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has extended not only through Sandy
Spring, Ashton, and Spencerville. But
nearly to Prince George's line. Only a
railroad is wanting to make this locality
the garden spot of Montgomery county.

I will now refer to the improvements
of the territory near the Potomac. As
is well-known during the war this portion
of the county was occupied by soldiers,
federal and confederate, fences,
crops, stock, were destroyed and left a
wreck.

Medley's District from the Monocacy
to Seneca, passed through the terrible
ordeal of the war. Yet look to-day at
her recuperation and development.
Those old families the Whites, Pooles,
Brewers and Dawsons—with a host of
others, have again made their farms to
surpass former fertility, and productions.

The long extent of territory from
Seneca to the District of Columbia
largely partook of the war disasters
also, but space forbids details.

Darnestown, Offutt's Cross Roads and
vicinities bear witness to an improvement
worthy of all praise.

I will now return to the central portions
of the county or the line of the
Metropolitan Branch Railroad. As is
generally known this road was located
over difficult grades, and the poor ridges
of the county, ascending a grade from
the Monocacy to the Parr's Ridge near
Barnesville, of about 240 feet. Thence
to the ridge at the Washington Grove
Camp Ground, a distance of about twelve
miles across the valley of Seneca and
tributaries. Thence by way of Rockville,
and crossing Rock creek enters the
District of Columbia.

The completion of this road commenced
a new era in the trade, and agricultural
development of Montgomery
county.

The transportation of lime, and its
remarkable action on the clay loam soil,
thus producing vegetable matter to return
to the soil, has fully realized the
most sanguine expectations. And while
the railroad facilities of transportation
are paramount, the increased productions
along the line of road largely contributes
to the revenue of the road.
One depot alone now receives as much
wheat annually—as was raiseu in the
whole county fifty years ago.

From the Monocacy to Barnesville
lime had been previously used, but the
era of railroad transportation, has supplemented
all other modes of conveyance.

And I will now briefly recapitulate
the advance in price of land, agricultural
productions, and general development
along the line of railroad, through
the central parts of the county. Around
the Barnesville depot the farms of the
late W. Poole and W. O. Sellman, also
the numerous improved farms in the
vicinity are a striking commentary on
the enterprise of the agricultural population.

Crossing the Parr's Ridge we come to
Boyd's Station, and here I may remark
that no one individual along the railroad
line has equalled Capt. Boyd. Last
summer I visited his hospitable mansion,
reviewed his farm and wrote an essay
on my observations. But to those
that had not seen his location before the
railroad era, I will say, previously I always
felt melancholly when I crossed
Little Seneca and over the spur or ridge
to Buck Lodge and thence over Parr's
Ridge. If there was any more forbidding
territory in Montgomery county I
cannot locate it. But this only makes
the counterpart or contrast at this time
more striking. The farm is considered
the banner farm of the county. While
the mansions and improved farms in the
vicinity show the benefit of Captain
Boyd's example.

Passing along the line we come to the
deep cut in the ridge between the two
Senecas, and arrive at the Germantown
depot. Here again the trade, enterprise
and farm improvements in the vicinity
are remarkable. The farms of Dr. W.
A. Waters, Best, Henderson, Gassaway
and a very large numbers of others, are
all a proof of the effects of lime, and
intelligence of the community, in utilizing
it.

Crossing Large Seneca we come to the
farm of the late Francis C. Clopper. To
whom Montgomery county is more in
debted than to any any other individual
for his efforts, sacrifices, and crowning
success int he construction of the Metropolitan
railroad through the county.

Thence the railroad reaches the ancient
Frederick road crossing it at
Gaithersburg near where the depot is
located. The Topographical features of
the central part of the county at this
point of the Summit are grand in natural
scenery, the elevation in the vicinity being
from 500 to 550 feet above tide. From
the latter point the mountains in Virginia
appear in bold relief. While a
magnificient view is obtained of the
Peerless Shaft erected on the banks of
the Potomac—

Standing sublime and lone, yet pointing
to one
Whose ashes repose in the shades of
Vernon,
Sublime in memory to the pilgrim's
sons
As the land of the great Immortal
Washington.

Mr. J. S. Poole is the owner of the
depot where more wheat is delivered annually,
than was fifty years ago in the
whole county. The Washington Grove
Camp Ground, 525 feet above tide—with
more than 100 new buildings, and the
utilizing of the mineral spring, are the
result of a few years improvement.

The Summit Hall farm was bought
for $1200. And after being left a wreck
by federal and confederate armies, the