Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-01-28


: and permanent fertility. Small. loose
: stones.l not obstructive to the plough, are
scattered over various exposures in the
F9pgher portions ofthe State, yet very few
localities west OF the leading mountains
can be properly designated as rocky.
Under our superficial mode of tillage,
, governed much less by science than by
temporary expediency, our soil produces,
9nateea Tor many yesrs, perfect and abun-
oa9t crops OF Indian corn, wheat, rye, oats,
OaEley, ouckwhest, potatoes, Chinese sugar
zane roots OF all kinds, tobacco, hemp,
max, hops, timothy, clover, blue grass, both
native aud Kentucky, and all the vepeta.
pies aud fruits pertaining to the temperate
gone, laciudtng the grape. In the southern
counties. cotton has for many years been
successfully cultivated for household ,pur-
poses. Bee culture, also, under the adyan-
tages of our climate and luxuriant fora. "a
proving highly profitable branch of do
: nestle industry. - uFsy
The culture of the grape has lately been
J attracting considerable RSteutiod; and new
Vineyards are being rapidly planted along
the Ohio and Kahawha rivera, and at sew
efst points OF the Interior. The future ex-
tent and pr6its of this culture, 90 the gen.
tie slopes OF our limestone regions, are
lncaieulable. The quality of the vine OBJ
tanned thus far from the Catawba and fsa
bella gtspes is inferior to none produced
IN the Ohio valley, aud pronounced by i'm
migrants from the Rhine and Neckar to be
surpassed but by few brands of those far
1amed regions. tnrls63 the product.in the
vicinity of the city Of Wheeling alons, was
oV'OUV galionsI yielding net profit to the
growers of $4,000. The yield being at
the rate of 3OoYto 400 -gsilons per acre. the
profits ofthe business reoutre no fnrther
demonstration on =
N the primitive State our soil is covered
o -ots. -t-i TIMBER Z IN S.oa a
of great variety aud magnificent growth.
principally poplar 4hickofy, beech, RSl1ut.
ASH maple, oak, CHESTNUT che s tnotoak.
buckeye, sycamore, liudsn,- birSh, Wild
cherry magnolia, gum, elm, dogWood, To-
Gust, mulberry, &C. The eVergreens are
represented by the white and yellow piae,
spruce, hemlock, cedar, and other species,
pre- Som minatiug only in the Alleghanies and
soJscent ridges. In the remainder of. the
State they flourish exceptionally, on steep
and deuuded decliyities, and are no wbere
counted among our attractions. =
Our really splendid forests, Whic6S sup
Piled with greater market facilities would
constitute prodigiOus source of wealth,
sref TO a greatextent, recklessly destrcyed
to make room for the plough, while, for,
the want of enterprise, we are Compelled
to import much the greater portion Of our
woodenware, implements aud furniture
from neighboring States. u Thousands of
gallons of petroleum are collected and
4 transported in open hltboats for the want
of barrels, while the materials for these
hoops and slaves, are contiuually shipped
10 Baltimore aud other markets.
I. Along the railroads.and larger streams
saw mills driven ~ steaua or water power.
are engaged in manufacturing lumber for
home consumption and expert TO other
States, and even to Europe, for naval nur-
posesi but the small number of those es
taollshmeuss is. out OF slI. proportion with
the supply of material and the demauds OF
the market, while hundreds of favorable
sites are everywhere awaiting the advent
otimproyement. of
From what precedes, itmsy be inferred
thae ~ aZs. LG1Jra aHT
~ MANUFACTURING
4 of any. kind is yet 10 the first stages of its
IdestiGy in West Virginia.. At present.
Ohio county surpasses any other portiono Of
the State, in this field. Rolling mills, iron
foundries, glass works, eTWeOllen factories,
paper mills, oil rehueries, machineshons,
Touring mills, are honrishihr ia and
around thecityao OF Wheeling, the terapora-
~ capital of the State, besides large
Humber Of establishments for the manu-
tacture OF leather, furniture, carriages, and
sheetiron ware &c. The activity of this
industrial focus is at this time only limited
by the scarcity of labor, wtireh is in pres
!. sing demand in the shape Of cSala miners,
operatives and iourneymen mechanics of
almost every description 4 H. IL NO.
4 Next in rank comes Brooke county, sus.
tatning respectable number Of thriving
establishments, especially woollen and cot.
ton manufactures, Pkfkersburg, in Woo
county, the principal outlet of the loil re.
gion of West Virginia, and the county of
kanaWha. in the heart of the mineral re-
"A glon, are also making promising efforts in
the manufacturing line, and possess all1thei
elements of rapid and superior develop
ments. At Clarksburg, Harrison county,
> an enterPrisiDg establishment supplies the
Surrounding country with first class ag.
rleuitnral machinery, steam engines aud
portable saw mills Foundries, merchant
mllisi carding machines,A -tanneries' and
common gfiSt mills are nearly ADEQUATE to
the present demand all over the intesior.
! Much Of the wearing apparel of cur ru.
raj population is of strictly domestic or
household manufacture; and in some local
tiles the production of Jeans, linseys and
hannels considerably exceeds the demands
of family consumption, and becomes a
mercantile commodity. The same may be
said oflinen and of the we'll known ,ara-
Gle of maple sugar, which, of late years,
have been produced in unprecedented
, gu antilles.
The agricultural, pastural aud manufac.
turing advantages of West Virginia, are
features which will obtruds. them selves to
common observation, and their future
importance is susceptible of a tolerably
accurate estimation. But this is not the
case with our
II - MINERAL REsoURCEe,
which are gradually looming up with
pregnancy bsfliug every conjecture. The
recent discoveries of coal aud petroleum,
. IN unexpected localities, aud of almostsfab :