The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-29

entity forever. the farmers missed " so
greatly and made so much complaint t1at
the ball was set in motion, and capitalists
and corporations joined forces. and the
raging canawl" is again one OF our
great freight carriers. Several years be-
fore the civil war the Loudoun and Hamp-
shire railroad was completed from Alex
andria TO Leesburg. This road gave an
impetus to the adjoining counties. but the
war coming on SO soon after its compile
ton. 1t never in its history attained the
success and importance that belongs TO
1t at this time: but more of that anon.
! wish at this point to call attention TO
striking similarity between the early
settlers Of the Maryland and Virginia
counties bordering on the river. Mont
gomery, Md. and Fairfax, Va. were
settled mostly by English people. The
eastern portion of Loudoun, Va, and
Frederick. Md. were settled by the same
people, but the northwestern portion OF
these counties were settled by Germans.
The English settlers of Montgomery aud
Fairfax cropped principally tobacco. They
raised corn. but without rotation in crops.
They handled slave labor. and lived In
case and afFuence. The Germans Of
Frederick and Loundoun engaged i'm me-
chancal pursuits, and rotated their crops.
Their farms were smaller, and whilst they
did not affect the slippered ease and ele-
eance OF the tobacco planters, they were
Industrious. thrifty and frugal. The
steady cultivation of tobacco after so
many years began 70 show its ruinous
effects. IL was the custom TO exhaust a
piece of land. abandon il, and take up
new lind. There could be but one terrni-
nation to such short-sighted extravaganza
and in lS20-S0-f0 there was much aban-
doned land I'm Fairfax county. Howe in
his History OF Virginia. says of this con-
dition Of affairs in Fairfax: In some
! parts OF the abandoned lands there sprang
up a spontaneous growth of low pines and
| cedars. whose s0mber aspect, with fhe
| sterilty Of the soil. Expresses the traveller
| with feelings Of gloom. In the thirties
some Of the enterprising farmers OF Ger
man origin from Duchess county. y. Y.
| commenced emgrating TO this county.
and purchased considerable WORKOUT
tracts of land. which they have In many
| instances succeeded in restoring 20 their
original fertility.
Good land can be bought for eight or
ten dollars an acre, tOlerably fair for
| three, which, I'm few years, can be
brought up with clover and plaster.
Some of the finest farms i'm New York
are upon the lands the soil Of which a
few years ago, was mainly sand blowing
|
| ginia lands are not so bad as this. ard
with fair chance are as easily restored.
The success thus far attending the eX-
pertinent is encouraging. and emigration
still continues. These farmers find IT
more profitable than going west. FOR
they are sure Of a good market etc.
Which, says Scharf the historian, about
Montgomery county. which was In the
same condition from too much tobacco
planting. First were the old tobacco
| planters with their baronial estates and
armies Of slaves. They feled the native
forests, and planted the virgin soil IN
tobacco and Indian corn. They did very
well so long as there was timber for the
Ak, and new land for the hoe. They
Toasted and frolcked and fox hunted
and made the most Of life.
But in less than a century after TINS
system of denuding and exhausting be-
gan, there were no more forests 10 clear
and no more new lands 10 til Then sue
ceeded the period OF old fields and decay
ing. worm fences and mOldering nome
steads This saddest condition OF TN
country had reached its climax abou
1870. at which time its population reach
ed its minimum"
About 1916 there was introduced into
this country some pure Peruvian guano
, It's effects were magical. To make tW'
blades Of grass grow where none Bre'
r before was an easy task. The farmer
would get a "catch" of grass on the OLE
WORKOUT fields and then stand o
wheat would follow. Emigration wa
r changed into immigration, and the nam
of Montgomery was no longer the syno
1 nvrn for poverty. In the decade preced
, ing the civil war this country made gan
j.. strides. They were halcyon days fol
l old Montgomery During the war th'
I county suffered to some extent, but whea
< and corn commanded big prices, and tn
s condition Of the people was fortunate
4 compared with the sister counties acros
the river. These latter counties came GU
10 of the war utterly devastated and BANK
rupt. Fences entirely gone; homes lall
. ing in ruins; fields grown up in trash an
| briars. with statrO government porn
= 70 the earth with the "onus' OF It's deDtS
5 its departments OF laws, revenues en-
o n,,hlic schools TO be renewed and remOc
q eled. This condition Of affairs frightene
; immigration.--Was Star.