The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-09-02
LETTER FROM PETERSBURG.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
PETERSBURG, August 80, 1867.

PETERSBURG, August ~, 1905.
There Is one branch Of industry to which
have made no reference, frequently es |
have spoken of the agricultural prospects
Of the Southside. refer to the fruit crop,
and, by consequence, the brandy crop.
Old Southampton has the credit OF furnish.
ing all these in greater quantity than all
tho other counties south Of the Appomat-
tox put together. The soil is admirably
adauted to the growth of both the peach
and the apple, and the product Of their
distillation was formerly an important
ar.;cIe of trade in this market. It has
diminished since the war, on account
partly Of the failure of the fruit crop, and
partly because Of the heavy taxes and
vexatious proceedings by revenue collect
ors in inspecting and enforcing collections.
Il is not always that distillers have the
means at hand to pay the tax. The dis
tilleries, in fact, are not, as in the manu-
facture of other spirits, regular establish
ments, requiring q large capital to conduct
them they are rather appendages OF the
tsrm, kept in operation for month or two,
according to the supply Of fruit, and re-
curing nothing more in the way of outlay
than the purchase of still. AS matter
of Justice and equity, the tax ought TO be
RENTED in cases like these; or rather it
should not have been imposed. There is
no more reason in it than to tax the farmer
for converting his wheat into flour. The
object in both cases is to carry the pro
duce Of the farm to market in more
compact form and this, indeed, is the ony
means of rendering an orchard available
in the interior of the country. ;,
Among the staid and respectable oid
Virsinans of Southampton there IS little
or no probability that the tax on brandy
will be evaded, and it is believed that no
attempt Of the kind has been made.
Nevertheless, the revenue officers nave
Kent strict watch, and they have made ar
ress of some few parties; but no evidence
was elected of fraud, except, perhaps,
IN @ solitary case, and that not fully MADE
out.
But Southampton is not alone famous
for its brandies. 1t raises more cotton, IT
is believed, than any other county IN the
State. and the soil is admirably adapted to
corn. The product Of cornfeld peas also
is very great. The peanut is likewise ex-
tensiyely cultivated, and the famous
Southampton bacon takes the lead IN all
our markets.
l remember reading several years ago q
spicy controversy between the late Ed
mund Rurlin and DR.. Pretlow on the COM
parative agricultural products, having re-
lation to their value, Of several of the
finest counties Of Eastern Virginia. One
might naturally have supposed, without
investigation, that Halifax, for instance,
which produced more tobacco than any
other county, and possessing fine wheat
soil wthal-this aud other counties that
might be named-would have borne of
the palm; and this was Mr.. Ruflin's posi-
ton. But DR.. Pretlow proved conclu-
sivcly that Southampton, with it's diversl-
fled agriculture, yielded the largest profit
in proportion to population; and yet in
former times Southampton, like the
estate" of Fluvanna, was rather an OBJ
jcct of ridicule than admiration. 1t was
allowed to be good for peas, as Fluvanna
was for chinquepins and persmmons
Latterly, however, both Of those counties
have indicated their claim to take high
rank among the most favored of their Sis
tcrs.
You may infer from what I have said
though believe have not actually statet
it, that the fruit crop this year is unu
sually abundant. As consequence, thu
workers in tin and other metals have hat
good deal to do in making and repairing
stills. s.