The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-04-29
Ole ()iruil,ia Statf cyoirnaL
TUESDAY EVE'G, APRIL 30, 1873.
I.atter From Our Travelling Corre-
spOndent.
STRAsBURG, April 70, 1873.


Our ride from Front ROYAL to this place |
was pleasant one, along the Shenandoah |
valley the farms are smaller and better |
titled than in many other sections. we |
passed through Riverton, a smart little |
town, with fine Touring mills, near the
junction of the two branches of the Shen-
andoah. But it is surprising that the
farmers do not use more of the swivel or
side-hll plows, on these mountain slopes
they do the work better and easier they
are even better on level land than the COM
mon pillow, as our own experience has
proved, for reasons stated in previous
letters. ... $3.50,
And it is matter of regret that more
Of the people, in this mountain region, do
not initiate the wise and successful exam
pie of Mr.. Buck, and plant the hIll-sides
with grapes and fruits. He has done
great good to the county by so completely
demonstrating the profits Of grape-growing
and wine-making, and giving new staple
to the producers besides, a small glass OF
pure grape wine, at breakfast, dinner and
supper, are both improving to the health
and appetite.
His success with other fruit, is equal to
his grape business, but is less common 1t
would be we'll for this community if they
raised ten times as much fruit as they do.
Just now, for few days, the weather
and winds are very cold, in these parts, and
yesterday they We're accompanied with
snow storm. which is unusual at this time
of year, in this valley.
The fishermen are taking a good many
fine bass from the Shenandoah about these
days-with other kinds of fish.
Strasburg is small village, in Shenan-
Al oh IL
road, and near the Shenandoah river,
handsomely situated in fertile valley be-
tween the Massanutton and North noun
tans. 1t is place Of some business, and
shows signs of improvement in new build.
ings. The first named mountain was the
sceneof some sharp fighting during the late
war. On the small streams near here are
some good -four mills which turn out fine
flour from the choice wheat raised herea-
bouts.
On Thursday of this week the barr
owned by Mr.. Sonner, with its contents .
grain, fodder, harness, &C., was burnt down
supposed to be the work of an incendiary
There is want of good hotel at thi
place as the bar of the one here is too mucl
patronized by the keeper.
1t would seem they are not very ex
tenslvely reading people here, as the post
office clerk informed me there were bu
few newspapers taken here and only tw
Richmond papers of any knd-one JOUR
NAL and one Examiner-but the postmas
ter proposed to make efforts to increase tn
circulation here.
There is graded school, but | am in
formed the school for colored children ha
been discontinued, for some cause or other
The natural resources of this point
water powers. timber and good land--ar
good, if only properly improved with enter
prise and industry-but at present Their
seems to be a lack of spirit and intelligence
as in some other places. ID. 5. @.
How Huber discovered the Maraus I'm;
..T Habit of Ants.
He was walking IN the environs Q
Geneva, between four and five o'clock il
the evening, when he saw a regiment o
great red ants crossing the road. The.
marched in good order, with front @
three or four inches, and in column eigh
or ten feet long. Huber followed them
crossed hedge with them. and foun,
himself in meadow. The high gras
plainly hindered the march Of the army
yet it did not disband; it had its object
and reached it. This was the nest c
another species of ants, blackish.gray ones
whose hill rose in the grass twent
steps from the hedge. A fe,
blackish-gray ones were scattered abou
the hill /; as soon as these perceived tn
enemy, they darted upon the strangers
while others hurry into the galleries to Civ
the alarm. The besieged ants come GU
in body. The assailants dash upon them
and, after a very short but very spin
tied struggle, drive the black-gray one
back to the bottom of their holes. On
army corps presses after them into the gal
leries, while other groups labor to max
themselves an opening with their teeth in
to the lateral parts of the hill. They sue
coed, and the remainder of the troo]
makes it way into the beseged cit.
by the breach. Peter Huber had seel
battles and determinations of ants befor
this; he supposed they were slaughterin
each other in the depths of the caverns
What was his amazement, after three o
four minutes, when he saw the assailant
issue hurriedly forth again, each holding be
tween its mandates Iarva or nymph;
of the conquered tribe! The aggression
took exactly the same road again by whcl
they had come, passed through the hedge
crossed the road, at the same place, an
made their way, still loaded with their prey
toward field of ripe grain, into which tn
honest citizen of Geneva, respecting anoth
,er's property, RETAINED, with regret, from
following them Instinct IN Insects" i,
Popular Science Monthly for Nay.
How to Begun an Article for Publica
ton.
A great many people are apt to hit uuor
happy IDEAS in society, and when they e
home they write them out for publ
cation. and most of these good folk,
know how hard it is to be
gin an article satisfactorily. A word te
them; commence with your very finest
writing and most beautiful-rounded SEN
fences. Introduce your subject in your
elaborate style, be poetical, rhetorical,
didactic, as your mood may be, and when