Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-09-18

TIE LABoR ELEMENT OF VIRGINIA. The
following is extracted from the Richmond cor
respondence Of the New York Herald
The area of improved land IN the State is
$500, 900 acres, and of unimproved 1880,
600. The number Of male laborers between
twelve and sixty years ofage is 900, which
leaves an apportionment OF oae laborer to every
ninety acres OF improved, or to every one hun
dred and ninety y-seVen of both improved and
unimproved land. This clearly shows that
Virginia needs more hands to till her soi and
canill afford to spare single one OF what she
has. But that many have left and are still
leaving, for more remunerative wages in Ohio
and Pennsylvania there is no doubt Money
was never so much needed in Virginia to car
ry on agricultural operations, while under the
altered STATE of things the labor of the freed
man must be paid for and white men will GER
tainly stay away from where no money is in
circulation In some counties farmers fnd it
more convenient, if not economical, TO give the
negroes ashare 10 the crops, but tins plan Is
objected to by many, who say 1t Hills their
heads with tancitnt ideas Of extravagant pro-
fits that are never realized, and when these
undue expectations are disappointed, the ne.
gro is demoralized for work. However, where
there is no money some such resource as this
has to be adopted; and it is doubtful if it be
not the most satisfactory under the clrcum-
stances nj any OF the large tobacco planters
have brought the matter OF employing labor
to q methodical business system, Board and
lodging are furnished on the plantation to Che
hands, and at certain stated times they receive
their wages from which the cost Of subsist-
ence is regularly deducted As labor has be-
come the common lot Of all since slavery has
disappeared, and as the great resources OF
this State have at last received recognition
from its people, the young men of Virginia
whose lives before the war were spent in ease
sad idleness, are applying themselves to the
TASK OF repairing their wasted estates and de-
Veloping the riches of the soil.
Many gallant cavalier with hands unused
70 toll may noW be seen at the ploW handle or
the hoe, and the example thus set Is being ex
tenspely initiated Virginians are fast becom.
ing practical people. Politics are left aside
tor the discussion Of mining or agriculture,
and the classic lore of colleges is discarded for
the science of busbandry. In this way it is
thought the youth Of the State will work out
Inc material destiny of Virginia and place her
iSefemost among the prosperous and progressive
'sates OF the Union =
fLoUR-A Boston paper says that there is
uoW grand ring forming for gambling, IN
oreadstufs. This ring has it's branches In Chi
cago Buffalo and New York, and Its leading
u:sl M:elnbers are said lo be men Of great wealth.
VIM; WIN bank facilities. It is we'll known that
millions Of bushels of wheat have already
eW1a11ged hands in Chicago, Buffalo and New
l99rk, without bushel being moved Like
ss! sola gamblers, many parties are buying and
selling breadstuffs. who have not a bushel Of
,1 ,Tneat OF barrel of -four In their possession
ihey bull and bear the market, buy and sell
oa Time, and pay the difference These specu-
tators are sim ply the tools Of the ring, used to
Keep the market excited,