Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-06-07
3 R5aGiIIgSate.IlIE!iias ! !!


Ohio county is the third county In the
so called "Pan Handle, )" of West Va. 1t is
IA miles In length, with an. average breadth
of 10 miles, eontaihihg Sbout f4O square
miles. Its population by the eensus Of
ls6o,WaS 22,322 whites and 100 slaves, ma.
king the total population az, 422, or q little
over leo to the square mile. F2''n ''.'aa
II is deeply indented by two principal
streams, with their tributaries, Short creek
in the northern part of the county, and
Wheeling creek 10 the southern. LIS sur.
l face 70 consequently somewhat uneven;
presenting precipitous hills along the priu-
ciPal water courses, but when the general
level Of the country 10 attained, it presents
richly yarieRated landscape OF rolling
hills aud slopes Of unsurpassed beauty aud
fertility The soil IhrOughOutiths greater
part of the county Is q deep calcareouS
loan strongly impreguated with lime.
which produces allithe uBuHl cereals in the
/ gteAtest abundance. IL is about equally
well adapted TO tillRge or pastufage., The
natural fertility OF the soil is such as 70
insure an abundant reward to the labors
Of the intelligent culIivAtor; and perhaps
there is no country In which the usual
forage, plants and grapes are produced in
greater abundance or IN more perfection.
Accordingly the agriculture of Ohio eoun.
~ is somewhat of . mixed character
sheep husbaudry prePonderating. Though
large quantities of Indian Corn, Wheat,
Oats, Barley and Rye are annually pro!
duced, yet wool iS the staple product of
Ohio county, and the one In which the agri-
cultural portion Of the community IL mosI
largely interested. The larger farmers
number their Aoeks by the thousand, while
the smaller have 6ocks adapted to the ca.
pacity Of their farms. No branch of hus-
baudEy has received moro attention, or has
elected more efforts for its Improvement.
No pains or expense have been spared in
procuring the best aud most profitable
breeds and varieties Of Sheep, and conss-
quently the WoolS Of Ohio county rank
with the best in the market. The priuci.
pal breeds Of Sheep that have been intro.
duced are the Saxony, French, and Span.
ish, with their several grades aud crosses.
The Spanish Ht present seems to be regard.
ed with most favor by Sheep fArmers.-I
According 70 the books of the COmmis.
sioner of the Revenue for 1868, there were
in Ohio county 41,6o2 Sheep, making
40 aVsrSgs of about 300 sheep TO the square
mile throughout the county. This; ACCORD
ing to the prices Of sheep for several ears
past. would represent . cash capital en-
bGrked in this branch Of husbAndry alone
Of about $1,000 on every square mile Of
surface within the county. The value Of
the annual product from this branch Of
industry 10 ordinary times, beforO the pres
ent inflated prices, would be about $s5 900 |
IN the county, but At the present time aud |
with our preseut standards would be fifty |
per cent larger. The amount Of capital |
Invested In sheep alone cannot be less |
than 100000. The assessed value of the /
real and personal property of the city of |
Wheeling, exclusive of the county, was iu
1863 So .342, ,969; that of the county, ex-
elusive of the city, 81, 46I $50 amounting
10 all to SIS, ,s04 ,629. The valuation OF the |
property for the purpose Of taxation is no.
torionsly far beneath its actual value. By |
comparing the valuation of lands on the |
commissioners books, which have been |
lately sold, With the prices actually OBJ
tained, it has been ascertained that they |
have uniformly been placed at less than
half their value. We presume this TO be
the case in regard 70 the valuation Of every
species Of taxable property. The actual
value OF the taxable property Of Ohio
county may then be fairly set down at
$l2 900, 600. Allowing the population 10 |
be 20 1000, this will give $3.50 to every |
man, woman and child 10 the county.
The amount Of interual revenue paid by |
Ohio county to the general government |
was, during the year 1863, something over |
$143. 900. about tWo-thirdS being derived |
from manufactures. This amount will be |
largely increased during the present year. |
The lands of Ohio county are almost en-.
tirely held by actual cultiVators, HVinguu |
their farms aud eultiVatipg them at their |
own expense. But . small quantity, II
any, Of the lands is held by non residents,
end land speculation has long since ceased.
The price eflands used entirely for farm
T. -.
Eve dollars per acre. Ohio river bottoms
are held at about 800 per acre. In the
immediate neighborhood OF the city Of
Wheeling the lHudB are much higher, in
creAsipg in value according TO their prox.
unity TO the city, ...a 'rss .sr7. I--g.-
Ohio being one Of the Oldest counties
in the State, most of the lands susceptible
of ullage have been brought into cultiva-
ton. The timber IL generally confined to
raVines or precipitous hill sides. The
timber is generally of large growth, and
presents finely developed specimens in
each species. ...-- ..-...' $780,. :. ..'..
The following list embraces most of the
timber treea indigenous to the county,
with some of the minor trees indicative Of
the soil and climate. -.
THE OAK, 3 species, Viz.--QuereIS Al6G,
White Oak, abundant; QueTeu5 RubT0, Red
Oak, common; Qnereui 7TIetoriG, Black
Oak, common; Qu.reu, Oa,tinea, Chest
nut, scarcei QusTeuS Nigra, Black Jack,
scarce.
WALNUT, Speeies.-Jgglan, Nigra,
Black Walnut, abundant; JggLaH1 CiasreG,
Butteruut. ,.-.lr.
Hickory, species.- CayyG Al6G. She'll
Bark Hickory, SbuadEut; CaTyG SuleatG,
common; CdTyG GLabra, Pignut, common.
PLAKB TREG, PldtdnuS Oeei.
dentdliS, Button wood or Sycamore, COM
mon along streams. a0
MAPLE, 3 species viE.-Aeer SaeeharinunI,
Sugar Maple, abundant; AeCF Ru6rum,
Swamp Maple scarce, along streams. l-
/ PoPLAR, 8 specieS-PopuLus MoniLifera,