he is sowing
holly berries in drills, some adjoining a green-briar hedge on the
north side of the garden gate; others in a semicircle on the lawn.
Many of the holly bushes thus produced, are still flourishing about
the place in full vigor.

We find in his diary noted down with curious exactness each day's
labor and the share he took in it; his frequent rides to the Mill
Swamp, the Dogue Creek, the "Plantation of the Neck," and other places
along the Potomac in quest of young elms, ash trees, white thorn,
crab-apples, maples, mulberries, willows and lilacs; the winding walks
which he lays out, and the trees and shrubs which he plants along
them. Now he sows acorns and buck-eye nuts brought by himself from the
Monongahela; now he opens vistas through the Pine Grove, commanding
distant views through the woodlands; and now he twines round his
columns scarlet honeysuckles, which his gardener tells him will blow
all the summer.

The ornamental cultivation of which we have spoken was confined to the
grounds appertaining to what was called the mansion-house farm; but
his estate included four other farms, all lying contiguous, and
containing three thousand two hundred and sixty acres; each farm
having its bailiff or overseer, with a house for his accommodation,
barns and out-houses for the produce, and cabins for the negroes. On a
general map of the estate, drawn out by Washington himself, these
farms were all laid down accurately and their several fields numbered;
he knew the soil and local qualities of each, and regulated the
culture of them accordingly. In addition to these five farms there
were several hundred acres of fine woodland, so that the estate
presented a beautiful diversity of land and water. In the stables near
the mansion-house were the carriage and saddle horses, of which he was
very choice; on the four farms there were 54 draught horses, 12 mules,
317 head of black cattle, 360 sheep, and a great number of swine,
which last ran at large in the woods.

In the management of his estate he was remarkably exact. No negligence
on the part of the overseers or those under them was passed over
unnoticed. He seldom used many words on the subject of his plans;
rarely asked advice; but, when once determined, carried them directly
and silently into execution; and was not easily dissuaded from a
project when once commenced.

While Washington was thus calmly employed, came a letter from Henry
Lee, who was now in Congres