The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-19
RirI,nlol}d 1ispaattflh,,
,W,lrpNEspAY FEBRUARY 10, 1868.

= J
,,.n.,,on,,ence OF the Richmond Dispasenu.
.a,,,,nrnl Depression In Sonihe :,
x,,..s,,aa-No Demand for Eeftn.
,nnss.yecessity Of a Change In o"1
syssem Of Agriculture :. ,ees
PrrERspuRa, February ls, 1900 .rs
r, ,he southern part of Virginia We oo me
,.dh;ar anxiously for tho time ~ .ou uH
, ,.Ssn Something like political tasr rsviyeS
vi, hares,ored, and our lna .a, nrdar,. A,
VII, " he blessings of soc'ai 9lu. a.
under sne e,;ar time the utmost depression
this par ,a.sn tho energies Of the large ma
weighs ao nnr people. The agricultural
jority oi i seriolusy crippled by reason OF
in telss. Of the means of subsistence
tns ,hs inability to hire labcrers for the
auu season. The commercial interest,
ea"saso,e. suffers in the same proportion.
Msrcbants are selling but little, and only
sa. cash: and their creditors are daily no.
,;Sy;pg them that they have been forced to
co into bankruptcy. The consequence OF
all this is that large proportion OF our
fertile lands must 60 untitled, and be
Given up TO weeds and brambles and old
field pines.
Nothing goes to show the Impoverished
condition Of the farmers more palpably
than the absence Of all demand for fertiil-
yers. In this section Of the State no per-
CON seems hitherto to have thought that
Isnd could be cultivated or crops grown
,r;tbout the use Of these costly agencies.
Necessity, however, Will no" cause them
% he dispensed with almost entirely; and
we cannot but think it would be Denent
in the long run to all who abandon their
use. It is only in the most fruitful sea-
sons that farmers can afford 10 pay such
nm enormous tax on their profits-for 1t is
noth;np else-and when disaster hefalis
them. as in the last year, they have the
modification of not being able TO meet
their obligations.
Tn no part of the State, perhaps, is the
necessity of a revolution in agriculture so
nrcent as in that portion between James
liver and North Carolina. AS long as the
old system of labor was intact no part OF
the country was more prosperous. Almost
every property-holder lived at his ease,
and many accumulated large fortunes. 1t
was here that the number of servants was
largely in excess of the white population;
and il is this fact which renders our pre-
sent condition all the more deplorable.
The eXD6TicBGC NillCu ldi uOio hofS AoN
with their former dependents is not such
as to make them place any great reliance
on them in the future. They are, in fact,
getting worse and worse every day, and
descending in the scale of civilization.
Il is confidently believed there can be
no return to our former prosperity until
the old system is abrogated or essentially
modified. Less land must be cultivated,
and it must be made rich aud cultivated
thoroughly. A regular course of improve
ment will have to be inaugurated, and
greater diversity of crops introduced. Our
lands are too valuable to be run down by
cotton and tobacco-we say run down, be-
cause their cultivation requires all the
manure that can be raised-to the detri-
ment of every other crop. With all the
advantages of soil and climate which we
possess, our lands are capable producing
almost everything that is grown in the
temperate zone.
At another time I propose to Indicate,
in conformity with these suggestions, some
articles of production that might be profit
ably added to our present list.
The change in the weather during the
last few days is favorable for out door
work. There has been nothing like it since
carly in December. 5.