The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1888-08-18

VlSlt 10 hampton ana furnishes SOME lnUeTeSI-
ing facts connected with that historic estate.
Tesays: Hampton which has been the coun-
try residence of the Ridgelys for more than q
century, is well known by name, but few people
are aware of the extent of the tract which the
title once embraced. The estate originally con
sisted of over ten thousand acres, of which
about four thousand acres still remain in the
possession of Mrs Charles Ridgely. 1t is situa-
ted in Dulany's Valley, nine miles from Balti-
more, and just north of Towsontown: The
land extends from the Northern Central Rail
road on the west to the Hartford road on the east,
while TOwsontown is on its southern border
and the Gunpowder river on its northern.
This vast property is at present managed by
Mr.. John Ridgely of II. The land is high and
| rolling, with streams of lime and freeStOne
water flowing through many of the fields.
There is also rich sulphur spring on the es-
tate. and iron ore banks, stone quarries and
lime-kins.
Capt Charles Rdgely, of the English navy,
was the original owner of the property, and he
erected mansion at Hampton which is in as
good a condition to-day as though it had recent
ly been constructed The numerous apart
mentS are all of large dimensions, the centre
hall being % by so feet.
"The original Ridgely took considerable in
terest in the breeding and running of race
horses, and silver trophies won by his horses
still are in the possession OF the family. The
grounds are artistically laid out in the vicinity
of the main dwelling with terraced lawns,
greenhouses graperies, &c. Tall lemon trees
laden with fruit grow on either side of the ell
trance to the dwelling. The front of the house
commands magnificent view of Dulany's
Valley and the surrounding country, and large
hay wagons in distant fields of the estate look
like children's toys. To make any sort OF an
inspection of the farming it is necessary to go
on horseback.
Hampton is the native heath of the largest
herd of Jersey cattle in Maryland. 1t is also
probably the Oldest herd, and at present num-
bers seventy-five. The head is the celebrated
bull "King Rex" 1923. He is an all-arOund
prize-winner, his pedigree running back for
many generations to the Albert Pansy stock.
Most of the cows trace their paternity to King
Rex. Twice Rioter," 1901, sired by Treas
urer of Mountain Side, 7107, dam Cornwall
Maid, 1904, stands next in the list, he having
won first prize in three consecutive years at Ii
monium. young bull by, King Rex also
ranks high. The cows are all carefully regis
tered and are as handsome lot as rove over
any pasture. AS herd they have proved their
merits by winning premiums wherever they
have been exhibited. Some of the mich COWS
average from II to IA pounds of butter weekly.
Mr.. Ridgely is preparing herd OF his Jer-
seys for exhibition at the county fair this fall.
The herd was established by Mr.. Chas. Ridge
ly, he having imported from the Island of Jer-
sey a celebrated bull Derby and two cows
equally as well bred. The young cattle are Sc
lected like thoroughbred colts, and, their breed
ing being the best, they are graded according to
their conformation and points
''To the breeding oftrotting horses Mr.. Ridge
ly also devotes considerable time. He is the
owner of James w. Hoyt a bay stallion by
Middletown, dam by Frank Pierce he by Long
Island Black Hawk, and of six brood mares
bred by Harry Clay, Jay Gould, Whitehall, &c.
Five of the mares have yearlings and two-year-
old colts.
''Swine are not popular with the present pro-
prietor of Hampton, but they are the special de-
light of one of his Overseers, and Mr.. Ridgely
numbers among his stock herd of 80 Jersey
Reds and Berkshires.''
The writer of the above is mistaken III one
respect. He says that Hampton is situated in
Dulany's Valley when as a matter of fact the
beautiful valley bearing that name is about
three miles to the northeast oft.
A Glimpse of the "Flowery Kingdom"
| AT the coming county fair there will be an
exhibit which is unique SO far as this section of
country is concerned It lis a Chinese Tea Hong,
or tea house, which will be put up by NJ. Gillett
& Co., of Baltimore. This firm, which is one
of the Oldest importing houses in Baltimore,
has been invited several times by the fair man.
ayers to put up one of these structures on the
Timonium grounds, but though they have
made splendid displays at the Worlds EXPOSE
| ton at New Orleans, and the st. Louis Fair and
at one or two points nearer home, the great ex-
pense necessarily incurred in preparing and
erecting such building was by them consider
| ed bar to its display where only four days
were allowed for its inspection by the public.
