CASTLETON, STATEN ISLAND, May 22, 1843.
DEAR SOPHIA,--I have had a severe cold ever since I came here, and
have been confined to the house for the last week with bronchitis,
though I am now getting out, so I have not seen much in the botanical
way. The cedar seems to be one of the most common trees here, and the
fields are very fragrant with it. There are also the gum and tulip
trees. The latter is not very common, but is very large and beautiful,
having flowers as large as tulips, and as handsome. It is not time for
it yet.
The woods are now full of a large honeysuckle in full bloom, which
differs from ours in being red instead of white, so that at first I
did not know its genus. The painted-cup is very common in the meadows
here. Peaches, and especially cherries, seem to grow by all the
fences. Things are very forward here compared with Concord. The
apricots growing out-of-doors are already as large as plums. The
apple, pear, peach, cherry, and plum trees have shed their blossoms.
The whole island is like a garden, and affords very fine scenery.
In front of the house is a very extensive wood, beyond which is the
sea, whose roar I can hear all night long, when there is a wind; if
easterly winds have prevailed on the Atlantic. There are always some
vessels in sight,--ten, twenty, or thirty miles off,--and Sunday
before last there were hundreds in long procession, stretching from
New York to Sandy Hook, and far beyond, for Sunday is a lucky day.
I went to New York Saturday before last. A walk of half an hour, by
half a dozen houses, along the Richmond road--that is the road that
leads to Richmond, on which we live--brings me to the village of
Stapleton, in Southfield, where is the lower dock; but if I prefer I
can walk along the shore three quarters of a mile farther toward New
York to the quarantine village of Castleton, to the upper dock, which
the boat leaves five or six times every day, a quarter of an hour
later than the former place. Farther on is the village of New
Brighton, and farther still Port Richmond, which villages another
steamboat visits.
In New York I saw George Ward, and also Giles Waldo and William
Tappan, whom I can describe better when I have seen them more. They
are young friends of Mr. Emerson. Waldo came down to the island to see
me the next day. I also saw the Great Western, the Croton water-works,
and the picture-gallery of the National Academy of Design. But I have
not had time to see or do much yet.
Tell Miss Ward I shall try to put my microscope to a good use, and if
I find any new and preservable flower, will throw it into my
commonplace-book. Garlic, the original of the common onion, grows here
all over the fields, and during its season spoils the cream and butter
for the market, as the cows like it very much.
Tell Helen there are two schools of late established in the
neighborhood, with large prospects, or rather designs, one for boys
and another for girls. The latter by a Miss Errington, and though it
is only small as yet, I will keep my ears open for her in such
directions. The encouragement is very slight.