Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-09
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
100000 YIELD FROM CABBAGE CROP
IN wYrHE.
a Beautiful and FERTILE country-success'
ful rsrming-schools and
Churches, &C.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispstch.l
SKvES-MuE FORD,
SMITH COUNTY, VA,
Sentemher q 1888.

promise and progress OF this great South
west Virginia country, l have seen no
thing from this richest and healthiest
part OF il,
The middle fork Of the Holston runs
through the broad green meadows and
wide pasture lands here and skirts the
rich bluegrass hill, topped with pretty
groves and flecked with thousands OF
sleek lowing cattle and bleatiDg sheep.
The pretty rushing stream furnishes
bass-fshing that would even tempt the
presidential Isaac Walton again from his
unsayory pension vetOes and fisby
Canadian business if half the truth
were told him. And the Norfolk and
Western through line runs mp and down
the beautiful valley with its scores OF
trains day keeping up the ever-busy
hum OF life day in and day out.
A COMING PLACE.
Right here at Seven Mile Ford, so
called because it is the ford in the river
which is seven miles from Marion, is, as
an old farmer enthusiastically remarked
yesterday, 1.-the centre of gravtation, ."
the finest fruit section OF Southwest Vir-
ginia, none better for vegetables, conye-
nient TO the fine Chilbowie sulphur
spring, n newly-discovered and strong
chalybeste spring, and the shipping
point for the famous Ashe county bro
mine and arsenic water of North Caro-
lima. There is cannery now here in
successful operation working up the
peaches and tomatoes that the farmers
are daily bringing in. two stores, and two
small hotels, generally full, but the
grandest site for grand hotel, which
must be built sooner or later, | ever saw.
CABBAGE.
But the talk Of all the country round
is cabbage, comparatively new indus
try, and most promising and profitable
one here. Nearly every farmer you
meet will pretty soon proceed to tell you
what he knows about cabbsees, and
what he does not know is hardly worth
knowing. Thousands of acres in
Smytb, Wythe, and Washington coun-
ties, are planted IN cabbage this year.
The crop is q great deal larger this than
last year, having to some extent taken
the place of the wheat crop. The large
fields blue with it, seen as you pass along
through the country, remind one Of
the truck-farms near our large cities
The crop is so profitable that | would like
for some OF your farmer readers III other
sections adapted TO its cultivation to
know something more about 1t. An eI-
perienced cabbage-msn tells me that
1000 plants are rather below the average
number put on an acre. Although IN
this section a great many heads weigh
five pounds and often more, two pounds
may be taken as a safe average, which
makes 900 pounds per acre raised.
They often sell at two, three, and even
four cents per pound during the fail and
winter. Now the early portion Of the
crop is bringing one half and three quar-
ter cents per pound, 20 an average Of
enc and half cents is safe figure,
making $2l0 proceeds per acre, which
can be ednalled by few crops and even
the hall of it. 1t beats wheat or tobac-
co. 4 farmer near here with eight acres
in very fine cabbage has been offered
81, 600 for his crop and refused to sell.
Mt Airy, in Wythe, is the centre Of
the cabbage district Of this county, and
It's cultivation has been very profitable as
we'll as the trade at that point. Nearly
100000 worth of this vegetable was
shipped from that station last year, one
shipper having made about Sl2, 900 from
that source alone. The crop this season
is estimated at about three times what it
was last year. and il is thought that fully
5000 acres of cabbages ere in cultiva-
ton in Wythe alone, which, if the crop
Yields as well as it did last year, will be
800 carloads, and if it sells at even
half the price it did last year, will bring
over 100000 of cash money to the
county.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
I was at Glade Spring, in Washington
county, yesterday, and found that pretty
little town has improved wonderfully
since last visited it several years ago.
Especially is the improvement noticea-
bic in the western part OF the town,
where the Southwest Virginia Institute
is located. This is a private school built
up and mainly supported by the Baptist
denomination, and is splendid monu-
ment to the zeal and indomitable energy
of the Rev. j. r. Harrison, pastor Of the
Baptist church here.
BENEVOLENT BAPT1sTs.
Four years ago he started this enter
prise by the purchase of neat house
with accommodations for twelve board
ers. This year quite a large building,
costing about $4,000, has been added,
the whole building as completed costing
about SIS, 900, and presenting a very Mt
tractive appearance with its long double
porticos, ornamented with q profusion OF
flowers, and its handsome, well-kept
grounds. This is not a money making
enterprise. The building was erected by
private contributionsmadeb by individuals
and churches among the Baptist people
of Virginia in response to the appeals OF
Mr.. Harrison, who says that Richmond
helped him when he could get aid no.
where else. and without the aid of Rich
mond Baptists the enterprise would
hardly have succeeded. They have also
bought handsome property and started
a promising male school here, and with
the valuable church property, church and
manse located here, where years ago
when Mr.. Harrison came there was not
even church, the whole property
owned by these pushing people is worth
at least s25, 900 to-day.
PROGRESSIVE PRESBYTERIANs.
The Presbyterians are also Just com
pleting a handsome brick church at
Glade Spring, which will cost nearly
90. 900. This is branch Of the church
at old Glade Spring, and is for the use
of the members of that congregation
who reside III or near the town. Such a
building has long been needed here. and
several years ago, when Rev. +. NJ. Nc
Catchan became the pastor of this peo-
ple. he set on foot the enterprise, which
be has never allowed to lag. Now this
large and growing congregation will have
two handsome and comfortable houses OF
worship. foA'
WILsON-JEFFKEs
Marriage OF mr. George N. wilson
and Miss Rose Lee Jenress nc