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

On the contrary, if it is too rich and mellow
the lime seems TO neutralize the other salts
and introduce them into the crop with bet
ter effect. Besides, he thinks it remburses
more readily and directly than any other
mineral fertilizer the phosphates extracted
by the crop. This result is shown in plump
and well maturcd kernel or berry of grain
where it has been used, even when the straw
is comparatively light Mr.. Ray has given
lime thorough test, and now that his land
is well set in grass, his intention is to use it
more freely. After ALL stable manure is his
prime iavorite. II is perhaps because it
makes the nearest approach to the material
and substance Of the crop yielded, and
therefore may naturally be considered the
most gratifying return TO the soil.
On the western borders of the park and
Immediately on the creek are situated i'm
mense quarries Of gnciss rock, from which
Mr. Ray furnished the stone for the build
ing Of the bridges and cuverts upon the
Metropolitan Branch of the Is. d o. road,
as well as his numerous bridges and several
lines of stone fencing, which lend addi-
tional interest and imposing appearance to
his beautiful estate. From the very heart
Of these quarries spring gushing streams Oh
pure cold water. OF the poetic beauty, the
sylvan retreats, the magic scenes, the musical
waterfalls which cluster all around this pOr-
ton Of the park, your correspondent will
speak at length at the conclusion Of his letter.
Turning from the quarries q few rods
brought us to a gate from which | first
caught sight of the extended meadowland,
rich pasterfields upon which were grazing
numbers of mich cows, horses and colts
and here and there clusters of magnificent
primitive trees, their rich, dark foliage. drink
ing in the unclouded sunlight. Indeed, right
by my side, only few yards from the gate,
stood grand old maple, the growth of over
a century. Upon its venerable trunk was
carved many a long forgotten name. Paus-
ing for few moments underits wide spread
branches could but think what memories
clustered around it, how many years it had
stood as u solemn, silent witness midst the
great mutations of life, how many times it
had heard the whisperings Of love, how
oft and oft again had the wearied and
wounded of life sought repose beneath its
shade, how many times had the glad laugh
ter of the marriage party broken through
its foliage, how often had its cold and naked
branches thrown their sombre shadow over
the funeral cortege Catching as it were the
train of my thoughts, Mr.. Ray remarked that
there were two poems which he had ever
admired, The Star Spangled Banner" by
Frank Scott Key, and Campbell's, "Wood-
man, Spare that Tree"
1t was from this point that the stone fences
to which have alluded seem to have started.
One running enthusiastically with the creek,
which has a foundation two feet deep in
in the earth, is four and a-half feet high and
five feet thick. The other long line runs
directly westward and in the direction of
the homestead, over the hills, along the
meadows turning gracefully and artistically
every curve. This fence rests twenty inches
in the ground, two feet broad at its base,
four and a-half feet high, with eighteen inches
width at the top and heavily capped. This
latter line of fence was built by two Asa
clans and LOrrainians from the two prov
inces captured by the Germans from the
French) and under the direction and super
intendence of Mr.. Ray. Many Of the stone
OF which it is constructed weigh from one
to five tons, and all are laid with taste, pre-.
cision and accuracy, and from appearances
one may safely conclude that it will stand
the ravages of time Tor years.
Having now reached the five hundred
acres which are in cultivation, and with much
remaining to be said, which your cores
pondent INDUCES the idea may be of interest
to great portion of your readers, he will
conclude this correspondence in the next
issue. EktH ORION
Washington, June 18th, 1882.