Historical Sketches of the Ten Miles Square Forming the District of Columbia; With a Picture of Washington, Describing Objects of General Interest or Curiosity at the Metropolis of the Union (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1830 edition. Excerpt: ...into the tropical climate of these spacious houses, where we long sauntered among groves of the coffee tree, lemons, and oranges, all in full bearing, regaling our senses with the flowers and odours of spring. It would be an endless task, and swell my sketch to a botanical treatise, should I attempt 10 "number up the countless tribes" of plants, which are here sheltered from the inclemencies of winter. At the opening of spring they are all removed from their winter quarters, being permitted to breathe the fresh air and to fling their fragrance upon the breeze. 'One of the hot-houses is appropriated entirely to rearing the pine apple, which grows in great perfection, long rows of which we saw in a flourishing and luxuriant condition. A stalk produces but a single apple, which grows near the ground, in the centre of a cluster of tall and spear-shaped leaves. Many bushels of lemons and oranges of every variety are annually grown, which besides furnishing the family with a supply of these fruits at all seasons, are distributed as a delicacy to their friends, or to administer to the comforts of their neighbors in cases of sickness. The coffee plant thrives well, yields abundantly, and in quality is said to be equal to the best Mocha. The branches under which we walked were laden with the fruit, fast advancing to maturity. Among the more rare plants, we saw the night-blooming Cereus, the Guava, from which the jelly of that name is made, Alloes of a gigantic growth, the West Indian Plantain, the sweet Cassia in bloom, the Prickly Pear, and a thousand others. They are all tastefully arranged in large boxes made for the purpose, and nurtured with unceasing attention, requiring the constant services of two assistants besides the chief gardener....