The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1921-02-18
READ HER LETTER--.n WILL DO you aoop

Ahc bVihc VI NcoTSc washington Is
tranquil place; it belongs to frame O.
mind almost vanished. But when til,
pilgrimage through the house is com
pleted and the eyes have begun t.
peer In vain for figures which are nc
more, but whose presence seems sc
wildly suggested, one steps out tc
meet spring sunshine, and the foliage
that is, indeed. in keeping with the
spirit Of the past, observes q 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
portlco, with its 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 rev.
erent posterity, are the gardens and
lawns today. In simplicity and fra
GRANGE the first Of shrines; in repose-
ful influence the tonic of a nation.
There are today 200 important trees
standing near the mansion. many of
them planted during Washingtons life
time; others were added, but also in
variably In sympathy with his original
plans for the estate, so far as these
were 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 1t 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 shelly
ing shores, and gives over his spiritual
burdens to the bosom Of the Potomac. |
Washington's diary informs us he |
was active In January of 1875, locat- |
Ing elm trees for the grounds. The |
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
DfctIIf,p cu1INlv ,loooJ hatmoop tho
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
nmns for the opening sweep of lawn
between the two gardens.
On the west side the next tree is an
'sh, planted by Washington. and across
rom them two coffee bean trees, the |
hree forming an impressive group.
OF four notable honey locusts. one
standing between the kitchen garden
md the serpentine walk Is credited to
This is fast-growing
md short-lived tree, and others prob
bly, disappeared. He makes note I'm
lis diary that on March %, 1856, he
planted between 1900 and $4,000
eeds of the honey locust"
The seven buckeyes have special
interest, for. instead of the normal
elbow flowers. these have red, pink
nd flesh-colored flowers. co,ors not
ound anywhere else. Moreover, the
ecords show Washington gathered the
eeds from which the trees were grown
ear the mouth of Cheet river, in what
; now West Virginia.
Washington's diary also mentions
ianting four horse chestnuts. but it
considered doubtful If either of the
lree big trees there now were among |
iem
The three pecan trees. all on the
ont lawns, are trees Of history. They
ere given to Washington by Jeffer-
IN, who in 1884 first published tech
cal description of this tree, and ap- Of
arently was the first distributor of -
wing plants brought from the Mis- r.
ssippi valley. They are the oldest of 81
e trees planted by Washington. az
ott~ffx e.It to-. 4 |