The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-12
GEORGE W. vANDERDILTs HOUSE AT AsHEvILLE N O

den patch are grown aspara-
gus, peas, beets, onions, berries
and "a variety of other vegetables, all OF
which find q ready sale in the Asheville
market, when not consumed at home
The most modern methods of agriculture
are employed and the best utensils
Mules furnish most of the hauling power
Fertilizers are used abundantly, while
all the dead leaves, etc, are mixed into a
compost which also serves to manure the
land. AS result the yield of corn to the
acre last year was So bushels, of rye IS;
wheat was 25to 35, and GA S 10.
Stock raising is To be feature at Bilt-
more. AT present 1G0 horses, principally
draught animals, 20 grade Jersey and
other cows, 200 SouthdOwn sheep, 10
Berkshire pigs, about 40 heifers,
Percheron stallion are in the stock
yard also stocks of Toulouse
geese, Pekiu ducks, bronze turkeys and
Brahma chickens. A hen house to cost
$1,000, with artificial hatchery, nests and
other special features, is to be built in the
near future. For raising trotting and
road horses, MIR. Vanderbilt intends Sc
curing several Russian and French stall
ions. The dairy farm is one of the most
important sources of revenue from the
estate. The mich cows average eight
quarts per day and supply all the hotels
and boarding houses In Asheville. The
receipts from the sales of milk alone
amount to $500 per week. 1t is carried
into the town in canvas covered wagons
with the words "Biltmore Dairy on the
sides IN large black letters, and the land
lord or landlady is not slow in informing
the visitor that I'VE get our milk from
Mr.. Nanderbilt's farm
Baron d. Allings, who draws the mod
est little sum of 81 500 per year as MIR
Ndnderbilt's farm superintendent is
quite character. He is a finely built
man, of say go with military carriage
and an iron gray mustache His broken
English reminds one of a Frenchman
rather than German. He is a member
of the Asheville Club, where the visitor
often finds him about the middle of the
day smoking cigarettes or enjoying a game
OF cards He is well read, well bred and
rides fine blooded horse like man ac-
customed TO the saddle all his life When
the owner Of Biltmore engaged the baron
he owned a small farm near Asheville
He gets most of his ideas from books and
acknowledges that he knew nothing of
agriculture until he came to this country
ten years ago.
Any one going toward the mansion at
Biltmore ubeforo the sun is well up in the
morning or-during the cool of the evening
may chance to meet two men in road
cart or a buggy. One is evidently an
English groom. The other is a small man
OF light complexion, with side whiskers
whose face looks as If he suffered from
dyspepsia. He is attired in gray sack
suit, with dark fourth hand tie turned
collar and dark brown derby. That is
Mr., vanderbilt looking over his roads.
HelS. hrm believer in good roads, and
has laboratory on the estate, where an
expert is employed in finding the best
-soils~eH The place, as well as rock and
stone for road formation. The result Of
these experiments, as we'll as those of
agriculture, are freely furnished to all in
quirers and put to practical use at Bit
more. The result is that already around
the mansion and at Biltmore forest are
ten miles of as fine drive way as can be
found in the vicinity of New FORK city
But before the improvements are com
pleted this length will be increased to
fully fifty miles. Macadamized stone
gravel, ashes and clay are the principal
substances used
While examining the forest road one
, cannot help wondering at the improve
| ment TO the forest proper, which com
prises II 600 acres Dead trees have been
cut away, the underbrush is being taken
OFF, Yistas made at different points where
superb view is afforded, and other work
Is being done which will finally convert
this place into vast park similar to
those found at so mauy English country
places Over 100 men have been busy
with ak and Ratchet, and what was
formerly a mountain wilderness now
presents a wonderfully changed appear
auce. Game and birds are being placed
in the forest for hunting purposes, but
the greatest game preserve win be on the
SIDE OF Mount Plseah, portion of which
Mr. Vanderbilt owns This will be
stocked with bear and deer, aud will
form truly "sportsmen's paradise"
such, briefly, is the way Mr.. Wander
bilt is exercising his taste in the Blue
Ridge Mountains. d. ALLEN WILEY.