This year. however, they have determined to
accede to the request of the Board
The Hong is fac smile of a resort in China
where tea'is dispensed. The building itself is
not COPY, it is an original, constructed of bam-
boo with all the appurtenances and decorations
which find place in such resort amongst the
olive-hued people, who are our antipodes on the
other side Of the globe. The embellishments
are elaborate and all suggestive of the Orient
from whence they come. The materials COM
posing the building are not nailed but tied to-
gether, and on its roof stretches great dragon,
| FURNISHED and glittering, which serves we pre-
sumo, as the sign of the particular company or
individual doing business at this stand. This
dragon from the tip of its ferocious nose to the
end of its fiery tail is over fifty feet long when
fully extended. There are bronze jars and por-
celain vases carvings in wood and ivory, plants
of great age but stunted growth, others which
| produce the tea of commerce, and many exam
| pies of Oriental handiwork, at once instructive
and interesting, giving glimpses of art and life
in the far off lands of the East
Tea will be constantly brewed of the He-NO
stamp, made famous by the Messrs. Gillett, and
it win be furnished free, hot or cold, as pre-
ferred, to all Visitors will be made welcome.
Sometimes there have been 10000 cups of tea
distributed from one of the Hongs of this house
in single day, and preparation is made to
meet all demands in this line at Timonium.
A New Variety of Wheat.-The Week is
the name of little paper published at the Nc
| DOnOSn III IIllS county. III Il rcCeHC
issue it had the following to say of new varie-
| ty of wheat developed by Mr.. V. ]. Clousher,
manager of the McDOnOgh farm about six
years ago Mr. Clousher, at Col. Allan's sugges-
ton, planted a trial patch with number of
| new kinds of wheat. Among the kinds so
planted was paper of Palestine wheat, obtain
ed from the Agricultural Department in Wash
| ington through our neighbor Mr.. Hayward.
This proved to be blue-stem bearded wheat,
! too delicate to thrive or rpen well i'll this eli
L IL 4. Il, SO Inntn1 nc
worthless. But among the Palestine wheat
were few grains of what proved to be fine,
| white, smooth wheat oflarge grain and yellow
straw-so entirely different from the Palestine
| as to attract attention at once. The few heads
were saved, and for five years past this wheat
has been sown and carefully gathered. 1t has
shown remarkably good qualities all this time,
| and promises to be very valuable addition to
| our varties of wheat. The Colonel named the
| new wheat ''The Clousher Wheat after Mr..
Clousher, who has taken great pains to develop
it. Last year the hard rains in the latter part
| of July damaged much of this wheat in the
shock, but Mr.. Clousher had enough to SOW a
plot near the barn. This is much the best
| wheat this year on the place. 1t yielded A
| bushels. The plot was carefully surveyed, and
it contained less than 1.2 acres, thus showing
yield ofabout SO bushels per acre. Mr.. Clousher
is going to sow Il large piece this fall, and next
year have seed to sell. He expects to ask 20
| cents pound for it, or SO per bushel. 1t is
| at McDonogh, and we have no doubt when
once known will be eagerly sought for"
Died at the Age of Nearly One Hundred
Years.-Mrs. Sarah Robinson died at her home
near Forest Hill, Maryland Central r. r., on
the 10th inst, aged nearly one hundred years.
She was born on Felrs Point, in Baltimore,
| and resided in that section with her parents
until seventeen years of age Then her father
died, and Mrs. Carr, her mother, removed to
Hartford county, where the daughter married
George Robinson, and lived up to the time she
died When her husband passed away, he left
Mrs. Robinson farm, which yielded sufficient
to enable the widow to support herself and thir-
teen children. Five of these survive, and their
ages range from sixty to eighty years They
are John, William and Hannah Robinson, and
Mrs Susan Amos. Her grandchildren number
thirty-ive, great.grandchildren forty,tive and m,
inson retained all her faculties up to the hour
of her death, and could remember Distinctly
events that happened in the last century, She
passed the most of her time in the last fifteen
years knitting stockings for her numerous pro-
| geny Not since the day she settled in Hartford
| county has Mrs Robinson left her adOntpd