From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library

Farm House to the White House, by William M. Thayer 123
that, unlike many of the large planters, he labored with his men on the plantation.
"Fitted a two-eyed plough instead of a duck-bill plough, and with much difficulty made my chariot
wheel-horses plough. Put the pole-end horses into the plough in the morning, and put in the postilion and hind
horses in the afternoon; but the ground being well swarded over, and very heavy ploughing, I repented putting
them in at all, for fear it should give them a habit of stopping in the chariot."
"Spent the greater part of the day in making a new plough of my own invention."
"Bottled thirty-five dozen of cider."
"Seven o'clock a messenger came to inform me that my mill was in great danger of being destroyed by the
flood. I immediately hurried off all hands, with shovels, etc., to its assistance, and got there myself just time
enough to give it a reprieve for this time, by wheeling gravel into the place the water had washed."
"Surveyed some lines of my Mount Vernon tract of land."
"Employed in running some lines between me and Mr. William Triplet."
"Surveyed the water-courses of my Mount Vernon tract of land, taking advantage of the ice."
"Laid out a road from Mount Vernon to the lane of Mr. Marley's."
Irving says of Washington: "He was an early riser, often before day-break in the winter, when the nights were
long. On such occasions he lit his own fire and wrote or read by candle-light. He breakfasted at seven in
summer and eight in winter. Two small cups of tea and three or four cakes of Indian meal (called hoe-cakes)
formed his frugal repast. Immediately after breakfast he mounted his horse, and visited those parts of the
estate where any work was going on, seeing to everything with his own eyes, and often aiding with his own
hands."
Soon after he introduced his wife to his Mount Vernon estate, he began to improve and adorn the grounds. He
made lawns, laid out walks and avenues, set out a great number of ornamental trees, and planted orchards of
fruit-trees. He posted himself as far as possible in the science of agriculture, and made many improvements
upon his plantations, by reclaiming land and increasing the productive power of the soil.
Once he conceived the idea of reclaiming the Great Dismal Swamp, and actually explored it with reference to
that ultimate purpose. Through his agency, the incorporated company known as the Dismal Swamp Company
was organized. "This vast morass was about thirty miles long and ten miles wide, and its interior but little
known" until Washington explored it, and found a lake six miles long and three miles wide near its centre.
The large number of guests at Mount Vernon, and Washington's enjoyment in hunting, fishing, and visiting,
particularly in winter time, when the cares of his plantation were less numerous, appear from his journal. In
the month of January, 1770, are the following entries:
"2. Mr. Peake dined here.
"4. Went hunting with John Custis and Lund Washington. Started a deer, and then a fox, but got neither.
"5. Went to Muddy Hole and Dogue Run. Took the dogs with me, but found nothing. Warner Washington and
Mr. Thurston came in the evening.
"6. The two Col. Fairfaxes dined here, and Mr. R. Alexander and the two gentlemen that came the day before.