Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-10-26
A Northern Mans Experience
in Virginia Farming.

According to promise, l write you
this letter, And as l do not set
royeslt up as a leader in the noble
pursuit of agriculture, l think per-
haps you, as well as the readers of
your valuable journal, will be more
interested it give you my views
of Virginia farming tror'e a north
ern standpoint. | located in Vir-
ginia Immediately after the war,
and purchased a farm in the Upper
James River Valley, twelve years
ago this spring, and have been ac-
lively engaged in agricultural pur-
suits ever since. Ny first purchase
was 4 farm Of 300 acres, for which
l paid 50 per acre 1t is located
about two miles back from the riy-
er, had no fences or buildings Of
any kind-the dwelling having been
burned some years before. II was
what is called here, a poor, worn
out farm. But it was a very nice
gray and chocolate soil, with an ex
cellent led clay subsOil. BY way
OF encouragement, my neighbors
told me | would starve on that farm.
About one-half of the land was in
first and second growth timber !;
the balance, more or less, grown
up to bueshs. l first grubbed and
cleared about ten acres, put it in
corn and got very good crop. l
then followed the corn crop with
wheat, which was my first crop OF
that staple. The field averaged at
least 20 bushels per acre, and |
sold it in the Richmond market at
50 per bushel. The freight to mar
ket was five cents per bushel. Thus
you see my gross receipts were
nearly $40 per acre. l used not a
particle of manure or fertilizer on
either the corn or wheat crops. |
think that was doing well on land
that only cost s. per acre, and L
told my nelghbors if that was the
way | was going to starye to death,
would like to be able to get some
more such land to starve on. l at
tribute the large yield of corn and
wheat simply to deep ploughing. l
ploughed from eight to ten inches,
ard TUNED up soil that had not
been reached tOr years before, if
ever.
Before purchasing farm in Nir-
ginia | had the Kansas or Western
fever and intended to go West. But
fortunately, l was speaking to a
friend one day Of my intentions,
and lie advised me by all means not
TO 90 West that he had brother
in Kansas and that about every
other year lie was writing hone for
aid to keep himself and family from
starvation, One year lis crop and
buildings were destroyed by drouth
and fire. Another grasshoppers de-
stroyed ali vegetation, and a third
calamity, a cyclone, laid waste his
buildings, &c But out of the u
years | have farmed in Virginia,
there has been no destruction in this
section TO crops CT buildings, from
grasshoppers, winds or hail, and
not single drouth that has pre-
vented NE from making very fair
crops. This has been the worst OF
all scasors, and the damage this
year is principally on the corn crop.
/ What Virginia wants is a good,
industrious farmer on every hun
bred acres; for high farming pays
as well here IS in any State in the
Union.
My experience in Virginia farm
ing convinccs me that the mildness
OF tie climate will enable a tanner
TO DO almost double the work
through the year, with the same
force OF team and hands, than can
be done in tie colder States of the
North and V est. Besides, the
length of season will enable on to
raise two crops on the same land in
one year, if he chooses. | am also
convinced that for stock-raising this
Upper James River Valley cannot
be excelled. 1t is abundantly wa.
tered with never-failing streams and
springs Of pure, cold, soft water,
and some years stock will do well
TO run out all winter without being
ted or housed. And the grasses,
such as white clover and blue grass,
are indigenous 10 the soil, and as
fine crops OF clover and timothy are
raised here, as can be grown in New
!