Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1865-05-09
CONDITION. OF THE s0UTE.

being good Persons VINO nave .'i>t arrives
from Richmond, and have had opportunities OF
knowing The condition OF the agrlcn'tnra region
},r some hundreds OF miles around that place,
report that the danger OF general iaminr
next autumn IN a large portion Of the state IS
imminent. There will be no crops OF whcat, !
corn. none Of roots: none which can be yell u
unon 70 snstain 1if-. There is absolutely Nc
4eed corn to be obtained ia some counties
ere corn planting crops have been sacces :
tn,lv attempted. On the James AMI other
rivers. where agriculture has bean the sole and
,Iyavs remunerating pursuit Of. the Inhabitants
far two centuries, no sign OF guilty tlon IS
visible, and but very few cattle remain and
those few in starving condition. Slave labor
i disorganized, and free black labor cannot De
obtained. White labor, not common or easily
nrocnrable before the war, cannot bow DC
nrccured at all. The returned soldiers nave
na;ther me ms nor disposition for the cultlva-
zion of the soil. Fences have disappeared
even the waiting as we'll as rails-and horses,
,.attle or fowls no longer abound, as they did
before the war, on 'lhe old plantall n. La
line. the prospect is, that great suffering Will
he experienced in portions of Virginia. and
other If the insurrectionary States, next winter,
Unless the inhabitants be supplied with progi-
SONS hv the libarality Of the National Govern
mment and people. Something might be done
for their benefit, as has been stated, by sup
,lving them now with seed corn seed potatoes,
rhe vicinity of Norfolk, which has during
.sfhe war beer under the military protectlon o.
the United States, has been very productive IN
fruits and vegetables, though not to so great
an extent as before the war. Inc abundance
Of scale and she'll fish and ofwIld fowl has also
been to that region great resource. Our own
markets in this city are now s'pplledWlth peas
and strawberries, and other early products OF
the fields around Norfolk. From the same
region all the Northern cities are at this season
supplied with the earliest fruits and vegetables.
The VALLEY Of Virginia is so completely desc
zlatad nv rhe war. that it can hardly be expected
90 afford supplies of food, the season, Tor ITS
population. :,
Trans portation, in nearly all portions OF the
,,ontI il almost impossible, in consequence OF
the destruction of railroads and the want OF
material and capital for their repair and relay.
Cen. Grant has determined, as we learn, to
rah11i|d no railroads which the rebels have
themselves destroyed and it will be a year
before these roads will be in condition tor use
again, This applies to all the rebel States.
Their system of internal communication by
railroads, which was brought to such. per1ec,
fionthatit served the purpose OF an immense
trade before the war, and a vast amount OF
transportation during the war, IS almost an,
nhilatea. The means of transportation and
nf production have together disappeared
Production was at one time, in the South, IN
excess ofthe means Of transportation: and had
always kept pace with it; but now production
i 40 far diminished that it could not employ
ever. the present limited transportation. -Nat.
ht.
Recent letters from Paris throw additional
LIGHT anon the project of the French Emperor
e. thu lauelonment of the mining districts OF