Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-06-05
.ls near hv comes the sofI fragrance Of doL

,eds near by comes the soft fragrance of do
icious flowers. In this soft, sunny, per-
u med place the birds love to come and war
, le their sweetest strains, and happy house.
! Old plies its domestic cares and joys.
The Metropolitan Branch divides nearly
sQually the farm of Col. Boyd. But all of
bis land is divided into fields of from 25 to
30 acres, and all are so arranged as to have
ruuni ng water. In the afternoon we drove
10 the part of the farm lying over the
southwest part of the railroad As we drove
through these magnificent fields covered
with rich grass sod, or waving with
fair prospect of wheat, for the
5reat drought was severely felt here, down
70 he borders of another meadow-land of
tom seventy to eighty acres, we were inn
pressed with the idea that the character of
this land and the marvellous growth of grass
even in such a dry season, reminded us
much of the character of the soil in the
famous Piedmont Valley, Virginia, where
the blue grass flourishes all the year round,
md where everything that partakes of it
gives evidence Of Its virtue. On this por-
ion of the farm is a commodious tenant
house, where all the poultry used by the
COionel's family is raised. We observed
here the clean and healthy condition of the
as likewise in those around the
main homestead Here too and elsewhere,
OF different points, are to be seen large and
hay barracks of the most in
proved style, holding from thirty to seventy
five tons of hay. The average number of
tons of hay secured on this farm reaches
from four, hundred and fifty to four hun
eTe,fapd seventy-five tons. Col. b. has now
10 his lofts, barns and hay barracks at least
one hundred tons of old hay. The amount
Of labor on this farm is performed with
twelve hands and from twelve to fourteen
head of fine, large horses and two yoke of
oxen, the large pair of the latter class re-
sembling in size of pair which we saw
Concluding our drive over this large estate,
so much of it under cultivation, with its
natural advantages and its extensive orna-
with every domestic arrangement
planned in luxurious abundance, those lines
of old Horace came to us in their full mean
ing
"Happy the man who, far from public strife,
Enjoys the calm content of rural life;
Il
Delights 10 rear and train the tender vine,
Or view, perchance, along the grassy mead,
In wales remote, the wandering cattle feed,
Or hoard in precious jars the honied wealth,
Or clip the lambs rejoicing in their health
And when Autumn bears his yellow head
He lows to share
The blushing vintage and the golden pear"
Without denying mans adaptability to the
in which he may be placed
il will be conceded that almost every one
has more natural aptitude for one occupa-
ton and that he will be more useful and
happy in one line Of duty or business than
in another. Universal geniuses are rare.
The swan, so graceful in water, is clumsy
runner, and the eagle, so majestic as monarch
of the clouds, runs very awkwardly, and
when n man turns up who has knack at
doing everything, or undertakes 10 succeed
with dozen things at once, he will usually
be found, on trial, To do nothing we'll We
feel confident that many of our readers who
ma road fhiS cnrrasnnndanoa mill avoio;,,
swell it is all true, Col. Boyd has mag.
ni6oent farm, adorned with every comfort
which can give ease and luxury; every taste
that is pleasing to the eye or gratifying to
the senses, but it all cost large amount of
money" We share in the force Of the ex-
preston, but we contend that If the means
had not been Systematically, intelligently
and judiciously expended, Col. Boyd could
never have made his dairy and farming op-
erations such a splendid success. Some men
spend much, work much and do little, be-
cause they work either without any plan or
purpose, or with plan and purpose that
leads to no useful end. We are hardly able
to estimate the value of that citizen who
breaks away from some old custom and
flnds shorter and easier way To results,
who can devise new processes and new
ways 10 execute them, who makes two
blades of grass grow where but one grew
before, who discovers a value in material
which neglect had cast among rubbish, and
what is still better directs uninstructed labor
TO more productive channels and thus CON
tributes n HUNDRED fold to the prosperity of
his community
Boyd's is decidedly the most beautiful
and picturesque station on the Metropolitan
Branch. In addition TO Col Boyd's estate,
there are the highly ornamented and i'm
proved farms of Messrs James T.. Williams.
Martin Lewis and others, the handsome sum.
mer residences of Messrs. Enoch Totten and
H. j. Meigs, of Washington, ID. c., and in
the near neighborhood Mr.. Rch'd Umstead
and succession Of like farms.
What Boyd'S wants most ut this time, and
what is due To the energy aud growth Of
the entire community, is first class depot.
As It Is, there are no accommodations for
ladies and travellers awaiting the trains. II
is true that they can avail themselves of the
commodions store.mom OF Mr. Williams nj
this point, but in this age of progress neither
ladies or strangers like to trespass on the
hospitality of those upon whom they have
no claims, and the Baltimore and Ohio