The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-02-15

it is of equal flavor and larger than
the Concord.
The forests have been my chief
delight. and they are truly mag
ni6cent. Virginia was originally
one vast forest, but perhaps half
has been cleared and probably not
one-fourth of the original growth is
now standing, but second growth
has taken it's place and much of it
is 80 or more years old. I have
been trying to learn the names of
all the different kinds of trees grow
ing in the forests on this estate and
to distinguish them, but though /
can name nearly all when sitting ip
my room, to distinguish them as
they grow, is another question.
Many are familiar to me and easy to
tell but the new ones are hard to
learn when not in leaf. The follow
ing varieties grow here: White
oak, red oak, Spanish oak, post oak,
chestnut oak, white elm, red elm,
white ash, beech, tulip poplar,
chestnut, hickory, black walnut,
sweet gum, black gum, locust, soft
maple, rock maple, dog wood, thun
der wood, red-cedar, arbor-v vitae,
cedar, white pine, yellow pine, syc-
amore, white birch, willow, hem
lock, box wood, cherry, butternut,
mulberry, "a tree of this variety
near the house here is % feet in
diameter), persimmon, on the fruit
of which we have been feasting,
sassafras and chincapin or dwarf
chestnut. Among the bushes and
shrubs rhododendron, holly and
mistletoe are abundant.
| mean to remain in the state
some time longer before writing
much concerning the climate, and
see for myself how my observations
agree with the government weather
bureau, which gives an average
winter temperature of 41.9, spring
81, summer TIA and autumn 60 4;
humidity 68, rainfall so inches and
number of sunshiny days 260
Thus far the climate has been very
agreeable to us. I have been out
in the open air most of every day
and begin to feel the beneficial
effects of the mild climate, fresh air
and exercise.
Ellerslie, where we are being
entertained at the present
time, is fine old plantation where
the marks of aristocracy and slav-
cry may still be seen. The house
is of the oldgcolonial type, sbuilt be.
fore the Revolution, but still in
good repair. A spring of sweet,
cold, soft watersbubbles out, of the
rocks near the house and the Oldest
residents say the flow is as strong
as it was when they iwere children
They also tell of the many noted
men in the history of the country
who have stood or knelt on
the fiat granite rock at the foot of
the basin and drank of the pure
water of this spring. The temper
allure of the water is AZ degrees
and never changes.
I notice by the home papers that
DR.. Koch is to- have a new trial,
which, sunder change of venue,
will be held in Mankato. If the case
was being prosecuted in Virginia
no change of venue would be taken,
but jurors would be drawn from
other counties.
At the next election, which takes
place here in November, 1905, all
including United States
senator's, will be nominated for the
first time in the history of the com
by popular primary.
We try to keep ourselves; occu-
pied enough so that inconsistencies
will not creep in but at times the
longing for the dear friends far
away in Redwood county creeps
over US in spite of our efforts, and
it will only be a matter of a few
weeks when we shall begin to count |
the days when we shall see the
familiar faces once more.
I. n. T.