Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-09-19
SCOTCH IMMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.

To the Editor Of tae Wing;
Knowing that you take lively interest in
the agricultural interests of Virginia, hand
you letter published in the Glasgow (Scot-
land) Daily Herald, of the 2ud of August,
1865. The letter will explain itself, and will
at once suggest to every thinking Virginian
the Importance of immediate and energetic
action in the direction indicated by the au-
thor, who is Mr.. James Black, Of Washing
ton city. This gentleman, as you have al
ready and most appropriately noticed in your
columns, is the agent for bringing to this
country from Scotland laborers and capital.
You will confer a permanent good to our
State by keeping this subject before our
people. Urge them, by all means, to invite
labor and capital-just such as Mr.. Black
proposes to bring-to cultivate and improve
our lands that must else soon grow up in
weeds and briars. With the capital We shall
have a population to come that can intermix
most tremendously with ours. But l
leave to you to make such further comments
upon this letter as its Importance suggests ;
oplsIse ToR FARM RS AxD PLsUGHNxN IN vlR-
GINA.
qbe following letter relating to the present
aspects of agricultural matters in certain
parts of the United States, is from gentle
man formerly an agriculturist in Ayrshire,
but now connected with the agricultural de-
nartment at Washington. 1t is addressed to
a private friend in Glasgow, but is quite
worthy of production in our columns
WAsHIssroN, D. c., July IA, 1865.
Sir-The Importance of agriculture to
every nation in the world, and the most suita-
bic field for its prosecution and development,
is nv apology at this time for intruding upon
you. -,
came here in February last, and, like
many other of my countrymen, was anxious
to visit the fields of the great rebellion
Having secured the necessary passes to carry
me through the lines of the Federal armies,
| started for Richmond in February last, and
reached that city after three days journey.
saw on my way both the armies lying in
sight of each other at many points. found
at that time, from the unsettled state Of the
country, that it was impossible to travel in
the Southern States; and, therefore, l re-
turned here after q sojOurn Of three days In
Richmond. / had, however, on that occa-
sion an opportunity Of seeing the magnitude
of the armies in the field, and contrasting
them in nv own mind with what l had seen
of the armies of Great Britain at home and
the emigrant who comes out here and en-
rolls himself as q citizen of the United States,
NAV do so with the utmost confidence that
he nation is able to protect the interests of
its subjects, aye, and their honour too.
Having made agriculture my careful study
in the mother country, entered into an en-
gagement to carry ont the experiment of
cultiyating all the known kinds of grain and
grasses grown in Europe, for this Govern
ment, with the view of testing how far they
were adapted to this climate-under the best
mode of huSbandry generally adopted in
East Lothian-and, so far as the season has
vet gone, they have been quite success.
On the goth of June / was sent on tour
of inspection through the States 6fMaryland
and Virginia, to make an ex animation Of the
country, state of agriculture, and the prooa-
bic value of thu lands. l first visited the
Shenandoah Valley in Western Virginia.
This valley lies between the Blue Ridge
Mountains. Its length is nearly one hundred
and tifty miles, and its breadth from eight to
ten miles, with beautiful rolling land on the
hanks of the river, and stretching far up the
aide of the mountains on each side. This
whole valley has been trayersed by both ar
mics five times, so that everything has been
DESTROYED that would destroy. 1t is the finest
soil l ever had foot on, and somewhat re-
sembles that around Dunbar, in East Lo-
than but with the advantage OF this eli
mate. is more valuable even than East Lo-
THAN. Transportation from here to the
principal markets of the country, both by
water and rail, is cheap and easy. he
colored labor is gone, and there is none TO be
be had to take its place. The sy stem OF leasing
land is vet in its infancy, but could, think,
be very easily engrafted upon the present
ownership. The price Of lands all along that
valley ranges from $40 to $50 per acre. e.
s2 to Rl2-and any renting of lands that has
been done has hitherto been done by shares.
The owner lets the farm to parties to cult
vate, allowing them the use of stock and i'm
plemen.s, and receiving one-third OF the crop
as rent. his custom Is unsound in princi-
pie, and liable to great abuse. hen, as to
labor, a good ploughman would receive from
$50 TO $50 per year, with his board, lodgings
and enjoy more of the Injuries of life than
he can have at home-the climate being
healthy and the water excellent. In Western
Virginia the country is very mountainous,