The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-10

alternate. Proxies will not be recognized.
BY order of the Committee
john F. LEWIS, Chairman.
Samuel F. Madden. Secretary.
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INDUCEMENTS FOR NORTHERN FARM.
TRs TO LOCATE IN VIRGINIA.
We would not willingly mslead anyone
by exciting fallacious hopes of gain. We
wish to conceal no real difficulty which at
tends the immigrant coming to country
so primitive and undeveloped as Virginia.
We would not heighten the color of any
advantage, nor strike out any forbiddng
feature from the picture. Now, what is
the fact? Can man settle in Virginia,
purchase land and cultivate it as he does
in the North, and make it as profitable as
there? Can he get back pay for his ma
nures, his labor, and the wear and tear of
cultivation? A friend at our elbow says
that many persons who have tried it have
failed; that many who have been here
several years now offer their farms at less
than they gave, and are even leaving their
improvements and going away. Now,
what are the facts in this connection? 1t
will not do to trust mere appearances.
That large number of people who have
come to Virginia are now disconnected, it is
useless to deny. But we have right to
call in question the hasty inference that
the soil, climate or other natural features
Of the State are to blame. For we MAIN
tain that in the settlement of every new
state very large proportion of the settlers
would sell out at a loss two years after
they have made location. 1t is a fact
well known to all who are familiar with
the West, that whenever bad season
occurs, and especially two in succession,
great inconvenience is felt among settlers
with limited means, and a disposition is
strongly manifested and largely indulged to
sell out at any sacrifice that will bring a
purchaser. The weakly in mind and body
fall out Of the army in long campaigns.-
The one from lack Of strength, the other
from lack of faith, patience and courage
So it is with every enterprise, and in pro-
portion as the time for maturing results
lengthens, the number of failures will null
t;ply in proportion to those who succeed.
The establishment of new home, the i'm
provement of soils, the growing of or
chards, the proper disposition OF fences,
and all that makes the profits and comforts
of farm are the work of years under the
most favorable circumstances,
five study the history of the settlement
of any Western state closely, large num-
Der of cases will be found where settlers
have become discouraged before they began
to realize paying returns. The most
fourishing of the older Northern states al
so furnish us thousands of ruinous failures
in farming. We find no difficulty in ex-
planning these cases as arising from lack of
skill, capital, enterprise, or some other
cause clearly not at all connected with the
soil, climate, social condition, or disadvan-
tages of market. Why should we assume
another standard of Judgment for Virginia?
Clearly, there is no good reason. The
failures here, as elsewhere, are due to bad
selections of lands, lack of skill in working
them, inadequate capital, or some similar
cause.
No man can make farming pay anywhere
unless he k,ao,cs hoae, and complies with the
conditions of success.
A very common cause of failure by
really good farmers has been the purchase
of large tracts of worn land, making only
partial payments thereon, and retaining no
capital to work them with. Lands may be
naturally so poor as to be incapable of
profitable recuperation. These, of course,
would ruin buyer. Other lands may
have been originally good, but worn by
long and unskillful use. These lands may |
be renovated, and made to pay during the
process. But we presume that even these
must be located within reasonable distance
of good markets, and have water commune
cation or railroad lines near them.
Then the purchaser must have ample |
capital and skill to use it. We aCould |
consider an acreage Of tsoenty-Jfee dollars
per acre mol too much TO enable one to |
begin safely The acork Of renovation; acith-
out this, failure must be ineoitable. And |
this must be applied resolutely and skill
fully. The aoork requires lime, clooer or
other green crops ploaoed under, sab-soa-
ing, .tan p'oaomg, a soeN adjusted rotation,
and all The stable manure male on he
farm that is possible; no guaao on other
many actared 0aanures, ercept to start
things. WilI anybody sloao as the man
aoho has fulfilled these conditions and
failed in Virginia? There are poor soils
and good soils here as elsewhere. There
are the same widely varying local pecu-