Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-08-18
Eastern Shore OF yirginia.

paratiye view OF the resources Of the two coun-
ties composing the Eastern Shore of Virginia,
which win serve TO correct the erroneous views
generally entertained touching that section Of Vir
ginia, about which less is known abroad than oil
any other part of the Old Dominion.
Although its soil is sandy, and not naturally
fertile, il is susceptible of easy fertilization, and
has been much improved by good husbandry, with
in the last twenty years The farmers Of that sec
ton of Virginia are among the best in the United
States, and its locality gives it the advantage OF
becoming garden from which New York, Phla-
delphia, and Baltimore will ere long be supplied
with vegetables; whilst the abundance OF fine
oysters in its waters will continue to furnish those
cities with this desirable species of shell-hsh.
There is no part OF the country where the good
things of this world" are found more abundantly.
But there are other points in regard to which
the Eastern Shore Of Virginia is less known than
it deserves to be. Its citizens are among the most
enlightened, liberal, and conservative in the Union
remark made by Mr.. Wise some years ago, thet
" there are no newspapers published In that dis
trict," has led thousands to the belief that the
people Of that locality are not well-informed,
whereas there is no part of the South where the
people are better informed on all matters, than
the Eastern Shore Of Virginia There is as much
of refinement, Of education Of elegance in living,
and of all the advantages which render its people
happy, as can be found in the same geographical
space in the South or elsewhere, in any rural dis
trct Of country The writer Of this speaks of his
own knowledge In expressing these sentiments.
The Eastern Shore is, cmphatcally, the "gar-
den spot of Virginia"
ACCOMACK COUNTY.
AccoMAcX, June rs, 1855.
To the Editor Of the Southern Planter: :.
believe the opinion prevails very generally
amongst persons who are unacquainted with the
Eastern Shore, that the people of Accomack and
Northampton very poor and the land unpro-
luctve, and that many OF the inhabitants, Jas was
once said by Patrick Henry in relation to the peo-
pie of the tde-water region ofVirginia,) are COM
PEELED to rake their daily bread from the oyster
banks" A slight examination of the county sta
tistics," published in the " Compendium of the
Census of 1880" will clearly show that this opinion
ia entirely erroneous and instead OF being poor,
the counties of Accomack and northampton, in
proportion to population and extent OF territory,
are amongst the most wealthy in the State
In many of the counties Of Virginia, on the
banks of the rivers and in small valleys amongst
the mountains, there are lands more productive
than any on the Eastern Shore; but taking the
whole number of - acres of improved land" it will
be found that very few, if any, counties in the State
are as productive as Accomack and Northampton.
have lately made comparison of the produc-
tons of Accomack in the articles of corn, wheat,
oats, rye, and potatoes with the production of the
same articles in the large and wealthy counties Of
| Albemarle, Augusta, Bedford Frederick, Halifax,
jefferson, Loudoun, Rockingham, and Shenan-
doah in proportion to population and acres OF i'm
proved land and confess that the result surprised
me, although was previously aware that Acco-
mack deserved to stand high on the list OF produc-
tive and wealthy counties.
Accomack produces more corn than any county
in the State, except Albemarle and Of the articles
of produce above enumerated, taken together, Ac-
comack produces, in bushels, in proportion to pop
ulation, Is per cent. more than Loudoun 80 per
cent more than Rockingham, so per cent. more
than Jefferson, and more than fifty per cent more
| than any other of those counties In proportion
TO the whole number of f" acres of improved land,
| Accomack produces, in bushels of the enumerated
articles, twenty per cent more than Jefferson sew
enty per cent. more than Loudoun and Augusta,
and more than 100 per cent. more than any other
OF those counties.
have not included "tobacco" and " livestock
driven to market" in the estimates, because these
articles are not produced in all of the above-named
counties and moreover, the county statistics
do not furnish any data from which to ascertain
the quantity or value Of the live stock driven TO
market" In the "value of animals slaughtered"
Accomack exceeds every one of those counties in
proportion to her population, and she nearly
doubles some of them. In the number of "neat
cattle owned in the several counties named Acco-
mack, in proportion to her population, exceeds the
whole of them, except Loudoun and Rockingham
and in SWINE" she exceeds the whole of them,
In proportion to population, except Halifax and
Rockingham.
If" tobacco" and cattle driven to market"
be added to the estimate, think it will neverthe
less be found that very few counties in the State
are equal to Accomack in the market value OF her
productions, per head or per acre In estimating
the value of all the productions Of Accomack, as
much as one hundred and fifty thousand dollars
per annum may be added for the product Of the
oyster banks"
Ii the large and wealthy county OF Southampton
be taken into tn comparison with Accomack, and
the articles of peas and beans (which furnish str
king pecuarities in the agriculture of that county,
be added TO the articles Of produce above enumer
ated, it win be found that Accomack exceeds her
In bushels, according TO population, IL per cent
and in proportion 10 "acres Of improved land,
100 per cent In meat cattle" Accomack and
Southampton are about equal according TO popula
tion aud in "swine" Southampton doubles Acco.
mack and in the value Of animals slaughtered"
Southampton Is 81 per cent. ahead Of Accomack
her in proportion to " acres Of improved land" If
the product Of the " oyster banks" be added even
Southampton will be found largely behind Acco,
mack.
have cndeayored TO ascertain with considera.
BILE care the whole amount Of the products of Ac-
comack exported to market in one year, including
oysters, and ! believe at present prices, they
amount 10 at least seven hundred thousand dol
lars, with population Of 1880, and 1892
acres Of improved land.
On view Of the whole subject, think very
few, IL any, counties Of Virginia will be found,
which can justly dispute the right Of Accomack
10 stand at the head Of the list of counties agricul
turally as well as alphabetically, except that her
sister, Northampton, may justly claim right to
stand by her side as an equal.
IL you think the above worthy ola place IN the
Planter, by publishing il You will oblige
A SUBSCRIBER.
Wants an Antagonist.
The indomitablp. Drownlop offers for sale