Here's another article that I transcribed and thought that I'd share with the list. - Jean Griesan Colorado A RAMBLE THROUGH THE COUNTRY. Rambling over the hills of Lawrence county, the other day, I took shelter beneath the hospitable roof of our good friend William Holdride, in Union township, on the ridge which divides the waters of Symmes creek from Indian Guyan. I hope my friend will pardon me for alluding to this matter, but I am constrained to say, that I was pleased with the appearance of things about the premises. Mr. Holdride cultivates a "hill farm," and it may not be expected to produce like some of the river bottoms. But every thing betokens a neat farmer, with substantial evidences of thrift. He farms by system; gathers facts, and makes a practical use of them. He seeks after the best methods of cultivation, and takes pride in making his farm present a pleasant appearance. He has learned how to raise good crops without impoverishing the soil, which many persons seem not yet to know. Notwithstanding the dry season, he has a field of hill corn which promises an abundant yield, and will be very apt to bear off the palm, should it be placed in competition for a premium. A fine young orchard, in thriving condition, will soon repay the skill and labor bestowed on it. Mr. Holdride has a pleasant young family to endear him to home, and enlists the warm sympathy of those who may chance to become his guests. A little further on, I called on my friend Nelson Cox. He also is a young farmer, in the prime of life. I was a little unfortunate in not finding Mr. Cox at home. However, I had a pleasant chat with his "better half," rambled through his fine orchard, "hooked" a few of his fine peaches and grapes - got a good dinner, and left in very good humor with every body, myself in particular. Catharine is full of life, as in girlhood days. She took us to the garden to see a couple of choice vegetables, the seed of which her husband procured last spring at a distance, under the assurance that they were plants of immense beauty and value. They were duly planted and cared for. In process of time, the plants developed themselves. One proved to be a straggling vine, bearing a very inferior kind of squash; and the other a worthless weed, too often a trespasser uninvited upon our gardens. Friend Cox got "squashed" that time, but he must bear it philosophically, and remember that patent seeds, as well as patent medicines, may sometimes turn up a humbug. I have forgotten the name of the seed merchant, or I would publish it to the world, that he might have the benefit of it in making other sales. Mr. Cox's orchard is doing well. - His apple crop is very light; but his peach trees are literally breaking down with fine fruit. His vines, Isabellas, are very heavily laden with fruit, large and fine. We undertook to count the number of berries on one bunch, but got lost, and after the third effort, gave it up, concluded to call it a "whopper," and let it slide. I must not forget those glorious Watermelons, down in Henry Goodall's "patch." His "yarns" and his melons went down with a gusto. The dry weather is being severely felt through this region generally; and unless rain comes soon, it is to be feared that it will go hard with corn and potatoes. RAMBLER. The Ironton Register, Thursday, August 19, 1858.

Jean These were great....thanks for sharing Ginny (Massie) VanHoose ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Griesan" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2005 6:32 PM Subject: [OHLAWREN] Ramble Through the Country - 8/19/1858 > Here's another article that I transcribed and thought that I'd share with > the list. > - Jean Griesan > Colorado > > A RAMBLE THROUGH THE COUNTRY. > Rambling over the hills of Lawrence county, the other day, I took > shelter beneath the hospitable roof of our good friend William Holdride, > in > Union township, on the ridge which divides the waters of Symmes creek from > Indian Guyan. I hope my friend will pardon me for alluding to this > matter, > but I am constrained to say, that I was pleased with the appearance of > things about the premises. Mr. Holdride cultivates a "hill farm," and it > may not be expected to produce like some of the river bottoms. But every > thing betokens a neat farmer, with substantial evidences of thrift. He > farms by system; gathers facts, and makes a practical use of them. He > seeks > after the best methods of cultivation, and takes pride in making his farm > present a pleasant appearance. He has learned how to raise good crops > without impoverishing the soil, which many persons seem not yet to know. > Notwithstanding the dry season, he has a field of hill corn which promises > an abundant yield, and will be very apt to bear off the palm, should it be > placed in competition for a premium. A fine young orchard, in thriving > condition, will soon repay the skill and labor bestowed on it. Mr. > Holdride > has a pleasant young family to endear him to home, and enlists the warm > sympathy of those who may chance to become his guests. > > A little further on, I called on my friend Nelson Cox. He also is > a > young farmer, in the prime of life. I was a little unfortunate in not > finding Mr. Cox at home. However, I had a pleasant chat with his "better > half," rambled through his fine orchard, "hooked" a few of his fine > peaches > and grapes - got a good dinner, and left in very good humor with every > body, > myself in particular. Catharine is full of life, as in girlhood days. > She > took us to the garden to see a couple of choice vegetables, the seed of > which her husband procured last spring at a distance, under the assurance > that they were plants of immense beauty and value. They were duly planted > and cared for. In process of time, the plants developed themselves. One > proved to be a straggling vine, bearing a very inferior kind of squash; > and > the other a worthless weed, too often a trespasser uninvited upon our > gardens. Friend Cox got "squashed" that time, but he must bear it > philosophically, and remember that patent seeds, as well as patent > medicines, may sometimes turn up a humbug. I have forgotten the name of > the > seed merchant, or I would publish it to the world, that he might have the > benefit of it in making other sales. Mr. Cox's orchard is doing well. - > His > apple crop is very light; but his peach trees are literally breaking down > with fine fruit. His vines, Isabellas, are very heavily laden with fruit, > large and fine. We undertook to count the number of berries on one bunch, > but got lost, and after the third effort, gave it up, concluded to call it > a > "whopper," and let it slide. > > I must not forget those glorious Watermelons, down in Henry > Goodall's "patch." His "yarns" and his melons went down with a gusto. > > The dry weather is being severely felt through this region > generally; and unless rain comes soon, it is to be feared that it will go > hard with corn and potatoes. > > RAMBLER. > > The Ironton Register, Thursday, August 19, 1858. > > > > ==== OHLAWREN Mailing List ==== > Web page with info for this list - > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/OH/lawrence.html > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > >