The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-06-20


Still happier than the last
And, Father, grant US so to live
That when this life is DER,
Within the happy home you give
Well meet to part no more.
Attractions Of Virginia.
We commend to- the attentive perusal OF
our patrons the following interesting and
instructive letter from Colonel John Lewis
Peyton of this county, to an English friend:
STEEP HILL, near Staunton, Va.
June 10th, 1878.
Capt. Macdonald.
Wyke Hall, DorsetsAire
Dear Macdonald-I was much pleased to
receive your letter of the 2Sth OF May and
+ learn that there was prospect of seeing
you aud some Of your neighbors as settlers
in Virginia, and I assure you it gives me
no trouble whatever, but much real pleasure
to comply with your request, and to give
You and yonr friends the actual facts as to
our valley and the country lying east OF us,
and the prospect they present to those SEEK
ing to better their fortunes in new coun-
try. Yours is one of many letters have
received from my English friends. AS
cannot conveniently answer all of these let
tiers as they should be, shall publish this
communication in one Of our city papers,
and then post copy to each OF my CORE
spondents In the course of short time |
hope to send you a pamphlet setting forth
more particularly the advantages of our city
and county. This work is now being pre-
pared by Major Jed Hotchkiss, author of
work entitled VIRGINIA. &C., and con-
tanning description Of the geology, soils,
minerals, climate, &C., OF the State.
Meanwhile this letter will give you and
them, in condensed form, much informa-.
ton, which trust will be interesting on
the subjects to which your letter refers.
l shall speak to you more particularly OF
the Valley Of Virginia, where was born and
reside, and Which is in many respects the
mos. favored and desirable portion of the
State. Eastern Virginia is very different
country and in a very different condition.
One sees there the effects OF the wasteful
system OF cultivation which prevailed under
slayery-ealled hills and old fields worn to
exhaustion by the plough and hoe in the
cultivation of tobacco and corn. But these
| melancholy memorials of the ''peculiar in
stitution" are gradually disappearing. An
| improved Lusbandry has been introduced,
as well by the ancient owners rs by new
settlers, and fields now given over to the pine,
| the sedge and the persimmon are destined
ere long TO blossom as the rose. While
the general aspect of Eastern Virginia is
unnviting, that portion Of the State is far
from being as whole either poor or an
undressing country. On the numerous
river courses, and on the. Chesapeake bay
and the Atlantic shore, there are tens OF
thousands of acres of aluvial soil rich as the
delta of Egypt. Under no process OF cdlti-
walton, however vicious or long kept up,
can these lands be entirely exhausted. rms
section, which is called the Tidewater plain,
has recently been turned to valuable uses
7 bv the market gardener, and the truck
fa1ms'' are being multiplied annually in the
vicinity Of Norfolk for supplying fruits ano
early vegetables to the Northern markets
In extent this region is about the size O
Belgium, and was described as early as l60l
by Captain John Smith, the founder OF Viz
pinia, as possessing 81. soyle lusty and very
> rich.'' The country above this is designated
by the author Of ssVirginia'' as the ''Mid-
die, >, and has an area of over 10000 square
miles, and is of a moderately undulatins
n surface and is less fertile than the lands OF
. either side OF it. Now comes the Pied
mont district, extending TO the Blue rldg
mountains, with an area OF nearly 7,oo
square miles. The soils Of Piedmont Wiz
einia were originally Of great fertility AM
produce great variety and abundance o
crops. They are, however, light and easil.
washed away by heavy rains, and requr
to be constantly watched and cultivated
with care.
4 The scenery of Piedmont Virginia, com
posed of hill and dale, grove and meadow
, plain and mountain, is picturesque and beat
tiful, The lands are better, the cultivatio
more careful, the yield per acre greater, tn
l
), in the districts east Of it, and the general a
pect Of the country pleasant and decided
3 cheerful. To this section there has been
= considerable emigration since the war, an
as the traveller journeys On he sees mar
: newly erected villas dispersed about, but
a great measure secluded BY dense shrubb
] ries or luxuriant groves. Sheltered by Il
native forests round about the dwelling
and in the genial climate OF Virginia, one
not surprised at the degree OF vigor wi
as which even exotics thrive in the open air
do plants and flowers never seen in the Mort
ern States except in Conservatives. III
delightful country. which enjoys salub1
~ GUS climate and delicious free-stone watt
Us fayorite and desirable region for fam
residence, especially during the winter Sc
son. Lands in this district. except in
ueiphborhood Of large cities, such as Ri
q mond, Petersburg, Norfolk and Lynchbul
may be purchased for from $40 to $40
ng acre.
n Immediately west of Piedmont Virgil
a. q; and beyond the Blue Ridge lies the Vail
80 which extends from the Potomac river
Harper's Ferry to the Tennessee frontier
a. q. distance of nearly 300 miles. This era
plateau lying between the Blue Rio
mountains and the Alleghanies, and abb
If. 1900 feet above the level OF the sea, is
en- of the most animated ard inviting OF col
tries and is often, not inaptly, styled z
garden OF Virginia. 1t is, indeed, Ia
flowing will, milk and honey. In this