Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-10
RICHMOND AND HER PROGRESS.
a Busy Merchant Writes About what We
Have and What We Need.


Ashton Starke. that big-hearted, ana
publa spirited citizen who is always dong
something to help Richmond along anu
bring TO the attention of tho world the au-
vantages which the city and State possess
has this readable letter in the March mum,
Der of the Farm Implement He1os, puDlsheu
in Chicago: =,
Your oft-repeated request that / should
permit you 10 introduce me to your col
umns through a letter from Richmond;
forces me 10 recognize your enterprise anu
TO commiserate your readers. 10 thes9
latter ones | beg to say that l kicked
against 1t as long as prudence would ae-
nit, but when the editor OF Farm imPe-
faent Ne,cs sets out after you 1t 10 Simply !,
case of don't shoot; I'll come down,
and here / am.
Few of our readers need be told where
Richmond is. For a place so disgustlngly
hard to get to for some OF our northern
friends few years back it is certainly, one
of the most accessible places IN the lanu
to-day. May | add that if che keeps on IN
her steady growth she will soon disturb
the peace OF mind of our more northern
manufacturers as she did their soldlery IN
days of yore-however, OF this latter re-
Election Virginia says TO the country |;
Behold Johnston beside the bier OF Sher'
Uldu. AIb VIC uOb III DiNAhA SA
ADVANTAGES WHICH We POSSESS.
MANY of the manufactures of Richmond
such as plug tobacco, cigarettes. ETC., are
known the world over, and there IS scarce
ly quarter of the civilized globe into
which her business correspondence ms no!
found Its way. She has not the number OF
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT manufactures which she
should and will have ere long. Abundance
of water-power, unexcelled climate, close
proximity to coal and irCn-mines WITHIN
the State. cheap labor, railroad facilities
and deep water TO the Atlantic, combine 10
give her great advantages; while geo
graphical position and the closest
sympathy of all the southern
States, give her command OF TIE
southern field. We need skilled mechanics
men who are capacitated TO superlntena
establishments. | think / can find sucn
The capital 20 couple with skill here. A
trayelling-man myself over Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia L
become somewhat conversant with exist
ing conditions in these sections, Perhaps
farming has not been much OF o money
making vocation anywhere during the
past several years, but think the farmers
of the South have done perhaps better
than any other section considering the Ia
Dor, methods, and zeal which have been
bestowed upon the work. At anyrate, few
southern farms, comparatively, have any
mortgages upon them.
TOO MUCH CREDIT.
Wheel tools, such az wheel-plOws and
wheel-cultiyators. are rarely used. Cultl:
waiting is done with One-hOrse plows and
small one-horse cultlvators. The two.
row or check-row planters areseldom seen,
the single-row planters being used instead
Sprinc-tooth cultivators or harrows are
being adopted TO some small extent. a
too liberal credit system, which became G
habit in DAYS when there were not so many
receivers" and "assignees,' has done
much TO cripple and ruin many a southern
implement dealer. Richmond has been nc
exception in this particular. / am en-
couraged to believe that we are gradually
drifting towards more general cash busi-
ness.
There are many implements needed in
this southern field which inventive geniu:
must supply-for example, a successful
peanut. planter and q separator and cleaner
for handling the same crop: a cotton
picker. of course. low priced and sue
cessful fertilizer and manure-distrlbuter
and others.
We NEED NEW MEN.
Then in Virginia we need to strike trade
with the Northwest by swapping about 50t
of our go-easv farmers for the same number
of live, horney-handed Northwest mel
who who will come in here and
show the people how to make the best
use of all nature has given US IN the way
Of fertile fields. variety of soil, plenteoui
streams, and magnificent climate. You
have heard of the fellow who said that the
reason that he didn't put more 1esh on his
poor mule was because be could hardly
carry what he then had on him. Well
that is lust about the reason you get when
YOU ask the average Virginia farmer why
he still clings to some antiquated tool .
can't make crop with this. and what
would do with that new-fangled thing ~
But thew are not all so: the advanced
implements of the county are TO be found
now and again. Many slos have been
built during the past few years. The
DAIRY business has been largely developed
among us, and while too many of oul
farmers have become infatuated with the
idea of getting rich in a night and have
neglected their farm affairs TO JOIN the
ranks of those engaged III the great mine.
raj development and clty-building enter
prises that are going on throughout the
State, all seems combining to stimulate
our people TO a general system of improve.
ment, and hence q looking after new ant
improved appliances. Factories are being
started here and there, and many to manu-
facture implements. but i am kept busy
man and have not the data before me Il
give you any list of the same.
The implement and vehicle trade for lS9l
opens we'll and am inclined to look for O
good year. ASHTON SrARKE.
Richmond, Va.