Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-04-22
Southern Correspondence.
MANASSAS. VIRGINIA,
April ). 1873


Sc, VIII yuu alluw NC To answer some
OF those inquiries through the columns
oil your valuable paper2
Originally the soil WAS good, hut IN
der the slave system of farming, 10y con
slant cropping iur Il long series oi Year,,
il has become worn ont to y considerable
extent, though quito portion OF Tic
land will produce fair crop of corn,
wheat OF oats without mauures, AMI when
We get to wood lots which "crc cut down
during The war; they will produce fine
crops Tor many years without manurcs.
Farmers OF New England or ui Maine,
scarcely ever plant corn without The best
OF manurcs 20 ON To the land; il we DO
The same here ON our poorest soil we get
good crop.
The climate here helps make up tor
the deficiency oi our soil compared with
the West. the length vi the season gives
the farmer more time 10 prepare i"r his
crops; he can plant corn from April 10
10 June ls,, AMI get good crop. Facili'
ties Tor market good. BY rail - miles 20
Alexandria. 80 TO Washington. rs TO
Baltimore In three days from the time
we ship our products and consign them
/ to commission merchant, We have our
money. u, they are Immediately sold.
/ Corn Is USUALLY worth here - cents Data
| 40 cents; wheat ! IS to sl.15; rye from
/ - cents TO 81 90. We sow all winter
wheat. rye and oats in The sprins-the
las, of March on Ihc Iirstol April. Have
had an unusually cold water and more
snow than usua! have bad iiom Dee. Il,
/ 1872, to Feb -. 1873. cish; ,upw iaii'i
one inches, one 3 inches. ouc , inchc-,
/ five Inch. 10 inches 10 AL The mot
Of the SHOW goes of in few days. |
lind great saving in not being obliged
- furnish aud hnu>, but one set of car
riagc,; whec. carriages being all tina. j.
required.
\ correspondent writes me, lha' Il Is
understood in the North that much Of III
land in Virginia Is worn oul and abandon
ell. 81, answer {, that ~, land in Nr
CHINA iu ',uj knowledge a1.,nduucd,
I but va explain ,l..t .,,r;r tract, OF p'.-
tioa, ct our >t.l' we're made ,i.,pialc y
the war. Ly ,nc d~uucIipn at every
house, barn or outbuildins, household
/ furniture, farming tools, ncal siorhi "''ll
\ all the fences aui many Of The would
lots for miles in extent, .ay tor Instance,
one third oi whole Counties. aud the le-
mainder much damaged, y"u will get
some idea OF tie uNtcut and boss Of
the residents hero. Al the CLOSE OI the
war some o the original owners were
dead, others had left the State those that
did return TO yiew their Large plantations,
many of them had no means to build aud
foncc and in other ways prepare for
working their land.. their slaves were
gone AMI scattered In all directions.-
Some fixed up as best they could, and
went 10 work on portion OF their lands,
also rcuIin. other portions OF the same.
while large portions OF such plantations
were l. Il Unfenccd and not cultivated,
and many portions OF the same remain 30
TO this day; but the owners oi all such
land, expect soOner Or Later to re occupy
or sell them Tor farm purposes. They
atc resting. as The old rcSdents say lrc-
cruilinL they mean) when amer long
years OF cropping their land without
seeding ii to grass. and ii becomes so
much exhausted that il will not pay they
turn il oul to rest, let the fences 90 down,
and 90 ou TO some other portion OF the
plantation 10 crop. Those tracts will
come up ldil Of weeds, Lriars and bushes.
After resting from four 10 eight years,
lhey viii grub this land, pillow aud crop
again Tn. farmers al the North can
Judge what their lands would be under
ike treatment Land is worth in this
State from $500 to $40 per acre. without
buildings ca much fences; from $40 10
$50 with buildings. &c, 10y the farm, and
close up to- cities. villages and railroad
stations, rom $50 to - or 500 per acre.
am frequently asked The question
hoy du III, and your family like IN Vir-
} ginia? Would you advise people from
the North 10 sell and como out there
Ny answer to the first question is that w0
, all like well. The climate is good As
to the second question, | give no par
, Iicular advice. But in closing ! will say
that left the good old Stale OF Maine on
, the account of The long cold winters
there found that the he nth OF some
! members Of my family was giving
( away-lungs were troubled by the length
and severity OF the winters. found
that ! could not stand the cold there as
, could in my younger days. am salts.
; fled that the climate is much better Tor
r persons OF weak lungs or feeble health,
: than that of New England we all like
so well, that ] would not take the gift OF
the best farm in Maine and be obliged to
, go there and live on it ten years. But
would not advise laboring people. suOh
as have 10 work out for means TO support
themselves aHd families, to come here, as
they come in contact with the colOreG and