splendid,
highly improved farm of Colonel Edward
Daniels.
The weather was bright and comfortable,
highly gratifying circumstance after SO
much rain, yet the crops OF corn, potatoes,
cabbage and other summer vegetables " Ill
be heavy In consequence.
Fruit, particularly peaches and grapes,
are rotting some from excessive rains. bat
dry weather will soon abate that.
we reached the residence Of Colonel
Daniels, at Gunston, for dinner, which was
a wholesome and acceptable one; then we
proceeded to examine his fine and instruc-
tive improvements and large varieties anu
quantity of rare fruits.
He has fruited over hundred varieties
of grapes, of which at least half the soil is
are now ripe, and we eat OF most of them.
He has proved by several seasons fruiting
that at least some Thirty sorts are desirable
and worth growing in this Potomac region,
among them the Concord, Clinton, Cataw-
ba. Delaware, Hartford, Iona, Ives, Herbe-
mont, Norton's, several OF Rogers Salem,
and some others, names not remembered.
His vines are planted in patches OF a few
acres, on different kinds Of soils, slopes
and aspects in order to test what is best !;
and all may have, very cheerfully, the
benefit of these experiments by visiting
the Colonel's grounds, for he seems as
clad to give others these advantages as to
enjoy them himself.
With apples, peaches and pears he has
made the same thorough and extensive ex-
periments as with grapes, with many sorts
on various soils aud locations, and he has
now large quantities Of all those fruits,
ripe and delicious, of which we ate abund-
antly. All these fruits grow and ripen
splendidly on his farm and so, with
proper culture, they will do on most of
the Lands in that country and along the
Potomac. He has been at the expense
and achieved the results Of these various
experiments, and is now realizing the ben
efits, which others also may without the
expense he has incurred. Better fruits
than his never saw, and his lands and To-
cality are like most others, but it depends
much upon variety of sorts end soils, Of
aspect and treatment; and his operations
and achievements afford valuable lessons
for others.
In regard to grass and other crops his
operations furnish equally useful lessons,
BY deep plowing, understanding, rotations
and topdressings, with judicious selections
of seed, he has large areas of as rich and
luxuriant grass and cloyer.ields, meadows
and pastures, as rank sod, as ever saw
on the Genesee flats or Illinois prairies
and al the samc time these results have
been attained by profitable culture, the
great secret being mind work, with mus
Gle; careful thought directing the work,
SO that the whole is made to pay. He has
also produced rich, heavy crops Of corn
and wheat proving that Fairfax lands
are excellent farming lands, if only excel.
lently farmcd. Here is richness, and
here are lessons, and still there
are thousands Of acres Of good lands
for sale at low figures oil around here.
DR.. G.. P. Hackenberg has rented the
large brick mansion on Colonel Daniels
farm, on the river side, and with his intel.
ligent and pleasant family has opened {
pleasant summer resort for boarders Iron
the cities.
We noticed that large quantities o
graLes, peaches and other fruits wer
shipped every morning on the Arrow, w.tl
Captain Hollingshead, for the Washington
| and Alexandria markets.
| But my chief object in this article wa
to call attention to the useful lessons 0
Colonel Daniels experiments and thorough
farming. U.