Post by Greg Carter on Nov 13, 2004 14:45:50 GMT -5
Towards the evening of the 27th of July I reached Edwardsville, a pretty town about six or seven miles from the bluffs of the Mississippi and 25 miles from St. Louis. This fertile region is covered with fine farms, where one has the opportunity of admiring the astonishing productiveness of the soil. I found maize from 12 to 15 feet high on the average. The gardens which have sufficient age for fruit settings are luxuriant with peach trees and other fruit trees. The peach is a kind of fruit which flourishes admirably here; the seedling producing fruit in four years, and, almost without exception, bears every year afterward so full that its branches have to be propped. Peach brandy and dried peaches are very common here.
On the other hand I have seldom in all America found the plum tree except in New Harmony; but there are apples in great quantities, excellent in all old orchards, and I have met with many fine varieties of them. Moreover gardens produce melons, especially water melons, in great quantity and of unusual size- the latter are regarded as a more healthful food than the others. That all other kinds of garden fruits will thrive here may be supposed from what has been said. The pumpkin at times reaches the gigantic size of three feet in diameter. Brown and red cabbage I have found nowhere in in America and the ground seems to be too rich for pototoes and many other growths. Potatoes, for example, cannot be planted until very late, often not until July; early planted ones almost never thrive. Maize, wheat and oats grow excellently, barley and rye I have not found.
ERNST, FERDINAND
Observations Made Upon a Journey Through the Interior of the United States of North America in the Year 1819
Hildesheim [Hanover], 1823
On the other hand I have seldom in all America found the plum tree except in New Harmony; but there are apples in great quantities, excellent in all old orchards, and I have met with many fine varieties of them. Moreover gardens produce melons, especially water melons, in great quantity and of unusual size- the latter are regarded as a more healthful food than the others. That all other kinds of garden fruits will thrive here may be supposed from what has been said. The pumpkin at times reaches the gigantic size of three feet in diameter. Brown and red cabbage I have found nowhere in in America and the ground seems to be too rich for pototoes and many other growths. Potatoes, for example, cannot be planted until very late, often not until July; early planted ones almost never thrive. Maize, wheat and oats grow excellently, barley and rye I have not found.
ERNST, FERDINAND
Observations Made Upon a Journey Through the Interior of the United States of North America in the Year 1819
Hildesheim [Hanover], 1823