Evening star., 1928-02-19
First President Yearned to Be Leading Farmer of

not the former home OF one of the
worlds greatest generals and one o1
Americas most beloved Presidents. II
would still merit historical preservation
as an example Of superior Colonial ar
cllitecture and an illustration of sue
cesful scientific farming. George Wash
!ngton devoted many years OF study and
effort TO the perfection OF his Potomac
plantation. He builded SO well and
wisely that modern planners and de-
signers do not err when they copy some
Of his schemes and arrangements, In
the Chicago suburbs an American MIL
lionaire has o remarkably fine repro
duction OF Mount Vernon on his coun-
try estate. II fronts on one of the
Cold Coast" highways, speckled with
the best homes which American archi-
lecture can devise and build The simu-
lation of Mount Vernon is outstanding
among the mansions. many Of which
cost double and treble az much.
II was from his haif-brother Law
renee that George Washington inherited
the 2.500-acre homestead which was
later a part OF spacious Mount Vernon.
George subsequently purchased the in
terest Of Lawrences wife In the estate
and al the age OF 81 became the sole
owner end proprietor of one Of the Old
Dominion's finest plantations The
young landlord purchased adjoining
acres unfil he finally possessed plan
,atior Of 1000 acres. One-half of the
area consisted OF timber
George Washington divided his flelds
ard forests into five farms. which he
designated as Mansion Home Farm,
River Farm, Union Farm, Dogue Run
At4NNu M
placed q foreman In charge of each
farm. with manager overseeing the
entire enterprise. The manager was re-
sponsible 10 Warrington and reported
IN detail every Saturday when the
| owner vas at Mount Vernon.
Dc not gain the incorrect impression
that George Washington was front
f,orch farmer because ne hired an ag-
riculturai manager 70 look after his
farming interests Washington was
calico away from home 50 frequently
that IT. was imperative that he keen
some one on the estate " look after his
interests While our first President wsh
~ hume he worked AZ hard at any farm
nAnG His day began at sunrise, when
he Jared forth ~ Aee that his farm
ibncs we're at their stations on time
After bFeskfssting 1T Z Washington
would spenc the morning riding over
| his farming feids. seeing 70 IL IN person
mat his orders were faithfully exc
cutec- He also kept all the farming
records sno ACCOUNTS, wrote the daily
happenings in special agricultural
diaries and generally TOOK charge u the
| Slkiness sffsifs of the great plantation
When farming enthusiasts IN Eng.
land and Europe learned oi Washing
TONS ali-absOrbing devotion " agri.
! culture they cent him seeds, plants and
cuttings ~ test out IN his fields and
gardens Mount Vernon thus developed
| into our frst agricultural experiment
! station snd the proving ground for hun.
dreds of plant immigrants. They in.
cluced various kinds Of fruits, yege.
tables, flowers, grains and grasses. Ths
vegetable garden and orchard were
maintained on particularly fertile lane
At the left of the mansion. Washing
| ton Won success IN growing fIgs, cur
rants. LINES, oranges nulberfiss, pears
| pj,lns, cherries. srii6hokek and applei
81 Mount Vernon. The tropical fruit
| trees were moRed W D cOthef}stpiy dur'
! ing cold weather. being msiHtsined IL
large x0odsn tuba.