Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-11-18
NUMBER 7.
Virginia and the next Decade.

By the census of 1870 Virginia had S,165.-
040 acres of improved land, as compared with
IL 437 S2l 10 1860 By improved land is
meant cleared land used for grazing, grass, or
tillage, or lying fallow. By the census of 1870
the value of farms in Virginia was $2l3, 020,-
845 and Of farming i'm pements and machinery
81 924 036 as compared with $37l, 761 Gel
(value OF farms and SO 392 296 (value OF farm
ing implements and u schlneryl in 1860. The
/ wheat production of Virginia in 1870 was T.
398 1877 bushels as compared With l3 l30 977
bu-hels in 1860; the Indian corn production in
| 1870 wss II 649 304 bushel-, as com cared with
! 80 3l9 999 bushels 10 lS60 The tobacco pro-
duc'ion 10 1870 was 81 0S6 364 pounds, as COM
| pared with l23 968 3I2 pounds In 1860 We
only refer to the principal staples, leaving out
oats, hay, rye. and great variety of other pro-
| dncts, including live stock, such as cattle,
sheep, hogs. .horses, e'c 1t must be borne In
mind too, that 10 1860 Virginia included the
present West VIRGINIA.
This exhibi, shows how seriously the war and
its results affected production in our State, nor
should We be discouraged by the figures We
have done better, all things considered, than we
| had supposed possible when we emerged from
our many troubles. to which a succession of bad
seasons, foods and the difficulty of reorganiz-
ing our labor system have to be added.
Instead of Encouragement, we should derive
encouragement from the comparison between
results in 1860 aud 1870 The large produc-
ion in 1860 demonstrates the productive capa-
city Of our State and leads to the hope that as
our affairs mend We shall be able even as soon
as the next decade not only to equal but sur
pass the production of 1860. We have the
same soil and climate that we had before the
war, and our working population will doubtless
increase year by year, and, we hope, improve
10 industry There are thousands of farmers
who are bringing up their children to do farm
work. The bulk of the negroes must continue
to be farm laborers and we may reasonably cal
culate upon large additions from the North and
abroad to the force engaged in agriculture.
Ii should be mentioned that we have Is 49,
Gil acres of unimproVed lands, much of which
may one day be worked with great profit
The generation that brought this State into
its troubles thigh and noble as were the motives
controlling them.) should before it passes away,
exert every nerve to repair the loss and damage,
SO that the generation now coming on shall
have something better than heritage of woes.
Their proper mode of action is very plain. 1t
is industry. economy and faithful discharge
of all the duties devolving upon them. In ad-
ditlon to contributing In this manner to the re-
suscitation of their Commonwealth, they should
not fail to do all in their power to establish per-
manent tranquility within her borders, a good
understanding between allclasses of her popula-
ton, and good neighborhood between her peo-
pie and the people of her sister Common
wealths. When it shall come to be known that
work and workers are honored In Virginia, that
there is harmony and good feeling between all
classes of her population, and that people from
all sections of our common country and from
abroad may come here in the confidence of find
ing good government, safety for themselves and
their property, freedom of opinion, and agreea-
BILE homes, then we may prepare ourselves for
hood-tide of prosperity. Wing.