The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-11-16


this section, but is decidedly
model one. His home is pictur-
esque in the extreme - beautiful
glade meadows rest immediately IN
front Of his r sidence These are
fringed with Alder bushes running
back to the base OF long ranges of
mountains. These meadows are
never plowed, yet from these mead
ows and two small fields he cuts
from fifty to seventy-tive tons of
hav. A large portion of his farm
is covered with white oak, which he
is reservmg for foreign demand.
His crops. which are about the same
throughout the county, consist of
hay, oats, buckwheat and potatoes,
sample of the latter we sent you,
and they were not selected He
also pays much attention to raising
horses and sheep, which he finds
profitable. His barn is one of the
largest and best arranged we ever
Saw. His crop of potatoes from q
little over three acres will reach
between six and seven hundred
bushels. Some three hundred
Yards from the residence is stream
which is filled with trout. We do
not know that we ever spent two
days more pleasantly than at this
hospitable home III the bosom of
such happy and contented house
hold. 1t was indeed charming
visit and our only regret was that
existing engagements compelled us
to leave-we did so however with an
earnest invitation to come again
before leaving the country.
Walking around Oakland, we
observed many maple sugar trees,
and upon inquiring. learned, as we
have already mentioned, that this
is one of the leading industries of
the country. There are hundreds
of these sugar orchards in the
county, the largest numbering four
thousand and five hundred trees:
the average crop from this orchard
is from eight to ten thousand
pounds, which commands from
to 10 cents per pound. The trees
are tapped about the middle of
February and run until the middle
of April night and day, the kettles
for boiling going all the time.
The numbering enterprise is per-
haps the largest and earliest in this
region Of country. But this is by
no means as large as in former
years. 1t opened up as early as
1853. Mr.. Benjamin Tasker, Of
Swanton, having erected the first
saw mill. Then followed Gov.
Frank Thomas, Hon. II. G.. Davis,
and hundreds of others. The white
pine so valuable has all been cut
and sawed. There are still millions
OF acres of heavy timber-the hem
lock in great abundance, white oak,
red OAK, which is used for machin-
cry and cal materials, and spruce
pine, which is converted into pulp
for paper. Much of the heavy
white oak timber is shipped to
Europe where there is great de-
mand. Tram roads and narrow
guage roads make in every direction
into the very heart of the noun
tains. OF the other industries and
many other attractions we must
reserve for future communications
4 to be written here as we may find
! time, or when we shall have reached
! the quiet of our home with full and
ample notes.
Right here you win let us remark
that this is great country for rifle
shooting, every one has a Wnches-
ter or some other improved gun.
Rife matches are frequent-often
at 500 yards, twenty-four is made
out Of a possible twenty-five. While
at Oakland ! went out with Senator
/ Browning and one Of his friends to
Try new rifle or gun which the
latter had just purchased. Senator
Browning put five shots. the num-
ber designated, in the white paper,
and within the radius of half
dollar-his friend did the same,
only one Of the balls being very
near the ccntresof the mark.
As it is with rifle shooting, so it
is with music. Every homestead
has its living orchestra. The organ
or piano, violin and ACCORDION, and
strange to say that the ladies can
play upon either instrument, and
in the course Of the evening. after
the cares OF the day are over and
the hearthstone is bright and warm
the music begins, the ladies taking
first one instrument and then an
other until the change has been
made in the number engaged.
We would like right here to give
you a description of some of the
dairies where the milk is kept and
the world-renowned Glades butter
ic Y,,a1o but uyo baYn not +bo +,p, n