406                                  KALM's  TRAVELS   IN  NORTH   AMERICA.
were no bufhes to flop us. In fome places, where the foil was thrown up, we faw
fome little ftones of that kind of which the houfes here are fo generally built. I intend
to defcribe them in the fequel.
As we went on in the wood, we continually faw, at moderate diftances, little fields
which had been cleared of the wood. Each of thefe was a farm. Thefe farms were
commonly very pretty, and a walk of trees frequently led from them to the high-road.
The houfes were all built of brick, or of the ftone which is here commonly met with.
Every countryman, even though he were the pooreft peafant, had an orchard with
apples, peaches, chefnuts, walnuts, cherries, quinces, and fuch fruits, and fometimes
we faw the vines climbing along them. The vallies were frequently provided with
little brooks which contained a cryftal ftream. The corn, on the fides of the road,
was almoft all mown, and no other grain befides maize and buckwheat was Handing.
The former was to be met with near each farm, in greater or leffer quantities ; it grew
very well and to a great length, the ftalks being from fix to ten feet high, and covered
with fine green leaves. Buckwheat likewife was not very uncommon, and in fome
places the people were beginning to reap it. I intend, in the fequel, to be more par-
ticular about the qualities and ufe of thefe kinds of corn.
After a ride of fix Englifh miles, we came to Germantown ; this town has only one
ftreet, but is near two Englifh miles long. It is for the greateft part inhabited by Ger-
mans, who from time to time come from their country to North America, and fettle
here, becaufe they enjoy fuch privileges, as they are not poffeffed of any where elfe.
Moft of the inhabitants are manufacturers, and make almoft every thing in fuch quan-
tity and perfection, that in a fhort time this province will want very little from Eng-
land, its mother country. Moft of the houfes were built of the ftone which is mixed
with glimmer, and found every where towards Philadelphia, but is more fcarce further
on. Several houfes however were made of brick. They were commonly two ftories
high, and fometimes higher. The roofs confifted of fhingles of the white cedar wood.
Their fhape refembled that of the roofs in Sweden, but the angles they formed at the
top were either obtufe, right angled, or acute, according as the Hopes were fteep or
eafy. They fometimes formed either the half of an.octagon, or the half of ado-*
decagon.
Many of the roofs were made in fuch a manner that they could be walked upon,,
having a baluftrade round them. Many of the upper ftories had balconies before
them, from -whence the people had a profpect into the ftreet. The windows, even
thofe in the third ftory, had fhutters. Each houfe had a fine garden. The town had
three churches, one for the Lutherans, another for the Reformed Proteftants, and the
third for the Quakers. The inhabitants weie fo numerous, that the ftreet was always
full.    The Baptifts have likewife a meeting-houfe.
Sept. 22d. After I-had been at church, I employed the remainder of the day in-
converfing with the moft confiderable people in town, who had lived here for a long
while, and I enquired into the curiofities hereabouts.
Mr. Cock had a fine fpring near his houfe ; it came from a fandy hill, and afforded,
water enough  conftantly to fill a little  brook.    Juft above this fpring Mr. Cock
had erected a building from thofe above-mentioned glittering ftones, into which were
put many jugs and other earthern veffels full of milk: |or it kept very well in cold
water during the great heat with which the fummer is attended here.
I afterwards met with many houfes which were fituated like this, on fprings, and
therefore were deftined to keep the meat and milk frefh.
Almoft all the enclofures round the corn-fields and meadows hereabouts, were made
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