Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-09-18
Go South.


There never was better time than
the present for emigration to the
South. The wise, conciliatOry policy of
President Hayes is fast removing pre-
JUDGE against Northern men, and in
nearly all the Southern States q public
opinion is springing up that favors the
encouragement OF Northern settlement.
Even in old States like Virginia and
North Carolina, there is still more land
than labor to till it, and in almost every
county thousands of acres are growing
nothing butiweeds and brambles, because
there is nobody to cultivate them. It
is true that much of this waste land APP
pears to the eye of a Northern farmer
to be deficient in natural fertility, but
in most cases it is only exhausted, and
all it needs to bring it up is manuring
and careful culture. If any man would
see what can be accomplished on appa-
rently poor soils by industrious and in
telligent culture. let him look at the
region south of Norfolk and Portsmouth,
| Virginia, where large number of Eng
| fish farmers have settled during the
past ten years. The once desolate tracts
of fiat, sandy land are now dotted with
pretty cottages, surrounded by fine or
chards and prolific fields.
There are thousands of industrious
men in New York and other Eastern
cities who came from the country not
many years ago, and who have tolera-
BILE practical knowledge Of farming.
Many of them are out of employment
or are living upon low wages in a hand
to-mouth sort of way, with no prospect
of lettering their condition. If these
men would go South and get upon the
| xxya,,1I in, foxry
independent, and their lives and those
of their wives and children would be
much more Wholesome and happy. The
great advantage offered by the South is
cheap lands ready for immediate tillage,
lying in settled communities within
comparatively short distances of the
large Eastern markets. The climate in
the upland regions, away from the mall
arious influences of tide-water rivers, is
as healthful as that of any part of the
United States. The summers are no
warmer, even as far down as Northern
Georgia and Alabama, than in New
Jersey and Pennsylvania, and the win
: tiers are so short and mild that the far
mer has at least two months more in the
, year for outdoor work than in this lati.
, tude.
, 1t would perhaps be invidious to spe-
city any localities as best adapted fol
Northern immigration. Unless there
} are particular reasons for seeking the
warmer climate of the Gulf States OF the
sandy plateau of the Atlantic tide-wate1
region, we think, however, that the set
r tier would do well to select home in
one of the valleys of the Allegheny
mountain system, or in the billy coun-
try of the Piedmont region which lies
in broad belt alongits base. This gives
an ample range for choice of location
: for it includes portions of Virginia
; North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and
Alabama. The reason for preferrine
this section are: ~ 1t is fruit country
where the apple, pear, peach, grape, and
all kinds of berries flourish +; ~ it is q
grassy country, and no Nothern farmer
ever feels at home in a rejion destitute
3 of green pastures; 81 all the roots and
e small grains are profitable crops, and il
t is, therefore, well adapted to small farm.
ing az the country has good water
e good air, and pleasing variety of scene
i ry.
8 The best method of emigration would
be for few familirs to join in forming
a colony. buy one or two large planta
: tions and divide the land between them
0 From two to ten dollars will be the
$ range Of price per acre. Each settler
should have capital of few hundred
o dollars to commence with. His frs
payment on his land need be but small
and long credits should be secured for til,
subsequent payments, SO that the profits
can be applied for two or three years tt
, needed improvements and to increasing
the productiveness of the soil.