Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-05-07
a. anaGmIGrl.Irala


#k T20M IRE kCETHEA4 FLAhTEA.
# res~fsss9WtNe IN VIRGINIA.
#g As psofiabe branch Of agriculture. wool
III ryownr IS at least beginning 70 arrest attention
5s & Virginia Farmers 50 often return from
II market with heavy hearts and light purses,
have SO often observed the produce Of their ex-
III hausted fields growing smaller, By degrees,
II and beautifully ~ less" that they have been
/ 4 compelIed to cast about for relief. They see
! ahe husbandman Of Kew England. sitting cos
sly BY his lireside, with content written on his
III Irow aud plenty il his hand. How is this
III They know thar bis valleys are unproductlye,
and his hills bleak and sterile. But they look
ont upon his farm and tAey see not sickly to-
bacco nor whitening corn, nor droopng
sweat but bis fields whitened with focks Of
i sheep aud enliyened with the gambols OF insk-
ing lambkins. In his house they see his
young "hopesv snugly enyeloped IN soft fan
II nels---his board crowned with savory legs of
i mutton. and his dame and daughters mingling
their voicss with the comfortable music ofthe
x spinning wheel. While over the hills comes
he clatfer ofneigbboring machinery.
Our farmers, we are glad to ind. are begin
nlng to consider and appreciate all this. They
are awakening us from dream; determined
10 sleep no longer, but be up and DOING open
ing their fields for aocks Of lcoot-groacers, and
their Golfers for golden feeces.o
Old mother Virginia, who long saw her I'M
1 grateful sons deserving her in the hour OF need;
Imany Of them gong into distant lands, like
u the prodigal son Of old, 10 feed swine, rather
h Than remain at home to feed sheep.) enVyng,
Il 100, her Younger sisters OF the North their con
! tented families of spinning jennies, and prodi-
y gal sons. Feeling this deeply, the old lady
could but draw her old arm char closer to the
i fading lights upon the hearth-stone, and
mourn that she should thus be left TO pine
away, while yet the honors of her past days
were green ia herlnernory. Bot now this res
pectable old matron has left off her reveries
y has wiped the dus: from her spectacles, and is
gazing intently, and with kindliDg eye upon
the fiocks which her sons are bringing on her
lands.
Iconfdenty believe, Mr. Editor, that wool
growing and par consequent, woolnanuacture,
will be the most efficient means OF restoring
Virginia. Perhaps the only elixer that can re-
generate her fast waning energies. Agricul-
I lure, confined to the production of breadstutls
and provisions, cannot be long very profitable
in Virginia. The demand for such produce
cannot keep pace with the supply. Thegreat
West is every day opening wider her fertile
valleys 10 tempt the agricultursts of the world.
The arlarger proportion OF the rapidly increas-
ing population OF the United States naturally
9urntheir attentionto the agriculture otthe West
Thus the supply OF breadstlhs, and provisions
generally, is on an exceedingly rapid increase
in order. them for this business to be profitable
ii is necessary that the demand, or market. for
this produce should also increase as rapidly
THE markets of the whole world could be sup
piled from this country--bpt the markets OF
6he world should be open free. Besides, large
plumbers Of our people should be engaged In
other than grain-growing pursuits. The cot
son planters, and tobacco planters should con-
fine themselves exclusively to that branch OF
agriculture.
But have we all this necessary demand
Foreign markets, save Great Britain, chiefly
supply themselves The British market is not
open free TO our produce. II it were, il is a
known fact that the shores Of the Baltic sea,
have allvayssupplied breadstufs to the British,
at a lower rate then the United States could do.
Thus our farmers must mainly depend on our
home market But, as has already been him
ted very small proportion of our population
= is engaged in other than grain growing pur-
suits. Hence very small number is Deepen
dent on the farmer for bread, But more. Is
this small proportion on the increase2 Ger
tanv not in the ratio of the agriculturisls.--
Hitherto the cotton and tobacco planters consu
tuted a respectable part Of this ..small proper
ofcotton is equal to the demand, owing to the
vast extension ofcotton planting 10 the South
ern States and Texas, and also its successful
cultivation in other parts Of the world The
consequence of this will be a reduction Of the
profits Of the cotton growers, and that he will
employ portion Of his force in raising bread
stulfs. SC. SO with the tobacco planter-more
especially IS. Virginia. His land has been ex-
hausted BIZ the exclusive cultivation OF the
,,f
II in new and fertile soils, will force him also
to turn his attention to raising at least his own
supply OF provisions.
These influences combined, efiecting great
ly increased supply, and probably, a diminish
ed demand, must so operate, as ere long great
ly TO reduce the price Of farming products. If
the business be barely profitable now, what
will it be then
III he correct in my premises and nferen-
ces. so far, then il will require no prophet TO
divine what will follow. lie, us con6ne our
attention to Virginia. In the severe competi-
ton which must ensue. her worn out lands
cannot stand against the fertile soil ofthe West
in the production of breadstufIs. The exam
pie Of New England viii then be followed
Sheep will be introduced But again. We
always have had enough, and 10 spare, of
grain mills So when many farmers have
ceased 90 raise grain, and begun to grow wool,
the -four mills then will many ofthem be turn
ed into wooden factories. That this will be the
the case, may be readily inferred, since it is, to
a considerable extent, even now, the CASE
We hear almost daily Of -four mills being con
weried into wooden factories, and grain farms
turned INTO sheep walks. and some Virgnans
enjoying an income of four thousand dollars
from woolgrowing.
There are then many reasons why Virginia
Should be a wool growing State. There are
also reasons to show that she can be one
Her climate and soil are said by experienced
wool growers to render her better adopted to
sheep rearing, than perhaps any other State in
the Union. Certainly far better adapted than
the Northern States; yet there woolgrowing
has heret fore been eminently successful over
all difficulties. The winters in Virginia are
some months shorter, and much milder thrn
in New England. Less expense is required
TO feed sheep--less to shelter them, and less
care and trouble to raise them. Then why
~