Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-06-16

and Fifty Acres in Woodland Park-a
Model Fdrm-a Smiling Homestead a Ju-
dseiot@ and Practical Fdrmer-Lerurious
and Picturesque Mcddoos-Rich Pasture
Lands-Loag Lines Of Immense StOneaoaH
Fencing ---Orcltvtls md Vineyards -Eoery
Variety Of Ornamental Sha7e Trees-Eoery
Production Of Soil and CHmate-An Erten-
aoe Daiy-Attracti0e Fish Ldke-Iiistoric
AssOciations, ThOughts ane I"ctdents
CORRESPONDENTS OF TIE SENTINEL.
Awaiting myself of an invitation which
had been standing for sometime, it was my
pleasure a week since to spend delightful
day at Highlands" the residence of Alfred
Ray, Esq, one of the most advanced and
enterprising agricuturists of your county.
Impressed with the truth contained in the
old adage that variety is the spice of life"
and as your readers are mostly agricultur-
lists, instead of giving my usual Washington
letter, have concluded to give in as brief
a manner as possible the observations and
incidents of my days visit.
/ would not have it understood that be-
cause the most of my life has been in the
city, mid its din, its brick and mortar, its
toll and traffic, its folly and fashion, its
poverty and penury, its vice and its crime,
that have no taste for rural pleasures, no
appreciation or knowledge of agricultural
pursuits. l can tell the difference between
a turnip and cabbage when growing; be-
tween u pear tree and elm; between an
aster and dahlia. am able to speak from
experience-eD-c dthedrd. remember when
boy how used to roll in clover, climb
fruit trees for bird nests, rest upon pumpkins
in corn-cutting time, or sleep on the new
mown hay when overcome from fatigue
and heat-how when / was quite youth
| would say to half dozen hands in harvest
time, come on-not go on. How in the fall
of the year | was made to go bare-footed
through the frost in search of the cows. /
studied agriculture practically and expert
mentally by digging up seed to see if it had
sprouted, or by exploring into the mystery
of potato hills-yegetables were known to
me not when transformed by the cook, but
in their natural state, and flowers | learned
to study and love when the first rays of the
mornings sun made diamond of every
dew drop that trembled on their tiny leaves.
| remember well when | loved to linger and
lookout upon hill and vale, dark woods and
waving fields, when sported under the tall
old trees, and lay down on the soft green turf
scented with blossoms, to dream those golden
dreams that come to childhood and youth
alone.
My arrival at Forest Glen, station on
the Metropolitan Branch, was some two
hours prior TO the time at which Mr. Ray,
by previous arrangement, was to meet me.
This time, however, was not altogether lost.
Passing up and down the road, my attention
had often been attracted by the imposing
appearance and out lines of the woodlands
Immediately west Of and almost reaching
the road, as well as the picturesque ravines
which seemed to fringe its boundaries, and
| had as often expressed desire TO revel in
the shades of the former and explore the
romantic beauties of the latter.
The resolution formed, and in minute
or two, and after descending gradual Gle
walton, was standing upon a rustic bridge
which spanned Il small stream that came
laughing from very near hilside--.it was
u bright picture and full of rustic beauty
and sweetness-the rays of the sun here
and there breaking through the lattice work
of foliage and playing hide and seek on the
green turf, the cool fresh air ladened with
the oder of wild flowers and the melody of
the forest songsters gave an indescribable
charm to this natural painting Pushing
my way down the stream and when within
a short distance from its confluence with
another, the ravine had opened into large
proportions. The soil observed was deep
and rich, gigantic native trees principally
white oak, hickory and walnut, the growth
of century, and the warriors of countless
numbers of maddened storms, doomed up
in graceful and stately proportion, almost
excluding the rays of the sun, whilst here
and there would be seen clustering vines
leaping and reaching in wild and weired
luxurance along their topmost branches.
/ II was not one of those soft places in nature
which Poussin would have loved, nor such
as you would have selected for the "still
! life" OF Durand. There was buoyancy, a
ylgor and boldness over everything upon
which the eye rested, which would seem to be
suggestive of ponderous thought. Continu-
ing my walk, but in another direction, saw
no diminution in the character or growth of
the timber, and also observed that there was
little or no underground or dead branches
| lying about or around, every foot of ground
! gave indication Of care and attention. A
I short distance brought me to a delightful
road which had evidently been laid off with
much engineering SKILL here winding grace
fully around the brow of hill SO as to avoid
anything like difficult grade or diverging
in order to catch deeper shade or some
more romantic view, showing that whilst
the easy and practical advantages were not
lost sight of, the beautiful in nature was
likewise appreciated.
A few minutes walk along this road
brought me to the point from which had
started, where | found Mr.. Raw. | soon
learned that the woods through which had
been rambling was a iavorite part of his estate
and was known as "Highland Park" and
contained some hundred and forty or fifty
acres.
A short ride through this park brought us
TO its eastern boundary, where Mr.. Ray had
two handsome little cottages EMPOWERED in
shrubbery, fruit and ornamental trees, both
OF which are rented and return good per-
centage upon the investment. 1t was at this
point where | first noticed those never-fill-
ing indications of a good and neat farmer,
and the first always embraces the latter, for
through my entire life have observed that
u good farmer was invariably II neat one.
mean the gates and fencing, particularly
the former, which were constructed of wood
and moderate sized iron wire, half arch in
shape and swung to substantial black wal
nut posts. You did not have to unwrap Il
half dozen yards OF old iron traces or strain
every mucle in your boly in opening them,
but child five years old could easily open
and shut thc same, and throughout the en-
tire days drive and at every field into which
we entered there was the same character OF
gate and fastened to the same kind of posts
real luxury to open them.
A little further ON from this point and
just across the railroad we halted at Linden
Hall, very neat and inviting structure,
built by private contributions, Mr.. Ray do.
mating the ground and also assisting in its
construction. The lower story of this build
ing is used as private school, which is in
a tlourishing condition. 1t IS also used every
Friday evening for the meeting of a literary
society, composed of the young ladies and
gentlemen of the neighbOrhood, which has
proved valuable acquisition, since it has
not only been place OF amusement, but an
incentive TO and source of intellectual i'm.
provement and social enjoyment
Here we concluded 10 retraoe our steps
for careful and close survey of the farm
proper
Driving lesurely along, learned that
his estate consisted OF seven hundred acres.
1t was purchased some twenty years since
from the heirs of the late Rob't Y. Brent.
There are five hundred acres under cultiva-