The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-09-22

exhaustion of Northern forests This country
80 diversified, has climate equal to any anG
la variety of natural resources, of rocks anG
| minerals, suited to almost every occupation
and capable of producing wealth from the oys
| teri beds and fisheries of tidewater ana from
/ gold ore coal, iron, marble, copper, sulphur
plumbago, limestone, salt, and plaster The
soils of Virginia are as varied as her minerals
from the light alluvial soils of the tidewateI
region to the rich upland. loans of the Middle
and Piedmont region, and the lighter grass
soil of the mountain region. Ore sa
| Different parts of Virginia are adapted to
different agricultural productions The re-
| gion about Norfolk is becoming the great gar
den spot for early vegetables for the northern
market. Middle Virginia has always been
famous for its tobacco, which after nearly two
centuries of cultivation has not yet exhausted
the soil. The Valley of Virginia was hun
dred years ago extolled by Jefferson; and
Washington said of its soil, climate, and pro-
auctions I'm my opinion, it will be consid-
cred, if it is not considered so already, as the
garden ofAmerica." The mountain region of
Virginia contains great cattle-ranges, where
natural grasses spring as soon as the forests
are cleared away; where sheep, producing
mutton of almost unrivalled quality, can pas
ture during the whole year, with but little care
or labor. Ih,oao no portion Of the United States
to so',sct, Of flooring eeisdst6oss-ere offered, No
tire so aagates Immigration, and s0lteae La50a.
stea0sly applied aooatld sSeld such rich returns
And yet this favored State of Virginia, with
10, 900 square miles of land, with at least 2, 500
miles of tidal water, the oldest settlement in
our country, contains but 1,250,000 lnhab-
itants, deeply in debt, with impaired credit,
and with tendency among its people to mi
CRATE into newer States, with less hope and
mr. ntpNI fnT no fIIfI
The development of the resources of this
State is a tempting field for enterprise. Why
is it that this magnificent region has Jagged
so tar behind her sisters in the race OF develop
ment? New York during the Revolution was
wilderness west of the Hudson. Pennsy-
vania at the same period west of Harrisburg
was scarcely explored. Pittsburg was an out
laying military post on the verge of the Indian
country. Now what magnificent States New
York and Pennsylvania have become.
Chief among the causes why Virginia has
Jagged behind these and other States, was ne
gro slavery. In the origin of this institution
Virginia was no more at fault than the other
colonies; and, indeed, her statesmen claim
that she resisted the Importation of slaves, but
it was forced upon her by the cupidity of Eng
land and the northern colonies, who made
profit in this commerce. Still the evil effects
fell with greater force upon Virginia than
upon other States. The existence of slavery
kept from Virginia the tide of Industrious i'm
migration which filled up the North and
West; and yet, by inducing careless culture
in land, mainly conducted by slaves, it i'm
provshed the soil and prevented diversity of
industries. The workshops of Lowell and
Lawrence might have been more readily To-
Gated on the James or Potomac than upon the |
Merrimac Dos ~
The harbor of Hampton roads and the wa
ters around are equal, if not superior, to those
Of New York. Slave labor, however, is not
adapted to manufactures or commerce; but |
can only be profitably employed in the rudest |
from of agriculture This institution having |
happily passed away, there is nothing to pre-
vent Virginia gaining all that she has lost by |
slave labor.-P1omter and Farmer for Jannasy,
1891 IL L. ---