The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-10-31


! bridge Of sandste re-. q AT the foot, and, ]
the southwestern slope OF the mountain.
was shown the farm. Of Benjamin Mooma
a hale old Dunkard preacher ard atskllff
industrious farmer. The SOILS al very san,
loan, probably slightly cslcareeus, and PIE
pie said that BENJAMIN Moonaw bought
to starve on 1t, But he lined ID he$vIl
I used boneddst, sowed clover anu apple
plasterfrom Ealtvilie, 1.-The best in, the worli
Instead OF staryir g. the old man, has. grow
rich and given his children. much bett
farms chan his was originally. Well ii
formed persons told me Chat no farm in Il
county produced steadily more money B,
acre than his. One field OF twenty-thrs
acres by the road side had produced the We,
befor thirty-six bushels OF wheat per acrt
and was then under fine sod. Two othel
were as fine fields Of clover as I have eve
seen, and adjoining them was large fiel
OF stalwart, even corn, heavily. loaded wit
grain. Mr.. Moomaw has a mandatory
fertilizers and the effect Of his product o
his farm is the best advertisement he coul
have. And he continues the regular use {
lime and Of Saltville plaster. Il.
On the north side Of Mills Mountain
came to the farm Of one OF his sons, j. {
Moomaw, in the edge of Botetourt county
near Cloverdale, where found the result
of good farming upon naturally poor, sand
soil strikingly exhibited. By simila
course, involving skill, close attention an
unremitting labor, Mr.. Moomaw had be
come very successful farmer and ha,
brought his land to high state of product
iveness when he determined a few years az,
to see what could be done with fruit
The result exceeded his expectations. Or
the mountain slope I found as fine and thrift
ty young peach orchard of some 3, 900 trees
and vineyard of several thousand Concord
grape vines,as I ever examined, and exhibit
ing growth l have never seen equalled
Nowhere did see sign Of disease of any
kind. picked few Old Miroons of large
size and some immense La Grange, White
Heath and other peaches, just ripening, and
found all OF finest flavor. The orchard va
rieties found to be the Beatrice, (ripenine
about July 4th) Rivers Early, Louise, Hale 4
Early, Troth's Early, Early York, Craw.
ford's Early, Oldmiroon Free, several Rare
ripes, George ", La Grange, Morris White,
White Heath ard Lady Parham, Mr.. Moo.
nav told me that Hale's Early rotted badly
with him, and that the Lady Parham was
somewhat uncertain, but the rest he found
perfectly suited to the soil and climate. Near
his house, by the roadside, was his nursery,
containing thousands of peach, apple, pear,
and other fruit trees, bushes and vines. Here,
too, the rich sandy loan produced growth
that was wonderful. The peach shoots had
made an average growth of about five feet in
length with diameter of an inch at the
stock. This was in August and could
scarcely believe that the budshad been put
In the previous fall and sprouted, of course,
this spring. s4....t
learned that Mr.. Moomaw has thus far
found great demand for his fruit at the nu-
merous springs in the surrounding country
and shipped good deal to distance, but,
largely to utilize what would otherwise be
wasted, he erected a canning establishment,
and last year he put up hundred tons of
canned goods, mostly peaches aud tomatoes.
This year he has thirteen acres in tomatoes
and his peach orchard is planted with ever
green sweet corn, which do not think can
be beaten in size and regularity of size of
ear and kernel, productiveness and delicacy
of flavor. The seed came from Marblehead,
Mass, and Mr.. Moomaw intends to renew
his seed annually, but think it is improved
upon in the product. Canning the corn is a
more difficult and complex operation than
the putting up of fruit. After being husked
it is cooked by steam for about fifteen min
utes. and then cut and scraped from the cob
by women and girls ranged along both sides
Of long table. The cans filled and tightly
are tested by plunge in hot wa
te-, when the slightest air hole is detected
by the rising bubbles. Nearly hundred
and fifty cans packed in an iron crate are
let down by crane into boiler heated BY
steam with the aid of calcium to a ten pera-
ture of 240o Fair. and cooked for fifty min
ltes, after which each can is punctured to
release any air remaining in it, resealed, la
beled and boxed for shipment, The cans
and cases are purchased in Baltimore, but in
future will be manufactured on the premises.
A ready market for the goods is found
throughout the South, not only on account
II their price but for their superior quality. |
Mr.. Moomaw has not only demonstrated
hat fruit culture can be conducted very sue
'essfully and protitably on some of the poor |
st lands of the Valley, but has embarked |
n it still more extensively in Tidewater with |
Franklin Davis, the well known nurseryman |
# Richmond. Purchasing large tract of |
and In Surry county fronting for mile on
lanes River, they set out more than 10000 |
Bartlett pear trees, 10000 of which are now
fearing. The soil Is sandy loan under
aid by greensand mari, which with proper
are and attention has produced remarka.
'ly healthy and thrifty growth of wood and
fine fruitage bringing large prices in New
FORK. The Surry place is in charge Of a
Northern manager of experience, and the
3otetOurt orchard, vineyard and nursery are
by Mr.. Chass, from Vineland, N.
:, who is quite enthusiastic on the capabil-
les of Virginia for fruit raising. "a
Continuing our journey, four miles below
;lue Ridge, and but few hundred yards
rom the railroad. we passed Coyner's Black
nd White Sulpher Springs (the waters of
7hich have considerable merit), with fine
.wn shaded by grand old oaks-a quiet,
comfortable home-like resort, well patroniz-
d and needing only capitaland enterprise
)r its Development A mile farther GA we
anne to Bonsack's, in the edge of Roanoke.
hence stages leave for Fincastle and the
springs region beyond. Fifty or
xty years ago Mr.. Bonsack came from the
Vest to this point on the old stage road from
ennessee to Lynchburg, and established a
nall carding mill. When he died his well
farms were miles in extent, and
he old carding mill has been succeeded by
,ur story stone and brick wooden factory,
7xS0 feet, containing full section of three
inch Bridesburg cards, a picker, duster,
wo narrow and four broad looms of improv-
d patterns, Zone OF them Knowls' latest),
ne mule, 27O spindles, two fulling mills and
IllCl tlOtC0 lulCtilhCly AOi uidhluS CdSSl- |
leres, ,kerseys, jeans, blankets, yarns, rolls,
tc., Of an excellent quality. Most of the
Gods turned out are good, strong, rather
purse grades for the country, but Mr.. Jacob
onsack, the proprietor, showed me several
ieces of indigo mixed cadet cloth, at $1.35
and an indigo blue at $l.10, both
IL wool Of fine quality. Most of the wool
sed comes from Ohio. Roanoke and the sur
ounding country producing but little, and
hat not of the best quality, though l saw
)me long combing wool there that was very
lir. Glade Greek, never failing mountain
,ream which made havoc with the railroad
vo years ago, has here fall of twenty-five
yet and affords abundant power by turning
n overshot wheel of twenty feet diameter
ed ten feet breadth. 81
Passing Big Lick, thriving little village,
uilt up of late years by tobacco dealers and
manufacturers who do an extensive and prof.
lble business despite more than one devas-
ltion by fire, we came thirteen miles from
onsack's to Salem, the county seat, well
tuated near the centre of the best farming
.nds of the Valley. We do not see the best
it from the cars by any means, but the
oh green of the wheat fields and the dark
4 hue of broad fertile meadows through
hch meandered gently ripping brooks, with
lie large brick mansions empowered in trees
ere and there, sufficiently attested the
g.icultural wealth of this region. Salem {
a sober, staid old town, save when overrun ,
o no Of Ga Il ;tel