Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-02-18
AGRICULTURAL.
SOUTH WESTERN VIRGINIA.
WyrHE County, Va, January 8, 1850.

WYTHE COUNTY, va, January Q, 1901.
To the Editor Of The american Farmer.
DEAR SIR-Permit me, in making the enclos.
ed remittance, to add few remarks in relation to
this interior portion of Virginia. You are, doubt
less,aware that the State is engaged In construct
ing McAdamized road from the town of Buch-
anan, on James river, to the Tennessee line; also
that a railroad has been commenced, by company
(the State being interested) from the town of
Lynchburg, on The same river, which is also TO
he carried to the Tennessee line. The people
ofTennessee will extend this latter Improvement
probably to Memphis. These improvements will
pass not far from the centre of what is usually
termed South Western Virginia This portion
of the State is very uneven on its surface, being
divided by ranges of mountains Or ridges, into
valleys OF various degrees of width.
These valleys constitute the chief portion of
arabic land the mountains and hills, though rich
in soil, and heavily timbered, offering serious OBJ
strnctions to the plough, have been permitted, in
great measure to remain in their primitive con-
diton. The climate and soil are favorable to the
production of all the cereal grains. Grass can be
produced IN any abundance i denial by nature
as we'll as art, Of an outlet to market, has led the
agrlcuturallsts Oft his country into a system of
farming at once the most waslefui s. extrayagant
Horses, cattle and hogs constitute sill they could
send to market; these were marketed al il heavy
expense, some three or four hundred miles distant
Some attention has, OF late, been given TO the i'm
Erovement Of our domestic animals; improved
breeds Of cattle, sheep and hogs have been intro
duced; very decided improvement in every res
pect has been the result, wherever cross las
been made upon the original stuck Of the country;
instead Of The 'and p,sr, may now be seen tie
EeThshlfe or " obufn; the Leicester, Clsveld
and South Down are taking the place Of the lonr
legged fence Jumpers; ihe splendid short horn
viii soon be clipping the grass where late an I'M
sghily native was wont to roam.
Nature has placed here, within limited com.
pass, almost every necessary Of lfe. No haze
iron. lead. salt. gypsum. lime and coal. In ad
dltion to this rich mineral deposite, we have /.
rich SOIL healthy climate, and water in abundance
for any aud all purposes. Yet amid all these
seeming advantages, we have remained in the
back ground; and why? simply for want of an
outlet to market. A brighter prospect. however
is beginning to gld our horizon and we wait i'm
patiently the day when the iron horse shall come
snoring through the mountain pass, bearing in
Its train all that we desire from the East and re.
turn toyour cities and towns laden with the vast
riches of our mines and the net less desirable nro
auctions OF our fields. We want capital-we
want science-we want men Of liberal and ox
tended views-and then. and not till then, will
the resources OF this country be fully developed
ans section Of Virginia is, in my opinion, ad-
nairably adapted to the production Of wool. Sheep
require but little attention, being able to gather.
without the aid of man, a sufficient quantity Of
food TO sustain them, except at short intervals.
when the snow may have covered the Garth
The dog IS the wool growers chief enemy. 4
law tor the purpose, properly enforced, would soon
remove this difficulty.
The American Farmer is held in high estma
ton by all who read it here. | would be pleased
TO see vOur srbscrintinn iist increased "a, on, ,;
And, although we cannot command, at present
the artificial stirnulants you possess for the i'm
proyement Of our SOIL yet we can derive pleasure
from Learning the success of those who can
Gypsum is the only article in use here's and, in
deed, seems little else is necessary to render our
land productive. We use it on clover, and every
kind of grass that we have, on corn, wheat, oats
and flax and always to advantage. Yours very
respectfully, Gus. c. TATE.