Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-06-29
EMIGRATION TO vIRGlNiA.

Tho Troy Wing after copying paragraph from
the New York Express upon this subject and
contrasting the hard and severe winters of the
North west, the North, and tho East, with tho
short winters of Virginia, adds.
Snow lin Virgna) seldom lies more than day
or two, and cattle and sheep always find
good picking in sheltered spots, unless i'm an un-
usually cold winter. The farmer, consequently,
is compelled tocut but littlo hay, or to cultivate
but a small root crop; devoting his principal at
tention TO the cultivation of wheat, corn and to-
bacco, all Of which readily command cash, and
with the exception Of the last, requiring compar-
atively but little labor in tho raising. For in
stance, Virginia farmer owns 500 acres of land,
which he farms upon what is known as the five
! field system. The farm being divided into five
fields, and the crop on each field changed every
year. Thus field No. will be planted with corn
| this year; the next year with tobacco, tho next
with wheat and clover, the next a crop of clover
will be cut from it, and the next or fifth year il
will lie fallow and be used for pasturage. BY
| this system, large amount of land is kept undor
cultivation with few hands, the product being
lproportionably large.
The price of labor in Virginia is also very low.
Abe-bodied white or colored workmen can be OBJ
tanned for S5 per month. This fact alone adds
much to the cheapness with which land can be
| cultivated there.
We are informed that many of the Duchess
county farmers who have emigrated to Virginia,
sold their farms in Duchess for SlO 90 per acre and
purchased lands in Virginia for SO and 81 per a.
ere, which in the course of fve or six years they
| expect to render equally valuable with the for
mer. Ii their anticipationS are realized, as we
doubt not they will be- il is evident that they will
lose nothing by their change Of residence.
The distance from New York to Northern Yir-
ginia is only 200 miles, and can DO easily over
come in aday, at an expense of SO or $40. They
who emgrate to Virginia from New York, can
therefore easily visit the friends they leave be-
hind them, at slight expense. There are other
advantages enjoyed by the emigrant to Virginia,
not enjoyed by the emigrant to the west, to which
we intend to refer at another time.
The Journal of Commerce also has the follow
ing article upon the same subject.
EFFECTS OF ENTERPRIsE.-Several years AGO
the Germans purchased considerable tracts of
worn out lands i'm Virginia, which they set to
cultivating, and restored to excellent farms. We
are told that several farmers from Westchester
county, have sold their fine estates at 30 to 40
dollars an acre, and some of them good deal
higher. and removed to Virginia, where they
have purchased land, some of it as low as one
dollar an acre. They make this movement quite
equal to going West, and probably better, for
they are sure in Virginia of finding ready mar
ket for all their produce, and without its whole
value being exhausted in transportation.
Some of the finest farms in the State of New
York constructed upon land which few
years ago was sand, blowing about in the wind,
or at best capable OF bearing only bushes. The
worn out Virginia lands are not in so bad con-
dItIon as this by great deal : and with fine
climate they can be as readily restored. One Pc
culiarity OF importance marks this movement
no slave labor is employed n resusciiatng land
The Germans and the Westminster farmers 90 to
work themselves, with their sons and hired men;
no one can tell what this movement NAV grow TO-
in any of its tendencies.