Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-02-16
Historic Mount Vernon

The home Of George Washington is a
tranquil place; it belongs to frame Of
mind almost vanished. But when the
pilgrimage through the house is COM
pleted and the eyes have begun TO
peer in vain for figures which are no
more. but whose presence seems so
wildly suggested. one steps out to
that is, indeed, in keeping with the
spirit of the past, observes writer in
the Detroit News.
The venerable barn, wrapped in ivy |;
the peaceful farm yards; the lazy low
hung buildings-all of these echo with
steps that vanish just ahead, around
each twist of wall.
But the intimate work of Washing
tons heart is in the surrounding
grounds. The noble view from the
pOrticO, with it's matchless sweep Of
river and Shore is the dazzling frame
for it. 1t begins this work with the
stately circle of the bowling green and
ends down below the rolling deer run,
where the willows weep over into the
Potomac.
1t is Wordsworth's brotherhood Of
venerable trees" AS Washington
planted and planned so, due to a rev.
lawns today. In simplicity and fra
GRANGE the first of shrines; in repose-
full influence the tonic of nation.
There are today 200 important trees
standing near the mansion, many Of
them planted during Washington's life
time; others were added, but also in
variably in sympathy with his original
plans for the estate, so far as these
we're known. Washington himself
searched far and wide for the trees
he wanted; he wrote his friends in va
riOus parts of America and abroad.
Thus it was that the estate is a spot
beloved of forester and horticulturist,
and the less sophisticated visitor gazes
up into the spreading trees, lets the
eye linger on green sward and shelv-
ing shores, and gives over his spiritual
burdens to the bosom of the Potomac.
Washington's diary informs us he
vas active in January of 1855, locat-
ing elm trees for the grounds The
ldJcSllC AucIlCdu GILL Ou tHC WSSt
lawn probably was one of the trees OBJ
tanned at that time. He was fond Of
the American elm, and there are at
least ten of these trees near the man.
sion, some of them, however, of the
later planting. Of the original elms,
two flank the walls, fringing the bowl
ing green, on the east side. They are
picturesquely placed between the Of
flee and the gardeners house, although
this pair may be more recent. A fine
elm stands on the east lawn.
The bowling green. between the two
gardens, is an attractive study. At
once attention Is attracted to the twin
beech trees planted by Washington in
the corners of the narrow end near
the mansion. Their height Is accentu-
ated by their tall, straight trunks, and
they form impressive focusing col
umns for the opening sweep of lawn
stretching between the two gardens.
On the west side the next tree Is an
ash. planted by Washington, and across
from them two coffee bean trees, the
three forming an impressive group.
OF four notable honey locusts, one
! standing between the kitchen garden
and the serpentine walk is credited tC
| Washington. This Is fast-grOwine
| and short-lived tree, and others prob
| ably disappeared. He makes note in
his diary that on March %, 1876, he
| planted between 1900 and 1S,OO(
seeds Of the honey locust"
| The seven buckeyes have a specia
interest. for. instead of the norma
| yellow flowers, these have red, pinl
and fesh-eOlored flowers. co}o"s no
| found anywhere else. Moreover, thu
records show Washington gathered thu
seeds from which the trees were grown
near the mouth of Cheet river, in wha
is now West Virginia.
| Washington's diary also mentions
planting four horse chestnuts. but i
is considered doubtful if either of TIL
| three big trees there now were among
them
| The three pecan trees, all on TIL
front lawns. are trees of history. The
were given to Washington by Jeffer
son, who in 1884 first published tech
nical description of this tree, and ar
parently was the first distributor o
living plants brought from the Mis-
sissippi valley. They are the oldest o
the trees planted by Washington
Two cnriosities may be noted. On
is cedar of Lebanon, near the sun
mer house, believed to have been plan
ed in 1874. 1t is the only exotic tire
On the grounds. The other is a sol
tary (and symbolic) cherry tree on tn
east lawn. Apparently it sprang frol
seed from one of Washington's ga
den cherry trees, dropped by bird.
Many trees mentioned by Washn.
ton as being planted by him are n
longer to be found there; but of whs
ne did plant small forest remains,
remarkable tribute to the panstakin
character of his attention to the e
tate. 1t is interesting, and not Will
out touch of sublimity. to behOl
these splendid trees set forth by hi
own hand. now casting shadows owe
the lawns he trOd. their life spannin
the history of the nation.
The bowling green and it's circle {
trees bespeak- intimacy. The east an
west lawns are inspirational. The yer
shapes of the trees and their varie