New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-09-17
VIRGLNIi LANDS CHINA TIE. errors AND
SCENERY.
,frespoLdcLce Of The n. Y. Tribune.

Correspondence Of The " Y. Tribune
RICHMOND, Sept. $, 1-j7.
Any one who has travelled in daylight from Phila-
delphia TO Washington City must have noticed tho
impoversbment marked on the soil, buildings and
everything in general, after you pass llavre do
Grace. This becomes more and more evident as
you penetrate into Virginia. The Ofange aud Alex
andria Railroad bears you through county, pirts
Of which present the most beautiful scenery to tho
eye and the most delicious atmosphere t, the lungs,
but which, with here and there an exception dis
plays dilapdated farm buildings and WORKOUT lands.
After you reach Gordonsville, on the Virginia Cen
tral Railroad from thence to Richmond it would
seem as if YOU were travelling through one OF the
most barren and WORKOUT sections IN tins country.
In Fauquier, Culpepper and Orange Counties,
you may see thousands Of acres of corn which
is not rank and promising as the corn on the
jersey hills The same is true Of the wheat fields,
if one might judge from the sparscress Of the wheat
stacks scattered over fields by the roadside. There
has been prevalent in Nrgi system Oagriculture
which would in time wear out stronger lands than
these. The owning OF slaves has made If necessary
to cultivate large amount; then slave labor skins
the soil, and lastly it has been principle here to let
crop succeed crop, taking off, but never putting
ANYTHING back until it is not wonderful that some of
the lOrdly plantations once the scenes OF wealth,
have been abandoned, and sre overgrOwn with
brush Until within a few years these lands would
bring but small price, and even then there was no
demand The price Of some large tracts would not
be over ten or fifteen dollars al acre. The opening
of the railroads, and the Introduction OF more
sensible modes oi ffrning have wrought
change In the price of lands. In passing
along tho Orange and Alexandra Railroad
! was surprised TO see the amount Of gulnO which
was sheltered at every station. In riding on
horseback through portion of Cupepper and
Orange, saw the effects of the now 81 stcm l
saw several farms which, by deep blowing and
guano, have become very productive. La some
cases these farms were bought for SO an acre and
sold for $40 One ia -ner, with the comfortable
area of 1000 acres Of arabic land used last year
| s., coo worth of gusno. was on the firm OF the
| Hon. Jeremiah Morton, who figured some years
since in defeating Mr.. Winthrops election as
| Speaker of the House OF Representatives. He has
2l0O acres in this farm ana las. year raised on II
- 900 bushels Of wheat and half that quantity OF
corn lie is said IL be enc Of the best farmers IN
| the State AMI has made the improvement Of farms
bought at low rates trst'rate speculation. WHAT
he has done in hs Nlcia!ty is beginning to b, done
| in other sections.
have seen tue enemy which Mr.. jefferson said
would bring famine IN Virginia, il ever such
calamity came T. pass. 1t is the ch'Hch-bng. Soon
after the begins 20 gov, the very ground seems
in some sections 70 become alive with this little bug
which attack the STALK OF corn under the leaf. Un
less the season one OF very growing nature these
bugs will extrac, from the stalk IN few days all its
sap In dry season they VIII often destroy whole
held OF corn and wbes.. You can tel just where
they have been al work by tie yellow appearance of
the corr. Another very anal enemy which /
greatly dreaded by the Nrg na farmers Is the otHt-
CORN; but il 10 ssd tie two scourges do not come
at the same time. go.
Whea you get back into the highlands Of this
State. you find one OF tie most delightful climates
on Inc continent. Il IS not 20 cold IN Winter as 1t
i.st New-york, and in the Summer It is no warmer;
and, from all THAT I can learn, this climate IS not
nearly much productive OF chls aud levers as tnaI
| We have abou. New York. Az philadelphia, was
tornented with musketoes, but slept at CoiPePper
| Cent House. and have slept here at Richmond
with my windows Open aud without single mus
ket0 to annoy me. Ii the Virginians do bat I'm
prove their soil, mend their roads, which are nor
rible, and do thousand other things in which they
behind Inc age, and especially if they substitute
fee labor for slave labor, she viii become the hrst
| State in the Union.
Richmond il a beautiful city and has interested
me greatly. On Saturday I went to Church Hill
10 see the church in which Patrick Henry shouted
| "Gye me liberty or give me death" In his day it
rss erucifolp building, but siuce thea the uorta