The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-04-14
THINGS THAT OUGHT NOT TO BE.

varying in quality in different sections, and
adapted to every kind Of grain, grass, fruit
and vegetable We have delightful climate,
and culture is seldom interrupted by cxccs
sivc cold in winter, OR drought and heat in
summer We have also an active, industri
GUS population. One would suppose that
with such soil and climate, and people, every
thing would be produced that is necessary
for the comfort Of man.
But such is not the fact. There is bad
management somehow. Our people do not
make the most of their God given advantages.
In passing along our streets, it is mortify-
ingto find, at almost every grocery store,
large numbers of barrels of potatoes, apples,
butter and even CABBAGEs,, bought in the
North, and brought here to supply our home
market Some of these vegetables are
brought from New Jersey and New York j,
and the potatoes from the bleak regions Of
Maine. . +s~e
We maintain that this is rcprosch to
our people. It shows that they lack either
industry, or good Judgment. Where is there
a country better adapted to raising potatoes
than Augusta !? Where is there country
that ought to produce more butter or Of better
quality? As for apples we have heard that
skilful fruit raiser, Mr.. Franklin Davis, say,
that he had tried every part of the country
from New Jersey to South Carolina, and
that there was no portion of it so we'll adapted
to the best varieties Of apples, as the Valley
and Piedmont regions of Virginia.
And cabbages !! Think of bringing cab
bages from New York to "kraut" country
like Augusta
Why should not our people raise their pota-
toes, apples, butter, and cabbages? We
have hill sides fer favorable weather, and
rich alluvial bottoms for dry seasons. Why
should cur country be drained of money to
pay for articles that ought to be produced at
home? No people can ever prosper who
buy more than they sell. The true policy is,
to produce every thing We need and to make
to sell. Then the balance Of trade will be
in our favor, money will begin to accumulate
in the hands of the peorlc--and We will not
q hear so much of hard times.
The enquiry presents itself-why does this
condition Of things exist? We answer IN
hesitatingly, it is becausesour country people
do not sufficiently diversity their productions
They are content to follow along in the
old ruts made by the vehicles of their fathers.
Because their fathers raised wheat and corn
exclusively they think they must do the same
Hence it is wheat and corn all the time
And if the wheat or the corn crop fails
they are reduced to great distress Our PEG
PIE overlook small crops too much. 1t would
seem as if they thought it beneath their dig
nifty to raise beans, peas, potatoes, cabbage,
straw berries, rasp berries, and many other
small commodities for market This is q
great mistake. There is more profit in these
small articles than in large ones The last
Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture,
tells us Of a man near Petersburg Va, who
raised $1,000 worth of hops from single
acre. Which of our farmers last year made
$1,000 from 100 acres of corn or wheat p
We have heard of thousands Of dollars per
acre, being made by cultivating straw berries
and dwarf pears. In the palmy days of
Rome, three acres vas regarded as an ample
farm for one man.
Ss' Our people must change their system of
cultivation They must work less land and
work it better. They must vary their crops
They must get down off their stills. They
must not despise small things. "Many
mickle makes mucklc' is good old Scotch
proverb We must cultivate those things
hat pay, and we must diversity our produc.
tions SO that if one misses another may hit
We fear our country people fall into an
other error. They are sometimes too grasp
ing They often ask too much for their COM
'modities. The true policy Is always to sell
when you can get a fair paying price. Those
who hold out for the "top' of the market,
are very apt to be disappointed. They may
hit occasionally, but they will oftcner miss
During this year $4,000 to 5000 have
been lost to our county by too greedy spirit
in the people They could have sold their
-four last fall at 81 to 81 so, but they held on
for higher prices and now have to take So
Thus they have lost 50 to $250 per barrel
Oh say $4,000 barrels Of -four, besides the
interest on the proceeds, making an aggregate
oe probably 100000 on one single article
This amount would, by passing from hand to
hand: have paid off nearly the whole indebt-
edness Of the county. So it is with butter,
apples, &c. Farmers bring these articles to
town-refuse to take fair price here-send
them to Richmond, and after months delay,
get less than they were offered. We have
actually heard of butter being sent to Rich
moud and sold-which was afterwards brought
back to Staunton and sold here.
The truth is farmers will find the Staun.
ton market generally as good as the Richmond