The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-07-08
ALDER PARK.
Rambler Spends a Day at Maj. Sta
cy's Stock Farm.

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superb farm, calder Park" This
is part of the formerly celebrated
farm known as the KENNEDY
Farm" which was purchased by Mr..
John Kennedy, who came to Giles
county from Kentucky some thirty
or more years ago.. He was man
Of marked character and was uni
popular with his neighbors.
He introduced new and improved
methods of farming; his specialties
being the cereals, grapes, hogs and
fine cattle. He brought with him
from his native state q strong lik-
ing for blue grass, the king of
grasses, and he was familiarly
known over the county as "Blae-
grass Kennedy" which sobriquet
was fairly earned, for he no doubt
gave the first impulse to the grow
ing and preservation of this splen-
did grazing grass. 1 believe it Is
generally conceded that Mr.. Kenne-
dy grew the largest crops of corn
and the largest hogs that were ever,
up to that time, raised in the
county. He introduced the Essex,
Woburn and Irish Grazier hogs,
which, up the advent of the Poland
China, were the heaviest breeds
known. He was man of the most
generous and genial nature, with a
large fund of wit and humor. There
is an anecdote told of him which
aptly illustrates this latter quality.
During the sitting of the Circuit
Court at Pulaski, Mr.. Kennedy in
vited some two or three friends
who were on the jury, and who
lived too far from town to return to
their homes at night, to spend the
night with him. In the morning he
carried these gentlemen out to a
field of very luXuriant corn. He
led them among the waving tassels,
beguiling them with anecdotes and
witty remarks, which made them
oblivious of the flight of time. On
recovering their recollection, how
ever, they remembered that Judge
Dillahunty had charged them to be
at their post In the jury box
promptly at certain hour next
morning, and they hurried off 10
town, Mr.. Kennedy, who suspected,
no doubt, that his friends would
have some trouble, accompanyir Q
them. When they put in their APP
pearance in the court room, an hour
too late, the Judge fined each one
of them ten dollars for their dilato-
riness. Here was a fine opportu-
nifty for Mr.. Kennedy to indulge
his love of humor. He arose within
the bar and very gravelv addressed
the judge in behalf of his tardy
friends, telling him that he had Ia
ken them in the morning to look at
a field of his corn and that at time
when he was not noticing them par
ticularly, they wandered off from
him and got lost in the wilderness
of tassels. He thea drew vivid
picture of the luXuriant growth oil
THO field, telling the Judge, among
other things, to justify the remark
able statement he had just made as
to the parties getting lost, that il
was no uncommon thing to see this
whole field sparkling with the flash
es of the lightning-bug at mid day
and wound up his speech with 6
sprong appeal for clemency. Tht
speech caused the audiece tC
ripple over with laughter, which
was communicated to the Judge
whereupon he RENTED the fines
and the business of the court
went on as usual.
But, Mr.. Editor, I have wan.
dered from the main purpose / had
in view in writing you this letter
which was to give your readers,
who are interested in stock grow
ing, some account of what Maj.
Stacy is dong on calder Park
farm in the way of farming and
stock=growing.
The farm contains about 400
acres, lying in a neck formed
by the confluence of Richland
anu wv eakley's creeks. This, and
Col. Wheeler's farm lying along
side of it, is the cream of the
old Kennedy farm. / believe ii is
by all who know it, as one
OF the richest bodies of land in the
county. 1t is admirably divided
off mo meadows, lots for grazing,
and fields for cultivation. 1t con
tains about 200 acres of grazing
land, heavily sprinkled with blue
grass, mixed with orchard grass
and clover. Mr.. Braden informs
me that he has cut some 40 acres of
Herdsgrass and Timothy hay and
about 10 acres of clover. "Alder
Park" is probably the best fenced
farm in the county. 1t has about
1900 yards OF stone fence and all
the lots and fields are inclosed by
high staked fences, except the barn
lot, which has neat plank fence.
The place has on it an exceedingly
neat and comfortable cottage IN
which Mr.. Braden and his charm
ing young wife offer most inviting
resting place to dusty and tired
rambler. This charming cottage
has all the necessary out-buildings,
a well, eistern, garden, vineyard
and one of the finest young or
chards 1 have seen in my rambles;
most of the apple trees have a fine
crop OF fruit on them but the peach
crop is almost a failure, and the
grapes are rotting badly.
Mr.. Braden showed me a lot of
% head of young mules, and quite
a number Of colts growing fat on
these splendid grazing lots; also a
flock of about 80 SouthdoWn sheep,
headed by one of the largest aud
one of the ost admirably formed
bucks I have seen in the county.
He is descended from Davenport d
Lysle's importation, and ! therefore
presume that he belongs TO the
Webb family. Maj. Stacy has also
on his farm a small herd of Berk-
shires, headed by a young boar,
earl of Arlington" who promises
to be as good as the best. He was
bred by Capt. James z. Alternately,
of this county, which is a guarantee
of pure blood. Maj. Stacy has had
for several years a strong fondness
for the soft eyed, yellow skinned