The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-05-12
farm and Garden.
A Visit to Lester Manor The Noted
Farm of John B. Davis, of this City.

TO our readers to omit for this week our,
as we fear, monotonous articles on fertil-
izers, and give some account of recent
visit to Lester Manor on the 2Sth OF
April
This farm is situated on the Pamunkey
river, in the county of King William, less
than two hours ride by the Richmond,
York River and Chesapeake Railroad,
from the city of Richmond. And here
let me say, "par parenthesis, that this
route to Baltimore from Richmond is a
very desirable one-elegant boats, excel
lent accommodations in every respect,
the most obiging and polite attentions Of
officers and servants, meet the require
ments of the most fastidious, and the
railroad portion of the route is all that
can be demanded.
Lester Manor is one of the best man
aged farms in Virginia, and Mr.. Davis
deserves great credit for has enterprise,
skill, and energy in having so greatly inn
proved what was originally poor land.
The farm embraces now about 1000
acres, being composed of what were diff
ferent farms. The dwellings on these
different farms (three or four in number)
are still standing and are surrounded
now by excellent and commodious out
buildings. The visitor is struck by the
number of buildings on these places, but
principally with those on Lester Manor"
proper; well constructed for the care of
stock, housing crops, the comfort of the
farm laborers and employees, and for
canning purposes, which business is
largely carried on, and is indeed the pre-
dominant interest here of the proprietor
Besides the buildings mentioned, we find
a small but neatly appointed hotel, with
comfortable well-ventilated, neatly fur
nished rooms; a store well supplied with
such goods as meet the wants of the sur
rounding neighborhood, and of the en-
ployees on the farmland last, but not
least, we were much pleased to see a
church under construction, which will be
a near building, capable of seating three
or four hundred people. This church is
being built. almost entirely at Mr. Davis
expense, some lumber men and carpen-
tiers contributing something to the cause.
The visitor to Lester Manor is as
tonished at the large acreage devoted to
vegetables and fruits designed for can
nlng. There is a large peach orchard of
beautifully grown and skillfully pruned
trees, probably two hundred acres. The
trees are not grown, and afford room
enough for the cultivation of garden peas
between them, and almost all the orchard
is thus used. We observed that the peas
We're not cultivated after being planted,
and we could not but think that cult
vator run between them, or the single
plough to throw the dirt to, and support
them, would have added much to their
production. The land is remarkably
clean by continued cropping in vegeta-
bles, and few grass seeds are now dis
tributed over the land; for this reason
the peas can get along without cultiva-
ton. Three hundred acres have been
prepared for tomatoes, which were soon
to be planted. The plants (Hathaway's
Excelsior) were ready for the purpose.
One hundred acres are devoted to aspar-
agus, which was being canned at the time
of our visit in the green state to suit the
taste of northern consumers. 1t is shipped
to New York. Six hundred acres are
planted in sugar corn, for canning, Two
hundred acres are grown In blackberries
OF Lawton variety. They look remarla-
bly, well. There are a large number of
pear and apple trees on the farm. The
peaches are all killed as we were informed
We asked Mr. Davis if he expected his
peaches to pay. His reply was mo I:
that they were too frequently killed by
frost. We observed a moderate number
OF grape vines skillfully pruned in the
"fan-shape" form.
We can scarce do justice to the canning
establishment of Mr. Davis; not expect
ing to write any report of our visit we
took no notes for the purpose. But this
has grown to be an extensive business as
may be known from the areas Of land de-
voted to the cultivation of vegetables and
fruits for canning. Skilled can-makers
dozen or more, are constantly EMPLOYED
and large number of packers $3.50 to
300 OF vegetables and fruits in the height
OF the season. Large steam boilers and
all the necessary appliances are seen of
the best workmanship and pattern. Mr..
Davis has all the advantages for carrying
on this extensive business that can be de-
sired. His fruits and vegetables are care
fully gathered-all unripe or over-ripe,
or defective specimens discarded; thew
are gathered at the proper stage in the
early part Of the day, and canned in the
fresh state, certainly a great ADVANTAGE
over packing establishments in cities.
which are forced to use fruits and vepe-