Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-12-03
Down on the patuxent.
SoLoMoNs. MD, Nov. Ia. 1909.

SoLoMoNs. MD, Nov. ID, 1909.
DEAR SENTINEL:
While visiting. here and observing this
part of our old State | thought | miehl
write letter that might interest some OF
your many readers about the people, the
land the industry Of its inhabitants, etc.
Well, the Patuxent river separates st
Mary's and Calvert counties, and on It's
shores are many fine plantations, with up
to-date dwellings and farm buildings. |
have travelled the river from Cedar Point
Lighthouse at its mouth. to Mount Calvert
the head of navigation. where the Chesa-
peake Beach railroad crosses. distance OF
| about 46 miles.
On the other side of the river its shores
exhibit a lively interest in the race for
life. Communication is by steamer, tri-
weekly, to Baltimore. Corn, wheat, oats,
tobacco. sweet potatoes and some hay are
the chief farm products Clustering, crab
bling and fishing are much engaged in by
many of the people. The Patuxent oyster
sweet potato and diamond back terrapin
are noted for their fine flavor and size
and bring good price when sent to the
markets of Baltimore, Philadelphia, Jersey
City and New York
Canning factories are numerous in this
section, and many cans of tomatoes, corn
herring Ga new industry, herring roe and
oysters are canned for the markets. MANY
fish are caught and, after the oil is ex-
tracted. made into fertilizers.
The soil near the river is good, and a
little rest after being over-wOrked will re-
store it to productiveness, as it is impreg-
mated with decayed shells and species OF
mari. have noticed that in many fields
where corn was produced this year heavy
grass has grown up that covers the ground
two or three feet deep, but in the interior.
in many localities, the soil is of a sandy
or gravel formation and the production of
crops poor.
have noticed that the chestnut trees
are dying off in vast numbers, said to be
caused by worm which eats into their
vital parts.
On little hunting trip the past week
went into ST. Mary's county about three
miles from Milestone, a steamboat landing.
and there and still beyond found lovely
country, with every indication of prosperity.
| was shown pen of hogs less than ten
months old, owned by Mr.. Bohannas,
averaging 400 pounds in weight They
were of the Poland China breed. Mr., Be-
hannas said that they had been fed with
corn meal and the offal from the house
made into swill. Can Montgomery beat
this for pigs?
| have had the pleasure of accepting
the kind invitations of several farmers
to gun on their farms in Calvert county.
found as many as four cOvies of quail in
30-acre field; in fact, 1t becomes mo-
nOtOnous to kill them, so we only shoot
enough to serve us for the time. Rabbits
seem scarce, or perhaps the dense grass
allows them to escape us without being
discovered. We find the quail mostly in
corn-fields where the corn is topped and
bladed. In sowing wheat after a corn
crop the ground has to be plowed with a
barshear pillow to enable the crop to be put
in properly, so dense and rapid is the
growth of the grass after the crop is laid
by.
Ducks are not yet plentiful, as the warm
weather keeps them away Many Geese
are appearing, but they stay in the Chesa-
peake Bay during the day and come to the
fresh-water ponds at night to feed. Some
few have been killed off from the river,
feeding on the farms. Canvas backs. red
necks. black heads and other fine table
ducks are scarce and generally feed in
fresh-water ponds and on the Susque-
hanna low ground further up the bay. but
some are killed here.
Stones or rocks are unknown here, but
the shores are lined with gravel that
seems to me good for the public roads.
The New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk
Railroad Company is having the river
dredged here by a steam dredge and the
material put upon barges and taken to
Cape Charles. Va, to be used as ballast
for their road-bed. Steel barges that hold
~ cars ION tracks on the harpeal are
taking il from the river banks daily and
conveying ii nearly 100 miles away, The
officers of the railroad company say il
makes an excellent road-bed. They have
been boating it away for about year,
and expect to use 1t for distance of
nearly 200 miles for their road-bed II Is
free from loan and lies very compact on the
roads. The barges carry 700 square yards
of this material each day. Sundays ex-
cepted.
There is also a large amount of lumber
being cut and sawed here, mostly pine, on
or near the river. Land is high In price.
but it is said, can be bought in some
parts of the interior for from $40 to $l5
per acre.
This place | am writing about is the
lower end of st. Mary's and Calvert cOun-
ties and lies adjacent to Chesapeake Bay
The people are kind and generous Living
here is not expensive. as much food can
be taken from the waters. SOlOmOns is a
fine harbOr, the water being deep enough
for the deepest of vessels. and is shielded
from any ,sInds that blow
Fearing Tmay tire you and your readers
OLD MONTGOMERY.