Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-08-27
SALEM, Aug. l7lh, 1870.

Hos. A. r. BoTEIER-DEAR SIR -
| received your letter OF The l2ih instant
and will endeavOr, in reply, 10 give you
as accurate details Of the agricultural and
mineral resources Of This district OF VIZ
glnls, including Roanoke and the adjacent
counties referred to in your request. as |
am able. The Valley Of the Upper Ro-
anoke commences at the James River IN
Botelourt county, and extends 40 miles
weslwa,dly inlo Montgomery county en-
bracng a section Of Virginia whose soil
and climate aJapIit peculiarly 10 the pro
duciion OF The staples, wheat, corn and
tobacco. The part OF This valley lncIu-
ded in Roanoke county produces the ex.
celIenI quality Of wheat which hnds
ready market in Richmond for the manu-
fsclure OF the flour which the City Mills
supply 10 the South American trade. 1t
is not so much the peculiarly OF The SOL,
but the climate which renders this valley
so favorable 10 the growth OF this cereal.
But The climate which lsvOrs The culture
of wheat Is, al the same uIc, not ad'an-
lsgeous 10 tie growth Of corn, so as to
render The Roanoke Valley equal, in this
respect, TO The "Loudoun Valley" east OF
the Calocin Ridge The peculiarly OF
climate favorable to the growth OF wheat
and less TO corn Is owing 10 scarcity OF
rains after midsummer. The early fall
rains, though frequently too late for The
corn crop, are jos! IN time for the tobacco
crop.
The adjoining counties north and west
OF Roanoke have their recOufces divided
between grazing and The production OF
the above named cereals. In fine, the
agricultural resources Of tins part OF Viz
GINA in whe9t, corn, tobacco, grapes Irish
and sweet pOIatoes, &c, in connection
with he grazing OF cattle, sheep, hogs,
&C., are immense. when developed by IN
duslry and intelligent en'crprize, and
when favored by proper facilities OF trans
porlalion to most advantageous markets.
in regard to the mineral resources OF
Roanoke and the adjacent counties refer
red 10 in your letter, not being practical
mineralogis,, will reply as tar as | un.
dersland The subject. The formation OF
the 6rstrange OF the AlIeghanies with
which the Blue Ridge unite, al the James
River, and where The Valley of Virginia
properly terminsts-is primitive. The
granite passes into the different modlfica-
lions Of syeDle, gnelss and all the horn
blend, quarlzose and GeldsPsthic varieties
of primary rock, we have beautiful
green granite, in which (eldspar greatly
predominales. The feldspar is of pale
green color, the quartz PARTICLES Of hya-
cin,hic red and the scales OF mica perfect.
~ black This rock when polished az
iords the most SPLENDID ornamental spe-
cimens OF all the granite varieties Of the
county. The strata Of the valley of the
Roanoke are composed OF clay-sIate cor
responding with the SIIIrIan formation,
with few exceptions, destitute of lossilI(-
erous productions. Upon these strata the
tertiary and drift formation are sUpeTln-
cumbeni, producing = variety Of SOIL from
the rich aIuvisl bottoms Of the Roanoke
River TO the North Mountains ia which
the slate and mountain sandstone predom-
mate. In consequence of ibis The price
OF land varies from 1925 ts S25 per acre.
The coal mines Of The Blush Noun.
tans in Montgomery County, % to 30
miles from Salem, are NV valuable, but
The mining has been confined to the ralh
er impure varieties Of osl on the surface,
from want OF means and more extended
knowledge of practical mining. The
coal is SAID to be OF great abundance and
of good quality at great depth beneath
the surface.
Iron ore sbonds bo,h in Boieiourl and
Roanoke counties, and was years ago
manufactured 10 large extent, into dlf-
ferenl kinds OF Iron. 10 Roanoke coun.
ty, within miles Of Big Lick Depot,
great quantities OF fibrous red hemstite lie
over large extent Of surface. Copper
ore sbouLds in FLOYD and Carroll coun.
ties, lead in Montgomery, and kaollne Of
excellent quality in Bedford
Most respectfully YOURS,
Il + UlpTIE