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Alleghany county on the west. A spur of the Blue Ridge, nam-
ed Elk Mountain, is comprised in this county, between which
and the Blue Ridge on the east, is included a very charming
and beautiful valley, whose qualities are but faintly expressed
in the name of "Pleasant Valley." These mountains do not
need "distance" to "lend enchantment to the view," but afford,
whether far or near, the most beautiful and picturesque scene-
ry, and at the same time yield very large returns for the skil-
ful cultivation bestowed on them to their very summits. The
surface of the country is rolling with large but not abrupt
hills.

The soils of this county are very fertile, being for the most
part of the very best class of clay limestone soils, with oc-
casional varieties of shaley soils, all susceptible of- high and
easy improvement. The agriculture of this county is in a high-
ly improved condition and as a result, large crops of wheat,
rye, oats, Indian corn and ail the crops and vegetables and
fruits suited to the latitude, are produced of fine quality and
in great abundance.

The live stock has been improved with the best and most
approved foreign breeds, and the care, skill and attention be-
stowed on this branch of husbandry has met with, most grat-
ifying rewards. The abundance of clover and the other cul-
tivated grass crops, afford means for a large supply of dairy
productions, which alone are sources of handsome profit.

It is highly favored in its means of transportation. The
Chesapeake and Ohio.Canal passes through the whole extent
of its southern border, giving all necessary transportation to
this section of the county and full intercourse with the Coal
fields in Alleghany county. The Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road passes through its south-eastern border at the foot of
Pleasant Valley. From Hagerstown, the county town, an
excellent Railroad, the Franklin Railroad, connects with the
road that passes through the Cumberland Valley to Harris-
burg, and there connects with the Pennsylvania Central and
the Northern Central Railroad. A road is in progress called
the Washington County Railroad, which will connect the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Weaverton with the Frank-
lin Railroad at Hagerstown, and the Western Maryland Rail-
There are numerous quarries of most excellent limestone
for agricultural improvement in various parts of the county,
and some also of the kind used for making hydraulic cement,
which is furnished to a considerable extent from this county.
There is also considerable quantities of good iron ore, also
good brick clay in almost every locality.

This county has long been famous for the distillation of
whisky, the excellence of which has been attested by good
judges in every section of the country.