Networking again

Albany, Friday October 10th, 1823 – I waited on Mr Tracy, who Governor Clinton said could and would feel glad to aid me. In the first place, he invited me to look at his herbarium, which was extensive and in a good state of preservation, arranged according to the Linnaean system. In it he had Pterospora. 

He informed me that a friend of his who was fond of plants but possessed no knowledge of botany, in his rambles through the adjoining woods found it three years since and placed plants in his garden in June. They continued to thrive throughout the season. The following year they made their appearance and flowered all the summer. This season it sprung again and equally vigorous, flowered and ripened seed. This information made me stare [!!].

I set out again for plants as they affirm it to be perennial. Every plant which I could see I took up, but found only one which had the least appearance of being perennial; however this had not flowered, therefore it is not perennial but either biennial or annual. On my calling on Mr Tracy again, he said that he would take me to his friend’s plants; accordingly, on examining the spot, we found the roots dead.

Mr. Tracy informed me that the Erythraea which was found on the Missouri by Mr. Nuttall had. been lately found 12 miles from Albany shortly since. We set out for it, but on our arriving at the spot we had the mortification to look at the spot but unable to get to it. It was on a rising spot in the middle of an extensive swamp which was completely Inundated by the late rains. Mr. Tracy expressed his extreme regret, but pledged himself to transmit plants to Mr. Hogg at New York for the Society next year on its showing itself.

On our way home…..Called on Stephen van Ransaleer [sic] Esq., who is the most wealthy man in the United States. He has a large garden and orchards, and a fine range of hothouses, chiefly filled with vines. The grapes were all cut and hung on strings in a fruit-room. Mr van Ransaleer, being of Dutch extraction, has many friend on the continent of Europe, who furnish him with different kinds of fruit; there were [grape varieties] Black Prince, Hamburgh, White Sweet Water, Grizzly Frontignan and Malmsey. No attention is paid to the native vines of North America.

His apples and pears are much the same as at New York and Philadelphia; plums thrive much better. He has a large space of ground occupied as pleasure or flower garden, which is a novelty in America, as little attention is paid to anything but what brings money or luxury to the table. His flower garden is kept in good order, under the direction and management of his daughters, with much taste. Roses from France, herbaceous plants from Germany, grace the plots, with annuals &c from London. 

I had a letter of introduction to him from Governor Clinton. Mr van Ransaleer is a man of taste. He used me with kindness and invited me to breakfast should I make it convenient.

 

It amuses me that Douglas casually mentions "On our way home....called on the most wealthy man in the United States".   

This is Douglas, 24 years old, son of a stonemason in Scotland. Clearly he is "working his network" and his letters of introduction as hard as he can.   Our man is of course very interested in his large garden and will doubtless be quietly comparing it with Scone, Valleyfield and Glasgow.

As to his host, Wikipedia tells us that Rensselaer (III) was Lieutenant Governor of New York and a member of the United States House of Representatives, as well as a soldier, businessman and landowner. The heir to one of the largest estates in New York, his holdings made him the tenth richest American of all time, based on the ratio of his fortune to contemporary GDP. He founded the institution which became Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. On his 21st birthday, Van Rensselaer took possession of his family's prestigious estate, close to 1,200 square miles (3,072 km²) in size, named Rensselaerswyck, and began a long tenure as lord of his family's manor.  Van Rensselaer desired to make money off of the land that was suddenly his, but was extremely reluctant to sell it off.

Instead, he granted tenants perpetual leases at moderate rates, which saved would-be landholders from having to pay all of their money up front. This meant that they could invest more in their operations, which led to increased productivity in the area. Over time, Van Rensselaer would become landlord over 3,000 tenants, and proved a lenient and benevolent landowner.

 

Stephen Van Rensselaer III (National Gallery of Art, Public Domain)