The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-19

nver 81 husteI.. The yield of wheat was
1871 bushels in 1859, and morein 1869, TO each
of the population. The corn crop OF iSo3
cave 25i bushels and that Of 1869 over l23 TO
each. The natural fertility of the soil Is un-
changed. The production Of wheat IN 1907
to each inhabitant was: In the United
States. $50 bushels; New England. "a
bushels: Middle States. $3.50 bushels; west
crn States, 1000 bushels; Southern States,
$50 bushels.
IF the Valley counties are snecred at by
your New Jersey editor for not !" producing
half what they might be made to do,' owing
I" TO the old slarc systems Of culture ana
,ocE of spirit anoAenterprise." what DO you
think be would say to these similar 'tacls
from much-abused Underwater Virg'nia-
only $50 SQUIRE miles larger than New Jer'
sey: ,,-o 1890
E iHd;ss ,oas5 5 5Ss 5s455'7755Ss
Buck wheat. ~"
Yields that gave 35 bushels in 1859 ana Is
bushels in 1860 of the bread grains to each
inhabtant, or a surplus OF o0 bushels III one
and 10 in the other year. The tobacco crop
Of Underwater was s 1913 092 pounds in 1919:
but only $50 944 10 1869; the COLON crop oo %,
1859 was + ,1O4.S00 pounds, and tnat ol>1o"n
was "a 900. "What has been VIII De again.
A volume of snch "facts" could oe given III
answer to such superficial observers.
Other States carefully aud constantly COZ,
lect and furnish gratuitousIy to tue Worid
the generaized "facts Of their conolllom
and resources, and in this age Of tracts"
nf
tion 10 this presentation. More than halt OF
the curreut census decade has passed, and as
've, the facts of the census of 1870 in regard
TO Virginia obtained by large expenditure
Of money bv the General GovcrnmenU are
utterly unavailable in an Ineligible form.
Those of the census Of 1860 are in worse
condition. the statistics Of the States OF Flr-
ginia and West Virginia being Intermln-
ped. and the ..results for Virginia alone
can nowhere be found in print. Tue
splendid statistical atlas Of the United Sta'cs
lately issued by the Government a0oundS
in most valuable information, placing Flr-
oiuia in most enviabe physical condition,
but only 5000 copies Of It were Issued tor
the world. More than two years ago OaIo
issued an illustrated volume OF "factS, gra-
phicaily presented covering much Of this
ground. Reports are being Constantly mace
BY those exploring the Sale Tor research or
profit. but they do not have publicity be.
cali.c the State does not publish factS."
What shall he said Of the stores Of in!orma-
ton in the published reports of Professor
Rogers, now as rare as the first editions OF
Shakespeare rarcr, | might say, for be.'
licyc the State Library has one Of the latter,
but no set Of the former-all that is publish
ed Of the results of Il survey that cost the
State over 100000, which even now, though
forty years old, are worth more than the cost
and interest:
Reflection "may we'll give Us pause" and
bring Us 10 the conclusion that it is high
time we were conforming to the spirit of
progress ard keel lug step with the march OF
events if VIC would be sharcrs in the con-
quests Of industry.
Eract Information is DOW demanded.
Forty years ago the analyses by Professor
Rogers Of the iron ores Of the James
river gave the results in Jfre elements;
to-day the analyst detects ten. The former
showed that the ores would make much good
pig-ron; the latter that they Will produce
Bes>emcr steel.
We are surrounded by States that are now
At work collecting and publishing recent IN.
formation TO supply the demands OF the day.
IN 1861 Kentucky issued four large qrlarto
volumes of geological report. am just III
receipt OF letter from Professor Soaler Che
tmiuent professor Of paeontology in Har-
ward University Informing me that he has
charge OF a nc,c surreyot Kentucky, and that
The summer school Of geology OF Harvard
University" with Professors Gray, Whit.
neg, ard others, will encamp for six weeks
at Cumberland Gap the coming summer, aud
iavlirg me to JON them as guest, that we
may "ialk over variety Of matters" AS he
has "to invade our territory for the whole
eastern line"
Half Virgnian by blood and all in heart,
Professor Smaller will do all he can in Ken.
tucSy survey to make known the splendid
resources of our southwestern border. As
we are doing nothing ourselves have asked
the State Board of Immigration, the only
representative body in session, to bid these
Students Of science welcome 10 The Common.
seal h. They will pass through the whole
length Of the State early in July. Is to he
hoped that such an" invasion will be every
where cofdi,ly welcomed, as there is more
OF real good for our future in one such visit
than c0u be if all The politicians of all the
parties came down 10 fra ern'Zo. Your text
is as good to conclude with as il was TO be.
gin" Facts rs. FaDcies." We have bad
many Of the latter, let US have period OF
the former. Yours truly,
JED. HorcuKlss.