The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-01-10
ICONINIuNICATED.
Something of Value--0ur Agricultural Col
umns Complimented.

.......H lCOMMUNl
Something of vaiue--our Agricultural Col
umns Complimented.
TO the Editor IF The State Journal:
Whilst the politicians in Richmond and a
few other localities complains of the small
space devoted to political articles in your
editorial columns, the laboring men of the
country of all conditions, and especially
the agricultural interests, thank you most
sincerely for the good sense displayed in
the discussion of questions and interests
more Immediately vital and certainly more
interesting to them than any number of pro-
found disquisitions or political diatribes.
One reason why the Wing has ever been
so extensively circulated and so highly
valued, was because it frequently found
time to speak through it's columns to
those who 'earn their bread by the sweat
of their brow" and constitute the pro-
ducerS.
The course pursued by your Journal
commends it warmly to the hearty support
of this large and important element, who
are SO earnestly striving to recover their
fallen fortunes, and who are anxious to
learn how to make "two blades of grass
grow where but one grew BEFORE" The
articles you have written from time TO time
upon Embarrassing and growing, have excited
attention and given great satisfaction, and
your leading editorial in recent issue upon
the apple crop of Virginia-what it is and
what it should be--is suggestive and valua-
BILE.
1t is really matter of wonder and sur
prise, to see how little attention has been
bestowed upon this important interest in
Virgnia-only few of her own children
approaching her capacities in this respect,
and fewer still turning them to practical ad-
vantage. The writer attended the recent
extensive and interesting pomological ex-
hibition held in your city, and whilst he
admits the display of fruits to have been
splendid, he does not hesitate to assert
most unequvocally, that he has seen finer
pears grown in Charlotte county than any
he examined on exhibition ; and both in size
and flavor has seen the apples ecipsed by
those grown in the orchards of either Mr..
Waller or Mr.. Lee, of Patrick county
the " Motley P.," a Seeding and native Of
the last mentioned county attaining weight
not untrequently of % ounces, and bushels
of them averaging 90 ounces each. In this
county also may. be found the famous "Rob-
inson APPLE" a fruit beautiful in color and
shape, of good size, keeping well through
the entire winter, unsurpassed by none in
its juiciness and favor, and unequalled as
a prolific bearer.
So incredible did an article appear, in
one of the Danvillc papers two years ago,
III reference to the number of bushels of
ripe sound fruit gathered from tree of this
variety, that affidavits from as honorable
men as lives anywhere, were obtained and
published to prove the statement, land to re-
leve the worthy editor from the suspicion
of being "Munchausen."
If Col. John L. Penn, the present
worthy and able representative from the
Montgomery district, who has seen the
identical tree alluded to, frequently, will
tell US what he knows about this tree and
this variety of the apple, he will confer a
favor, not only upon the writer, but upon
hundreds of others who feel interested i'll
such subjects. Very respectfully,