Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-11

under the most favorable circum-
stspces. :,
The crop Of tobacco planted is small,
but the stand is good. :,
A number Of mill-dsms were washed
away in the county ; slse a large guam
tity Of fencing.
Cumberland.
mrrr.DAMs WASHED AWAY; WHEAT
cRop SHORT; TOBACCO BELOW TIE
AvIRAGE; CORN FAIR; DAT
YIELD FINE.
Last week in this county We had
five mill.dams washed away by the
heavy rams. Those who were so UNI
fortunate as to lose them were Messrs.
NJ. Flanagan, j. b. Flippen, 5. +. Cole
man. F. n. Maxey. Jr., and Holman
& Putney. Our crop OF wheat Is a
short one and very much injured by
the late rains, The tobacco crop is not
.s large ss usual. There will be but
little corn made on fiat land as it has
been washed up several times; but the
high land corn IS looking well. The
oat crop is a fine one.
Willis river was higher than it has
been for forty years. 49,
ChestcrgeId.
NEARLY ALL THECROPs DESTROYED
BY RAINS AND FREsHnTs s.
BRIDGES LOST, &C.
The floods in the James and Apo.
mattox rivers have nearly destroyed the
crops. Most Of our river farms have
been flooded eight times this year, and
the farmers have seeded their farms as
many times. The last big rains
have entirely destroyed all crops on
both rivers, and it is now too late to re-
plant corn or any other crop this year.
Some Of them may SOW millet if the
land dries up in time, but it Is almos.
too late for that. Not one half Of the
people finished planting corn, even on
The high lands, and tina. planted il
nearly all ruined for want Of work, as
the grass in many instances is higher
than the corn.
The wheat crop throughout the en-
tire county was splendid, and is all cut,
but is ruined in the shocks by sprout-
iDg-sprouts are at least four or five
inches long. The oat crop is very good
better than any for several years, and
is now being harvested, but the pros
pects are very bad for taking care Of them,
as most of the farmers are complaining
OF mould in the sheaf
The hay crop, ! suppose, was the
best that has been harvested in this
county since the war, but a great deal
of it was ruined by the wet weather.
Vegetables Of every description have
been nearly drowned out.
The tobacco crop, as general thing,
is only moderately good, and is con-
siderably damsged by the heavy rains.
The heavy rains Of last week de-
stroyed some very valuable bridges
one rear Petersburg, about one hun
bred yards long, across Swift creek,
and known as Brander's bridge,
was lost; also the bridge near the
Courthouse, across the same stream
also Martins bridge, across Falling
creek, and all the other bridges across
both streams are damaged. The losses
by the rains and flood have been con-
siderable, and are hard to estimate.
AppomnttoN.
WHEAT BAD; GRASS CROP HEAVY
But MUCH OF 1T LOST; YIELD OF
OATS LARGE, &c.
A fair crop Of wheat was cut, but il
has been very much damaged by the
continued rains. Much Of it is sprOut
ing badly in the shock. There is but
very little good wheat in the county.
There was a very heavy crop Of clover
and grass, but owing TO the rains much
Of it that was cut has been spoiled anc
much will rot be cut.
The oat crop is a very large one, al
if it can be harvested aud saved thi
Weld will be greater than for mauJ
years.
Corn is looking fine and growing "a
pidly but has had but little work; muct
of the later planting none At all, aud
like the tobacco, is now very grassy. !
it dries off enough TO work the land il
a few days the corn and tobacco vii
both need attention at the same time
and neither can get its due share with
out the other suffering.
| have heard Of no mlll.dam benz
washed away by the late froshet. On
short bridge was washed down. Tn
damage on the eek-bOttoms to corn
tobacco, and grass has been quite heavy
Prince Edward.
HALF TUEWHEAT DESTROYED AL
OTHER CROPS INJURED BY TIL
HEAvYFLOODs; LOSS OF BRIDGES
&C.
Several causes seem to have con
spired TO depress the farming interes
in this and the adjoining counties as n
one remembers before.
The large tobacco crop of the pas
year much of which vas 1ue-cured
involving greater EXPENSE gave buoy
ancy and hope until it was sold, /
many cases, for less than the cost c
production. The wheat crop, whlc
was an unusually good one, was sa(el
harvested and inspired some hope
alas so soon to be crushed, in view c
the low prices and the sproutiug grain
No crop Of wheat has escaped quite ST
rious injury from the continued rains
AL over the county shocks have bee
carried down by the freshets when upo
streams, involving in many cases
total loss; and our farmers would los
to-day from sprOuting enc half Of the
estimated yield should more fayorabl
weather set in.
The Appomattox has four tributarie
which traverse the length of this cour
ty-the Bush, Briery, Sandy, and Bu
falo rivers. Within one month the
have thrice flooded their low grounds
and have as often necessitated the r.
planting and resetting Of corn and II
bacco. The flood in these streams I
last week exceeded any other in fort
years-destroyed beyond hope of r
demption or repair the crops in the be
lands in the county. No one is :
sanguine as to hope to get the land
order and plant another crop. YoJ
correspondent hears of no estimate {