Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-06-30
VIEWS IN THE Valley OF YIRz
GINA,
Especial Cor. off Lancaster Pal Intslligercer.1
CnARLksrowN, Jefferson Co., WA
Tunas15 1871

- nv q IN " ~ - u u
in southern Pennsylvania, has been the theme
of many a facile pen. Writers, of fine de-
scriPtive talent, have exhausted all the yocab>
ulary of laudatory adjectiVestin attempting to
conveyito the minds of their readers a correct
conception of it's many aud varied charms
1t isfamiliar to.the people ofthe whole North,
and is justly regarded as one of the most
favored agricultural sections of the United
States. Yet there are thousands of well>in.
formed persons still ignossht Of the fact that
the southern slope of this great Valley. lying
below the Potomac, and stretching southwark
to the northern boundaries of Alabama and
Georgia, iszthe fairest aud most fertile par: of
it. That this is literally and truly so, every
man must confess whoElooks upon,i as l have
done dnring.t the last week.
iHaving;traveled directlythrongh Lancaster
county aud the Cumberland Valley on my
way south, i was prepared to judge from the
crops upon the ground as to the pEodhctive>
ness of the Valley of Virginia, when COM
pared With the most favored.sectious of Penn
sylvania; and / am willing to risk all my rcp-
putation' for truthfulness upon the declaration
that the growing crops of whent, corn and
grasses, in the lower portion of Virginia, sur
passesfthdt of any portion of Penn&ylvanla.-
L wish [ could have had a thousand of the
best aud most intelligent farmers of the Old
Keystone State with me during the past week.
1 would like to have heard the unfeigued and
enforced enconiums which they would have
been constrained to pass upon the Wonderfully
productive lands that here lie SO fair to a
kindlier SUM-. How they would have admired
the long and deep waves that swept across
wide fields of wheat, presenting to the eye
that peculiar velvetlike appearance which the
nraafInaI fnrmn or ronnrnT1aS no kho er-oak Ln~
binger of a heavy yield. Rich as is the bloom
of the clover fields in the most favored Sec
tions'of Pennsylvania, it is surpassed by the
luxuriant growth of the Shenandoah Valley,
through which the cows wander lazily, with
their udders hidden among the purple blos>
sons. Tn plain terms Of sober trutEfulness,
l um forced to declare that I have been sur
prised to find decidedly better crops, both of
wheat and grass, in the Shenandoah Valley,
than the very best sections of Pennsylvania
can boast.
OF the beauty of this land, al seen with
all the gIories of the coming harvest crown
ing it, [ conld write much more than you
would have room or inclination to publish
Each revolution of the car wheel brings be-
fore the eye some new feature in a panorama
of ever changing loveliuess. Far of on either
hand, rise magnificent mountain ranges, while
stretching out between them lies what has
been repeatedly styled ''the most beautiful
Valley on the Continent" Such is the
opinion of those who have had every oppor>
tunity for observation, and I can readily give
their declaration unquestioping credit after
having looked upon some portions of it in the
most attractive garb. I do not expect to do
justice to this magnificent agricultural section
of our great country, but I will according to
promise, send you an occasional descriptive
letter and will begin with
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
When the Potomac is crossed, the ranges
of mountains which are known in Cumber>
land Valley as the Moth ami the South noun
tains change their. names, the South mountain
range being called the Blue Ridge and the
North mountain being broken up into ridges
which bear. various titles. The Blue Ridge
rises in grand proportions from the eastern
bank of the Shenandoah river, presenting q
proper background to the landscape which
offers itself to the eye with constantly vary
ing forms of the rarest beauty. Stretching
out from the western base of the Blue Ridge
lies that magnificent belt of limestone land
which constitutes the richest and most de-
sirable portion Of Virginia.
The counties of Berkeley and Jefferson,
stretch across the Valley along the Potomac
and here, as in the Cumberland Valley, it is
a noticeable fact that the lands lying nearest
to the Blue Ridge are less broken, and more
fertile than those on the opposite side of the
Valley.
Jefferson county is indispensable, both in
its natural beauty, and in its productiveuess.
The lands lie iu gentle slopes, which allow a
perfect drainage, while it is q rare thing to
find a Geld steep enough to suffer from wash
ing. The soil is mostly red or chocolates
colored clay, resting on a foundation of the
finest limestone, aud its productveuess is
~abundantly evidenced by the fact that fields
which have been cultivated for nearly a ecu
fury, some of them without ever having had
a particle of manure put upon them, now
promise to yield not less than twenty bushels
of wheat to the acre. Lands which have been
better cared for will go far beyond that this
season, and We heard one farmer, who has
over two hundred acres to cut, and who is not
anxious to sell, declare that he expected to
gather a full crop OF twenty-five bushels to the
acre. The crops of oats aud grass nre pro-
portionately fine, while corn gives abundant
promise. We saw plenty of wheat, roughly
put in upon corn ground, which promised q
yield Of twenty bushels to the acre, aud We
know no portion of Pennsylvania which would
give a return for such imperfect tiilaee. Here
and there a farmer can be found who has re-
sorted to the use of qnick lime with decided
advantage, but most of them ignore the best
and most natural fertilizer of the soil. Little
manure of any kind is applied, and the mag.
%nificcnt crop which is now seen growing is
the enforced product of q soil whose natural
capacity mas not been seriously affected by
almost a century of imperfect tillags. There
is no land in Lancaster county which would
make such a showing after receiving similar
treatment.
A LARGE norton Of Jefferson county was in