Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-06-17
Letter fron, Rappahannocls.
WooDvILLE, Rappahannock Co, Va,
June. 9th, 1876.

June, 9th, 1876.
Rappahannock county lies at the foot
of the Blue Ridge on its Eastern base,
and was till about the year Is included
in the old county of Culpeper Its coun-
ty seat is Little Washington. pleasant
village some twenty-five miles from
Warrenton and Culpcper Court House,
respectively, from which two places 1t
is reached by metal roads or pixies, the
same in name but not the kind as your
valley pixies. We have no limestone in
Eastern Virginia, and the different
kinds of rocks so plentiful here, DO not
make either good or permanent roads.
The land, though cheaper generally
than that Of your own county, produces
the largest crop of corn, and this, year
after year with almost certain regular
ty, owing greatly TO the rains which
fall during the summer uSt at the time
when corn requires wet season to
make it. We seldom have dry season
such as visit limestone districts. In ad-
dition to this almost, every field
has branch OF clear running water
passing through it, and springs are TO
be found in the greatest abundance, and
this is equally true on the hills and small
mountains which dot the country, rs on
the low grounds, so that this may be
said to be a wcll-watered country. The
low lands require draining in many in
stances to carry off the water which
otherwise would render them unfit Tor
use, but when once thoroughly drained
are very productive.
The lands are not rs productive tor
wheat as for corn, though this year we
are favored with one of the best wheat
prospects we have had for years, and
should nothing beiall it, such an harvest
will be reaped as has not cheered our
farmers for long period. The large
crops Of corn are mostly fed on the
lands, as it does not pay to haul it TWEEN
ty OF thirty miles to market, especially
at such prices as we have had for the
last years. Corn is now worth only 40
cts. per bushel at home, and 50 cts. at
Culpcper Court House, our usual mar
ket, leaving but 40 cts. to the producer,
as it costs 70 cts. per buShel to carry II
to market y good many cattle are
grazed here through the summer and
fall, large farms and districts being al
most entirely devoted to this species of
husbandry, and it is generally found to
he more profitable than raising corn.
Lards are generally cheaper here than
in the valley, good farm with com,
Portable house and out-buiidings not
selling ordinarily for more :han SO
per acre, many Of them not bringing as
much. \ very fair farm in this neigh
borhood, with good house and buildings
was purchased a few months since, for
Sl2 per acre by Jefferson man, Mr..
Manning, and there are other as good
bargains to be had.
There is now in the market an excel
lent farm, known as the Thornton Place,
of some 500 acres which can be had at
very low price. This farm would
have sold for $40 per acre before the
war-now it viii not bring more than
half that sum. There are several hun
dred acres Of il The very best Cotton
land, almost ineXhaustible in fertility,
and the mansion house one OF the very
b0st. Messrs. Arch. Aisquita and Jo-
seph Crane, both from Jefferson, have
purchased farms near this place, and
others can be had at very fair prices.
This is one OF the best fruit growing
countries in the State, and the crop this
year will be large and abundant one,
ii having been but partially injured by
the heavy frosts Of the eally spling.
This is particularly the case in the dis.
tricts Immediately adjoining the Blue
Ridge and OF it, where the fruit crops
but seldom fail. This Comfy is in the
Sth District, and is represented by Gen
eral Eppa Hunton, in Congress, and by
Capt. Thos. G.. Popham in the State
Legislature. Judge James Keith, Of
Warrenton, is the Circuit Judge, and
holds his courts in April and October.
Barbec, the gifted sculptor Of Virgin
ia, was a native of Rappahannock, and
now lies buried on the very summit OF
the Blue Ridge, near the line of Page.
He was 4 true artist and died too soon
for bis fame and his name lie died Of
cancer after his return from Italy, where
he had gone to prosecute his art stud
les, in the very zenith Of his fame. lie
is the author and sculptor Of the CO
quette-a beautiful art treasure now in
the possession Of Capt. q. Meem, ot
Shenandoah, and of the Fisher Girl,
now in the Art Gallery OF IIediau and
Myers. of Baltimore.
His last and best piece he left unfin-
ished, having Reluctantly abandoned IT
on account of the cancer which cOmpelI-
ed him to lay aside his chisel and NAL
let, and which lost to art and the world
a great ard gifted artist and most ex-
quisite conception-"The Lost Pleiad.
Such he named this lost and unfinish-
ed Of his few art productiOns-taking
his ideal from the myth Of the top Of
the eighth star in the Plead. Unhap-
pily, the Lost Plead" of Barbec is lost
indeed-a fit companion in name and
in fate to the unfortunate original.
OCCASIONAL.
CLAEKE CouXTY rEMs.-lhe Clarke
county (VaO cheese factory will 90 into