Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-06-05

been erected, In which the Co onel has his
young cattle intended for milcl COWS ere,
as in the buildings which we have descrised,
every convenience has been broughi inio
active requisition, all giving eyidena Of
taste and judgment.
Seated again in the buggy we werl ne
pared to drive over and around the rear pr.
ton of the Colone's estate. We mus. hot
neglect to state at this point that up b 81
late as 1859 this immediate section d tie
county was complete waste, the land ~
hausted and thrown aside as WORTHLESS had
given growth, in patches, t. scrubbj ahe
and broom-sedge, save on some Of the pfe
prominent elevations occasional clust, 81
the virgin forests of oak and other afG
timber remained. Large marshes pro ably
never utilized had grown, by reason i o.
accumulation of the rubbish and DRIFT ID
of centuries, ,impenetrable Al this iod
Col. Boyd, who had become onspicu08a5
a contractor on public works, obialns5 q
contract Immediately along Boyds session
for the building of section Of the Msro
politan Branch. The grade al thisdo0t
was heavy, and necessarily The excayatiops
and Filings were heavy and expensive To
shelter, feed and make comfortable bis sup
erintendents and hands 1t became necessary
that he should purchase tract of baud on
which to erect tenements, &C. To this END
be purchased 1870 acres, embracing ihe i'm
mediate tract on which his residenca II 10
Gated, paying $50 per acre, although hand
up to this date, in this part OF the county,
was bringing but $3.50 per ere Iers IN
the rear Of . dLlsQidated build h he eessfxs
bis first house. intending at q time huff
on the completion of his contract he liked
the country be would max, it his nome
through life.
In 1874 Col. Boyd entered largely and ac-
lively into farming and the general improve
ment of his farm, which at this date en-
braces one thousand acres, eight hundred
and fifty of which is cleared and under
high state of the most advanced cultivation.
We have often heard II remarked, indeed
noticed the fact, that with many of the larg
est farmers, whilst the front portion of their
magnificent domains give evidence of the
most careful and intelligent system of i'm
proved agriculture, the rear portions were
ragged and uuinviting from neglect We
drove to the extreme rear boundary of Col.
Boyd's farm, embracing an area of from four
TO five hundred acres, every acre of which
| ncin
had their proper adjustment, the long lines
of fencing were in the most perfect order
and the fence-corners AS clean and nicely
kept as the magnificent lawn in front of his
home. We drove TO piece OF meadow
land, an area of eighty acres which he had re-
claimed after herculean system ofdrainage
and grubblng, every inch of which was now
yielding ample remuneration for the outlay
whilst it was in beautiful contrast with the
fertile and rolling lands which surrounded
it. On the extreme northwest of this por-
ton of the farm we halted at an eighty-acre
field which had been very recently reclaimed
and which was now densey covered with a
rich, vigorous growth of grass sod. 1t was
one of the most inviting fields of grass we
had seen for many year.
The bell was changing away for the dinner
hands as our buggy drove into the barnyari
in the rear of the Colonel's residence. Here,
and while the Colonel was temporarily en-
gagged, we made an inspection of the COM
handing cluster of out.houses. Entering
first the stable kept for his riding aud driv-
ing horses, our attention was again first at.
tracted by the cleanliness, ventilation ami
systematic arrangement of every necessary
appurtenance The rooms of the horses
were 14x16, wainscoted with Carolina pine
for three and a-half feet, thence with iron
rods three feet high. By this means the
horses were thoroughly protected from hurt
ing each other, while ample room was given
them to move about The carrage-room
adjoining this stable was nicely dressed and
arranged with all the precision and taste OF
some delightful drawing room. Passing over
to the main stable we found the same per-
feet arrangements only on a much larger
scale. Water was supplied to all parts OF
these buildings by means of the windmill
and hydraulic rams. Troughs were placed
at certain locations in the several passages
where the feed was mixed and water turned
on from the spigots as needed. Att ends
Of the passages leading through this built
ing were situated the harness rooms. In these
rooms We're large presses in which the sew.
eral parts Of the harness were kept AT
different places in the several yards troughs
were placed under shelters in which water
was continually flowing; but there was no
refuse dirty water lying around--everything
in the shape of urine and stagnant water
was conducted 10 its Legitimate place An
other building which attracted our attention
was the pig house The lower floor of this
building was divided into rooms opening
into whatever outlet or range was allowed
The upper story was corn. house where
the corn and other material was kept for the
feeding and iattening of the hogs. Here
too, troughs were arranged and water sup.
piled as In those buildings we have DIES
cribed
One of the most animating and attractive
pictures that We caught whilst viewing the
farm of Col. Boyd was the one in the rear
of his barn.yard. The elevation was ex-
ceedingly high, and deep picturesque raw
Ines were to be seen in every direction. In
the distance large masses OF white clouds
were piled up against Che deep hiae sSy b.
careless magnihcenee whilst the nearcranii-
seape was sprinkled with beautiful homes
steads. Immediately under the elevation
on which we stood lay OUT the beautiful
meadowla 10 which we have already f,,-
ferred. Along its eastern boundary was a