Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-02-21
Virginia as Seen by a Northern Man.

A very intelligent gentleman from Western
NV York WHO has been travelling in Virginia.
writes as 10 'ow: 10 The Chautauqua coun
SenSor:
The formation of the soil along the Poo mac
and for some ristan:e back int the country. is
known As drift or sediment.ry, de; oslted by n
.re:m draining from the nor Invest Abra ding
IN 1t; course the rocks found in high ridges Of
the B,ue RiHgs snd Allegheny Mountains, NIX
eo win aiumIhous clay, oxide Of IRON organic
hht;or' numus, potash, nirrogenous matter, IL =,
al that Is rcqulS te to make fertile soil. The
fact thst That section of our country HIS been
cropped Tor so many years, and at this present
Capable OF producing good crops only with
gooa cultivation, is proof of the statement. The
sou In some locations is u .rk sandy Loan,
changing to red, Us i. confirms more or less ok
lde OF ron, Others clayey loan, gravel, Sc.
The sub soil generally is of character allowing
o. COCA Drainage There are several Very nutrl
tlotls sr'sses indigenous to the country, among
which on the bottom lands are June grass (iioa
Eratensls, known in SOM sections as blue grass,
hcItucky blue grass and white clover, occu-
pylng the land wherever left uncultivatcd.
ked clover ard timothy grow finely and pro-
duce large crops. Springs of excellent soft water
abound ma y Of them SO large Is to form quite
col>ldcrabe streams, in many places afford ng
hne water power, d'.chargng into bays Of deep
water lndcutlng back into the country from the
river from one 10 three mics, with high banks
on ether side, thus givir G some of the finest
Via sites in the country I4e scenery along the
Potomac is not of the bold and rugged character
| met with on some OF our rivers, bat soft, iasci
nallng ever pleasing, Of which the eye does not
seem To tire. The river is n great commercial
highway the surface is constantly dotted with
sail ana Steam vessels from all parts of the world
Inc cIl"laI: ana Soil III many parts of eastern
| Virg'na, and especially along the Potomac, are
I tlely adapted to fru culture. The pear, peach,
aprlco:, noctarine, cherry, apple, and all the va
rlc;l"s OF small fruits gr.w finely, healthy, and
! bear large and regular crops | think | have
! ncrrr, III any section of the country, found
where tue peach, pear and cherry are So healthy,
and attain SO great size and age. On what L.
| known as Guns on Point, formerly owned by
| Governor Mason aud descendants are pear and
cherry II, es-b black hcagts-plant prior to the
! rcvolu:ln, nov vigorous and bearing each year
la1g crops One of the cherry trees, the body
TWO let atove the ground, measures eleven feet,
and pear nearly four in circumference
! Gunston Point is formed by Ponick b ~ on
| the north, two miles low the river plllies n
sharp bend 10 Tho westward for some three miles;
Jtst where 1t turns south again, Occaqusn bay
sets back northWard something over mic to
within one and three ourths of mile OF the
head OF Pohick bay, giving HI area OF some SIX
thousand acres Of the most favored location and
soil for the culture Of The peach, apricot AID
pear that nave met with either east o. west OF
Tue -tileghany ara Cu-. perland range. l nave
observed in Kentucky, Tennessee. Missouri,
Southern illinois md in very may parts OF
Virginia, Maryland and Delaware that thr
bodies and limbs of fruit und forest trees are COW
cred with il thick growth Of moss, in some piac,
III inch ard half in thickness, giving very
STR ny indications of too much mostu e in the
sell and atmosphere. On tho point spoken ol,
there are peach trees of grca. axe perfect y
hca ,hy, free from fungus growth. Young
plan,at"ns of four years of sge, of apple, pear
and peach .-ea' ready yiedin far crops OF fruit,
tn. trees hsvi*.. IN de u growtl Of fro n two to
tive inches t!'ah!cler. | have how in my posses
son peers und al pies of the second crop picked
from Il ees planted out four years last ring,
with rather ordinary cultivation. The tub r is
in g.eat variety, consisting of oak, several Va
rictrs elm, Chestnut, butlonwo ID, ash, DO q,
poplar, birch, maple, locust, mulberry, sweet
gum, black walnut, hickory, magnolia, white
wood, cypress, pine red cedar in abundance in
the forest forming hedgerows along lences Of
| long standing. The American holly, q beAuti.
full evergreen with thick foliage, Of u deep,
glossy green, oval, about two rcncs long, armed
on the edges with sharp spires. The bright cora!
berries scattered in profUson among its 10 iasc
make. the holly peculiarly beauLitu and attrsc-
live during the wintor months.
Very truly yours