Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-11-03
VIRGINIA NEWS.

Mr. Whitcomb, chief engineer of the Ches-
apeake and Ohio railroad, left Kanawha on
Monday last and reports the people all along
the line as anxousy looking to the completion
of the great improvement. Col. Talcott is
rapidly locating the line, from the mouth OF
Scary creek to the mouth of Big Sandy, With
view of putting it in order for the contractors
by December, who will be required to com
mence work by the LIST of January, 1869. Pre-
vious to the war 100000 had been cxpend-
ed on inc Ohio end of the road.
We are glad to see that our Virginia cloth
factories are being gradually revived, and are
sending out even better cloth than before the
war. We noticed few days ago the Buck
land factory in Fauquier, speaking in proper
terms of the cloth made. The Charlottesville
wollen mills, which have only been in full oper
alton for about six months are now turning
out cloth Of an excellent quality.
General Lee made his appearance at Staun-
ton last week about noon, and as ne rode
around the fair grounds he was vociferously
cheered by the vast multitude rising to their
feet and giving him a welcome. lie looked
every inch soldier, with large cavalry boots,
into which his pants were tucked, and gray
coat, and riding on his wellknOwn silver gray
steed.
The bodies Of four of the Brockenbrough
family, of Virginia. have been diSinterred from
their resting place, near Clrrioman, Va, where
they have reposed for sixteen years, and
brought to Washington, and inferred in the
private burying ground of Mr.. John a Bar
bour, son-in. law Of M. Brockenbrough, ST.
D. G. Bragonier, we'll known clergyman OF
SheperdstoWn, West Virginia, died last week
in the 61st year of his age He was minis
ter of the German Reformed Church.
Rev. P. B. Price Of Richmond, has been
called to High Bridge Church, Rockbridge
county.
VIRGINIA AUTOMATICALLY first Annual
Exhibition of the Virginia Agricultural So.
ciety was in 1853. A committee were instruct
ed to offer, in behalf of the Society, honorary
testimonials to each individual of Virginia
who, previous to 1858, had discovered or in
troduced, or brought into use, any principle,
process or facility, or generally any improve
ment by which important value had been gain
ed for the agricultural interests of Virginia.
Recognizing that their report did not admit
of hasty or incomplete preparation, they pro-
posed that if the society should think proper
| to continue them az a committee, they would
endeavor to accomplish the object before an
other meeting OF the society. In the mean
time, however, as an evidence that they had not
been wholly remiss in their duty, and as a
SAMPLE of the facts which their Inquiry had
already elected they made report written
by Mr.. Frank Cabell,) which was received with
the thanks Of the society. Among those OF
whom honorary mention is therein made, the
credit of the introduction Of horizontal plough
ing, or ploughing across hills and nearly on a
| level, as distinguished from the old and bar
| barous method Of tracing the burrows directly
UP and down the scent, is given
To Gov. Thomas Mann Randolph OF Abe
marie, from whose example it spread through
out the State.
To Mr. Rylaud Rhodes of Abemare, is
given the credit Of the first hillside plough.
To Mr.. Thunderstorm Skipwith, of Mecklen-
burg (father-n-law Of Bishop Joseph Wilmer,
who, according to the recent testimony OF DIR.
Bagby, raised so abundant crop of lettuce J
the credit Of the open graduated, iurrow. -,
To Mr.. Philip Tabb, Of Gloucester, the
mode of breaking up low-grounds in beds of a
limited and specified width.
To Commodore Thomas Ap Catesby Jones,
of Fairfax, the introduction, as early as 1922,
of the sub stratum or ubsoiI plough.
To Mr. John Murphy, of Westmoreland,
| the introduction Of threshing machine.
To Mr.. Cyrus II. Mccormick, of Rock
bridge, the invention of the reaper.
Mr. Fielding Lewis, Of Charles City, was
| the pioneer in the use OF lime on large scale
as an improyer of the soik
Mr.. Edmund Ruffin, of Prince George, IA
Their Of Edmund, Junior was the father also,
as all Virginia knows, of the renovation OF the
eastern portion Of our State, by teaching the
use of mari and green sand.
Mr.. Israel Janney, OF Loudoun, father oil
Mr.. John Janney, was the first to intro
duce gypsum, or plaster OF Paris.
The first ton of guano brought to Virginia
was by Commodore Jones; though guano was
introduced into the United States by Commo
dore Porter, sr
Mr.. Israel Januey was the first to SOW the
and Mr.. John G. Mosby. of Curles, in Henrico,
(father-in.law of Gen. p. T. Moore), the first
to make trial OF it in our tidewater region.
President Madison, while member of Con
gress, sent from Philadelphia to his farm, in
Orange county, small parcel Of timothy seed.
Mr.. Abraham B. Venable, while Senator
in Congress-, likewise sent from Phiadelphia
to his farm, in Prince Edward, a small parcel
of red top or herds grass.
In relation to the important subject of the
rotation of crops, special mention is made OF
the services Of John Taylor, of Caroline, Viii
son Cary Nicholas, John Wickham, Thomas
Marshall John A. Selden, and others.
Mr.. John Harness, of Hardy county, was the
first to practice the cutting down of Indian
corn with It's stalk entire, to be shocked in the
field, and thus used as the TODD of CATTLE
Rich. Wing.
FRIENDS YEARLY MEETING. yearly
meeting of Friends of the Hicksite persuasion
was held last week in the Friends's meeting
house on Lombard street, in Baltimore. There
were about one hundred and twenty-five dele
gates, male and female, in attendance, repre-.
senting the Western Shore of Maryland and