The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-01-17
FACTS ABOUT VIRGINIA.
cLEANINGs FROM THE REPORT OF THE
COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICUITURE.
The Commissioner OF Agriculture, DR..
Thomas Pollard, has submitted his first an
nual report. 1t is an interesting document
full of useful information pertaining to the
State, and will be found Of great service to
those who desire to acquaint themselves
with the wondrons resources Of Virginia, the
attractions of the climate and her soil, and
the advantages she offers to capitalists for
investment. In compiling this report the
Commissioner has made free use OF "Hotch-
kiss Summary" and he could not have re-
lied upon better authority.
The report TINS aludcs TO this section Of
the State:
The Valley OF Virginia lies between the
Blue Ridge and the Allegheny systems,
some of its counties ranging into each chain
OF mountains, and Augusta, Shenandoah,
Rockingham and Frederick, taking up con-
siderable portion Of the Appalachian division.
The Valley OF Virginia comprises Is conn
ties, viz: Frederick, Clarke. Warren, Shen.
andoah. Page. Rockingham, Augusta, Rock
bridge, gotetourf, Roanoke, Montgomery,
Pulaski, Wythe. Smyth and Washington,
and is subdivided by ) streams. which cross
it, constituting distinct valleys # has a
population of &c to the square mile. The
fertility of all this region is proyer5ial, and
to those who have visited it. word in its
commentator wonld be unnecessary; and
ifs hn1ffy q ~ Not,
has done as much for it a. probably any re-
gion In the world, and the excellent farmers
who inhabt it have not been remiss in i'm.
proving its advantages. England Is the conn
try we are prone to setnp as the agriculture
al standard with which to compare other
favored regions. 1t has been the writer's
fortune to traverse England from the Tweed
to the Isle OF Wight. and from Holyhead to
Dover and Harwich, and to examine some
Of the finest farms in this favored country,
and he is free to state, as his opinion, that
nature has favored no part of England more
highly than the Valley of Virginia, and, in
deed it is probable, that the natural fertility
OF this latter region is greater than any por-
ton OF the former. Like other portions OF
Virginia,it is trayersed by numerous streams,
which, in many places, gives it good wa
ter power, affords abundant supplies OF wa
ter for irrigation and for stock-raising. It
is an admirable grass country and eminent
ly adapted to raising stock of all kinds, and
we find grazing and stock.raising extensive
and profitable in this section of the State,
and that nowhere is finer stock produced.
Natural grasses spring up all over these sec
tons, and the "blue-grass, noted for it's
nutritious qualities, prevails through the
three regions we are speaking of, as we'll as
Piedmont region. From table given by
Major Hotchkiss in his Summary it ap.
pears that nearly double as much hay was
raised in the Valley, In 1883, as in either Of
the other divisions OF the Stale, though tide
water and middle Virginia are nearly third
larger, and Piedmont not great deal
smaller. Area of the Valley is 1850 square
miles. The minerals OF the regions we are
considering-Blue Ridge, the Valley and
Appalachia- very numerous and valtra-
Bile. In the first are copper, in large guam
titles, iron ores Of almost all the varieties,
and in abundant quantity, greensboro,
manganese, brick and fire clay. In the Sec
ond, limestone, to which is probably due
much Of the fertility Of the lands, valuable
marbles, states, brick and fire clay, some
anthracite coal, iron ores, large quantities of
lead and zinc, barytes, kaolin, &c. In the
third, limestones, marbles, states, brick and
fire clay, different valuable iron ores, gypsum,
and salt Gn Washington, Smyth. Tazewell
and 1.ee), with all the varieties o! bltumi-
nous coal in great quantity. The towns Of
che Valley are Salem, Wytheyille, Harrison
burg, Lexington, Winchester, Stanton and
Strasbarg-ail fionrishing places. The ac-
cess to market for these regions is by the
Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio railroad, on
the sonth-side Of lanes river, whicI, strikes
the Valley II miles north of Salem, the
James river and Kanawha canal, entering
at Buchanan, the Chesapeake nd Ohio rail-
road, passing through Stanton. the Valley
railroad from Stanton 10 Harper's Ferry.
designed to be- carried to Salem, and Manas-
sas Gap, running from Virginia Midland to
Strasburg in Warren county.
This general summary OF the advantages
OF Virginia, which are not over-wrought,
wonld seem sufficient to make our own peo-
pie satisfied with the favored State thew in
habit, and to attract to our territory those
seeking new homes, particularly the people
OF Europe living in the same latitude with
us, and. also. the jewellers in the colder
regions of the United States, who seek a
more genia! climate, with winters mild
enough to prosecute the cultivation Of the
soil through mott OF tile season, and who de-
sire to raise stock at a comparatively small
cost for feeding in the winter months.
But we have other advantages not particu-
larly spoken Of, and. as Commodore Maury
says: ''The more search the old State the
more she reminds me OF the magic sheaf Of
wheat, which, the more 1t was threshed the
more it yielded for the more | study her
valleys and mountains, her waters, climates
and soil. the more am impressed and as
tonished at the variety, abundance and val
lie OF her undeveloped treasures; and the
vastness OF the wealth that lies dormant in
her borders, waiting only for capital and
labor to develope and utilize, dazzles the
Imagination" No one is more competent
to speak intclligentiy and candidly OF the
resources Of Virginia than Commodore
Marry.
In describing Augusta County the report
says:
Augusta County is one OF the counties Of
the famous valley of Virginia. 1t is 35 miles
long and about 80 wide. The surface is un-
even, and mountainous on its east and
west boundaries, which are the Blue Ridge
and Appalachian chain. The valleys between
these mountains are extensive and very fer
tile.
1t has G7s,707 acres OF land, assessed at
SIS, 0,l4O. The population, in 1870, was
2s.763. The number OF farm animals:
Horses mules S,c 6 403. nattla II d01