The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-04-08
Am Interessing letter ConcerntnE
madIs0n Counsx.-Its Resources and

We
"a Tor the Dispatch.
The people Of Virginia are denied oil
-rartioination in the Government. The
ro;ce Of her Statesmen, which once exer-
eised potent influence in, shaping the
destiny Of the nation, is now hushed in
nolitical death, and the lives, liberty, and
nronerty Of the citizen are in the hands Of
q military satrap, who sends forth his edacts
to be executed at the point OF the bay onet'
while the people Of Virginia have nothing
TO do with the Government, there is WORK
for them to do, and on its faithful per,
Torrance depends their future PoLtica al and
material prosperity. This work Is Q aeTe-
lopment Of the natural resources OF the
State, which now lie hid and dormant
and when this Is done there will be exhi-
bited in the old Commonwealth an internal
force and power which will cause her 10 De
felt and respected by the whole country.
TO secure complete and satisfactory DE-,
yelopment of the latent resources OF the
State we will have to attract into our
midst an additional number OF citizens
not adventures, Who come with carpet-oag
In hand, with the expectation OF living on
the proceeds arising from petty othce, but
industrious and substantial citizens, who
will come with their families and cast their
lot with our people with the determination
n 90 TO work and earn an honest livelihood
by the sweat of their brows.. To all such
Hattering and promising future Lies open
In the State of Virginia. While every Sec
ton of the State offers some advantages to
the worthy emigrant who may choose to
come within her limits, We propose at this
time to speak more particularly OF the adj
yantaees offered to them in the county OF
Madison. This county stretches along the
base of the Blue Ridge mountains, between
Hughes river and the Rapid Anne-head-
waters of the Rsppahannock-and embraces
an area Of most valuable farming ana
grazing lands. Whilst o portion of the
lands lying in the vicinity of the noun
tains is hilly and broken, large proper
ton of them are smooth and easily Guilt
waited. The bottoms on the Rapid anne and
Robertson rivers, which run through the
whole extent of the county, are rich loan,
and many of them have been in cultivation
from ten to fifty consecutive years, with
but little depreciation in their yield. In
addition to these there are number Of
smaller runs and streams flowing through
the county, and the lands contiguous to
them are rich and productive.
All of these lands are suited to the rails
ing Of corn, wheat, rye, oats, tobacco, &c.
Indeed, no county in the State produces
larger average crop of corn then this, and
the soil seems to be peculiarly well adapted
to it's growth. There is seldom failure of
this crop In this county, as the crop, while
growing, seldom suffers from drought, both
on account Of the nature of the soil and
the frequency Of rains in regions contigu-
GUS to mountains. Wheat is successfully
cultivated, and the soil seems to be well
adapted to its growth. The lands lying on
the sides Of the Blue Ridge mountains are
well suited to the growth of rye, and the
farmer is seldom disappointed in reaping o
good crop, as it rarely fails to head and fill
we'll. In the hollows and valleys lying be-
tween the spurs of the Blue Ridge noun
tains, tobacco Of the finest quality can be
grown, although but little attention has
been paid to this branch Of industry within
the last few years. We look forward to the
day when large quantities Of superior to-
bacco will be raised in the county. No.
thing is needed but few pioneers in it's
| cultivation, when it will be demonstrated
that the county has land capable of produ-
cling superior quality Of tobacco. Little
or no fertilizers will be needed, and the
land is easy to cultivate.
While the lands lying on and between
the creeks running through the county are
| as valuable as any in the State for farming
and grazing purposes, the little farms lying
near the mountains and on the mountain
sides are no less valuable on account of
their fitness for the successful raising Of the
most excellent fruits. There are scores of
| large orchards on these little farms. Many
Of them have been bearing for fifty years,
and are still vigorous and thrifty. They
seldom fail to bear, and are nov source
OF considerable revenue to the people of
the county but when the business is made
a specially, and the varieties Of fruit now
grown are supplsnted by varieties which
will bear transportation to distant markets,
it will become reservoir Of wealth to the
people of the county. Peaches and pears
| flourish. They can be raised in large
quantities by the least attention to their
cultivation. But little attention has been
paid to the cultivation of fruit till within
the last few years, but its Importance is
being fully realized. One great advantage
of this section in the successful raising of
fruit is that the bloom of the orchards near
the mountains is later, and is seldom in
jured by the late spring frosts. Expert
ments are being made in the cultivation of
the vine, with promise Of complete success.
| Experienced yine-growers say that the soil
and climate are admirably well adapted to
it's successful cultivation. Another valua-
BILE resource of Madison county is its tim
Der. There are large quantities of it in
all parts Of the county, and especially near
the mountains. Large quantities Of pine
and oak lumber could be gotten at compa-
ratively small cost. There are large
quantities Of oak, valuable for its bark,
which is beginning to become considers
ton in the commerce of the world and
the trunk of the tree, after the bark is
stripped from it, is valuable for hogshead
and barrel slaves. The forests near and
| on the sides of the mountains contain large
| quantities of poplar, ash, walnut, and curled
maple. Ample water power can be had on
! the numerous streams which flow from the
mountains in all directions and there are
numerous gr;st mills and mills for saving
| timber in oil parts of the county: Mill
sites, with neYer-failing water power, can
be had OF convenient points. The mine
rails Of the county have not been sufficiently
| developed to demonstrate their richness.
In the Blue Ridge mountains copper ore is
found in many places. Judging from the
surface indications, we would conclude that
we have vast storehouse Of wealth in cop
per concealed under rocks Of our noun
tains. Prior to the late war several COM