Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-05
Leading Part Played
in Both Revolu-
tionary and Civil
Wars.
Story Is Fascinating
Landmarks Left by
Mosby $ Dashing
South ern
Raiders.

in the southern part of the county
near the Fauquier line, has attained
a new Importance during the past
few years as the center of a notable
horse breeding section 1t was in
corporated in 1872 and has grown
rapidly. This town was the head
quarters of Mosby and his celebrated
raiders during the Civil War. The
territory around Middleburg is well
known as a fox hunting region and
two packs of hounds hunt there an
nually. Middleburg has five churches.
a bank, a post Office and severai
stores. 1t is the site of one of the
best known exclusive private schools
for girls. -..--.-s.
Has Many Villages.
Besides its incorporated towns
LOudoun County has a considerable
number of villages which are trading
centers for the neighboring farmers,
with their own schools, churches and
stores. Among these is Aldie on Little
River about five miles from Middle
burg. 1t nestles in a gap of the Bull
Run Mountains and was an important
strategic position during the Civil
War, Sir Frederick Maurice in his
recent Life of Lee" shows how some
of the Confederate commander were
designed to keep the Aldie Gap clear
behind him in case of an unexpected
disaster
Paeonian Springs. on the Washing
ton & Old Dominion Railway, has about
100 inhabitants. 1t is we'll known for
it's excellent springs. and is develop
ing into Summer health resort. The
village was settled about 1890. A
grain elevator is located in the town
and large quantities of the wheat and
corn raised in Loudoun are hauled
there.
Sterling, on the Fairfax County line.
is an important milk-shipping center
for the Washington market. Other
villages are Philomont Unison. Arcola.
Taylorstown, Bloomsfield. Ryan. Luck
etts, Trappe. Mountville. Silcott
Springs, Waxpool. Neersvilless North
Fork Leithton, Wheatland. Lenall
and Oatlands. All these are typical
farming centers, with little induce
ment to grow.
Sends Milk to Capital.
The county is almost exclusively
agricultural. The Washington milk
district extends or miles on each
side of the Washington & Old DOmin-
ion Railway and the Leesburg pike.
Approximately 1000 gallons a day are
shipped to the National Capital. The
dairy industry of Loudoun County is
about 25 years old. Its pioneer was
J. X. Boucher of Leesburg. who is
credited with having erected the first
silo in Virginia. Most of the cattle
are Guernseys. which produce a much
better grade of milk than the Hol-i
stems of Fairfax County. One farm
near Purcellrille supplies all the milk
for the White House.
The most important crop of the
county is corn. It's product rivals
that of the Middle West corn belt. One
variety. originated by j. NJ. Hammerly
at Round Hill. now has become a
standard throughout the East. Wheat
is a close second to corn, Both crops
are distributed evenly through the
county.
A comparatively recent agricultural
development is that of commercial
apple orchards. There now are So of
these, covering approximately 1000
acres. An interesting side line is wal.
nut growing. Strains of English wal.
nuts and improved black walnuts are
grated on native black walnut trees
with excellent results. This branch of
agriculture seems likely to attract
more and more attention in the flu
ture, when the suitability of the cli-
mate has been proven.
Fertility Is Restored.
In the tobacco plantation days be-
fore the Civil War the productivity of
much of the land below Goose Creek
was ruined and the owners have had
hard struggle to bring back it's fer
tility. At present this has been fully
restored and the land is ideal for the
dairy industry. The Loudoun Valley
land, always devoted to diversified
farming, never has lost any of its
fertility and includes some of the best
farms in the East.
Diversified farming is becoming
more and more the order of the day,
There are three farm associations de.
voted to securing improved methods
ana pure-bred stock. The present
county agent, j. Ross Lintner, has
done much TO introduce the best
methods advocated by the United
States Department of Agriculture. If
would be difficult to find communities
OF farmers anywhere in the United
states more eager to take advantage
OF every advance in their profession.
Mr.. Lintner says.
Loudoun County has reason to be
proud of its school system. which in
cludes nine accredited high schools.
AS In other parts of rural Virginia,
the work of consolidating the country
schools is progressing rapidly.