Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-27
TELLS OF SPRING
12 YEARS AGO
Washington, Noted Horticul.
turist, Explains in Diary
His Activities.

The progress of Spring in this To-
Cality, 152 years ago. was recorded as
Follows by a country gentleman of
nearby Virginia, an amateur naturalist
and probably the greatest horticultur-
ist In America in his day. one George
Washington. whose diaries are pre-.
served in the Library of Congress:
January IL. 1885. Rode to my mill
swamp and to other places in search
of the sort of trees / shall want for
my walks, groves and wildernesses.
Between the sein landing and the old
brick kiln found about a half dozen
young elm trees. but not very promis-
ing. Many thriving. ash trees on high
tat least dry ground, and great
abundance Of redbud of all sizes. In
the field I bought of Barry and Miss
Wade a great abundance of white
thorn now full of red berries in clus-
ter. Within the meadow fence at the
mill are some young crabapple trees
ana young pine trees in the old field
OF all sizes. and in the branch of He'll
Hole between the gate and the mouth
are very fine young poplars, locusts,
sassafras and dogwood. Some naples
on high ground and two or three
shrubs in the wet ground which I
take to be fringe tree.
Found Magnolia Plants.
January %. Rode today to my plant
IN the mack party with view to
search for trees. for which / passed
through the woods. ands In the first
drain beyond the bars in my lower
pasture / discovered in tracing it up
wards many small and thriving plants
of the magnolia, about the fence some
young naples and the red berry of the
swamp. Also along the branch where
Mrs. T. formerly lived came across a
nursery of young crabs trees OF all
sizes, and along the same branch sew
eral young holly trees, but I could
find none of the fringe tree.
February 8. Transplanted an Eng
lish walnut tree from the corner near
where the old schoolhouse stood. Also
moved apricot and peach trees which
stood in the borders of the grass plats,
from which little expectation Is enter
tained for their living.
February IS. Planted border of ivy
on north side of south garden wall,
also four lines of linden trees sent me
must have been out OF the ground
since the middle of November, without
any dirt about their roots.
February %. Brought down num-
Der of young aspen trees from near
the old courthouse to transplant in the
S6FpeUtlfS avenues 10 the uOoT. AS
they came late l had the roots buried
until they could be transplanted.
Finished Serpentine Roads.
February &c. Finished laying out
my serpentine roads. Dug most of
the holes, where the trees by the
side of them are to stand, and
planted some of the naples which
were dug yesterday and some of. the
aspen.
February %. Planted all the mul.
berry trees, maple trees and black
gums in my serpentine WALKS. Also
planted four trees from the He'll Hole,
the name unknown, but Of brittle
wood which has the smell of null
berry.
March TO- Proceeded to Occoquan
for the scions of the hemlocks for my
shrubbery.
March H. Planted the hemlock
scions which were brought home yes-s
terday in the shrubbery, % in num-
Der. poplars. Is weeping and - vel
low willow trees. alternately along the
posts and rail fence.
March H. Brought nine scions of
the Portugal peach from Mr.. Cock.
burns with me.
March IS. / went to my Dogue Run
plant to direct the taking up of pine
trees for my two wildernesses-brought
three wagon load of them home and
planted every other hole along the
walks with them.
March 10. Received from Mrs
Joshua Parke of Norfolk q box con-
tanning young trees of the live oak
and 10 acorns, which I presume are
from the same sort of trees.
Got Swan From Brother.
March 20. Received a swan, wild
geese, barrels of holly berries in
sand from my brother John and a
barrel of the early corn of New York.
March %. Mrs. Grayson sent me
yews and aspen trees and Colo.
Mason some cherry CRAFTS.
March 81. Planted the scarlet or
French honeysuckle las my gardener
calls it. and which he says blows all
the Summer) at each COL of my
my covered ways, as also against the
circular walks between the store
houses Also planted the guilder rose
and Persian jessamine opposite there
to on the walks.
April 10: Planted and sowed in boxes
. in front of the greenhouse the following
things: Six buckeye nuts brought
with me from the mouth of the Cheat
River. They were much dried and
shrfveIed, but had been stepped In
called Lentucky coffee tree; a scar
let. triangular berry. the cover of
which opens in three parts, and which
looks we'll on a shrub.
Ice on April is.
April 16. A great hoar frost and ice
at least one-eighth an inch thick. The
buds of every kind of tree and shrub
are swelling, the tender leaves of
many had unfolded. The apricot bios
SONS were putting forth, the peaches
and cherries were on the point of
doing the same. The maple has been
in full bloom 10 days or a fortnight.
On this tree 1 observed great diner
ence in the color of the blossoms.
some being of a deep scarlet border.
ing on crimson, others of a pale red.
dish yellow.
April 20. Rode to Fish Landing
Found what is called the spice bush
a fragrant, aromatic shrub in bloom
Supposed 1t had been blown two or
three days. 1t is a small greenish
flower and will look well in the shrub
berry.
Servant Broke Kneepan
April % My servant William, one
Of the chain carriers, fell and broke
the pan ef his knee, and with much
difficulty I was able to get him home
being obliged to get u sled to carry
him on. Perceived the service tree tC
be full in bloom. 1t bears a white
flower in clusters, but on single stems
and 1t is tolerable handsome tree II
bloom.
April 90. The blossom of the red
bud was just beginning to display
the flower of the Sassafras was fully
out An intermixture of this and red
bud would look very pretty, the lat
ter crowned with the former.
May 1. A few young trees in DO,
of the civil or sower oranges and thu
royal palmetto which Mr.. Blake O