The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-21

thi orchafding IN THIS scctoH. Dul II -
not the orchard section OF the state ny
any means. However. II Is pre-emlhcilI-
~ fitted for the culture OF early apples.
pears and peaches. and some notaoie
successes have been achieved IN thls
line but this industry has not been de-
, veloped and is as yet receiving but niue
attention. II peach growing Is success
ful in the coast region OF Delaware ana
Maryland, why shall 1t not be in Nir-
gluig2
MIDDLE vIKorNIA's FERTILITY.
Middle Virginia lies above Tide Water
and comprises all that area from the head
OF tide 10 the foot mis- OF IleumoH';
This is the largest Of any OF the physical
regions OF the state and comprises near
" third OF ITS ehtlrG man iawu nsaVieabIe
rivers OF Tide Water hut Is cut by these
same rivers i'm tneir second courfe ald
abundantly watered by lesser streams:
The sandy. lOamy character OF us son
renders IL one OF the finest soils to cult
waite man has ever seen. Along me
streams the soil Is OF an exceedingly
natural fertility and mucn or the ron
ing land is capable or beng DTOtSht llto
a nigh state OF cultivation. In TINS region
there are localities noted for many years
for the peculiar excellence OF their pro-
GuCts, rs the sweet sun-cureu OIlNolO
tobacco of Louisa county, the IIisht 70
baccos produced now quite ReheIahy ~
this region and the dark shipping types,
which are now and have been Tor many
years the standard of excellence In these
grades Of tobacco While the culture Oh
tobacco has gone steadily forward ana
Welded GOOD returns where COmpetent
brains aid energy have been put into us
culture. iron the whole, this large sec
tiOn Of Middle Virginia has received Ies5
Of impetus and new life since the war
than any other section.
TOBACCO ND IEUfT CrLTuHV.
Tobacco has been and - IS the great
staple Of this section. ms Iact OF , ~,
self IS evidence Of the eoauty Oh us
soil The great evil Of TINS Whoie area
is that IL has been farmed Consec4uFely
for two centuries without any lqed Ol
maintaining the vegetable. matter-humHS
In the soil, hence its barren, SANDY ap-
prararCe in many parts totally teheS IT'S
real quality. Every where "lthlh uil5 re-
gIon where proper ski. las tceh t%t'-
clsod. all OF the truck crop " l!de wafer
grow in the greatest perfection ana W
bacco crops of the finest dark shipping
Grades are yielding there from w "
9iJ pounds per acre, grown On NLat "ele
once run down plantations. ara crops %
bright grades of from 800 10 800 pouhds'
These are not stated as aaycrase cio!S,
because the average farmer Is pursuing
n syf'em OF robbery upon the SOL. "hcrG-
lrv ne impOvPrishes the soil and uHahcidi-
~ ruins himself and family; but these are
Statements Of results whicn have peeu
accomplished under intelligent culture.
The first industry IN this section -
scarcely 70 be mentioned as one OF us
money crops set here is a soil which IN
its nature mechanical texture, ease OF
drainage. etc. is without an equal IN
tho state for many branches OF trull
growing. 1t f. not a winter apple section,
lut all man Ter Of early orchard ana
small fruits IAN be grown to great per
lection, and here and there are Isolated
examines Of success already dchleVcd.
Melon raising and general trucking are
uracuced with remarkable success, so lar
As crop is concerned, where concehtiauoin
OF skill and effort are brought TO "UIh
together. Wheat and corn are STAPLE
crops. but much Of the soil Is now TOO
much depleted OF humus to grow these
exhaustive crops prohtably. mere. nov
ever as in TIDE Water, the opportunity
for improvement is boundless and cheap.
The black-eye peas and crimson clover
offer q quick and certain restoration OF
humus and also serve to accumulate NJ
trOgen IN the soil
PIEDMONT lND BLUE RIDGE.
Lying west inland from Middle Virginia
we have that beautiful section Of country
called Piedmont ana Immediately sue
ceeding IL. the Blue Ridge. These two
sections shade almost insensibly In eaCh
other and form together combination
Of soils exposures, and scenery which
must be intimately known 10 be apprecia-
ted Here as in the eastern portion or
the State, 1t is the same stOTy-e&haust-
tive farming, wheat, corn, TOBACCO mas
done the work upon the soil, until II
would almost appear that man was bent
upon its ruthless exhaustion. Fortunate
~ al OF the better soils of these Two
sections are practically lneXhauStdble.
Man may depletc them, but the broken
trap and epidOtic rocks are 50 abundant
iu almost every foot Of this soil that ma
tuTc s. constantly yielding by their de-
composition fresh supplies and that with
out limit The soils of these two sec
tons are often stiff clay, in many places
too heavy for easy culture IN garden
crops or trucks, but they are ideal fruit
..fI- y8-}1t srfr ffyr Ia
conserve their fertility yield wheat, corn,
oats, and all general crops in abundance.
Thirty bushels Of wheat, % TO u bushels
of corn. 40 10 90 bushels of oats, are
grown with comparative ease and GER
taiuty ON the best soils. Grass crops
are grown without diruiculty when once
humus is restored 10 the soil sufficient 10
conserve its moisture and fertility.
FAVORABLE TO CATTLE RAISING.
7 have seen cattle fattened upon the
winter pasture ON thu red clay hills of
Piedmont and orchard grass and meadow
upon the soils. II is not o. natural grass
country, but skim in rotation and Cul-
ture never fails 10 cover ii with q fine
sward. Notwithstanding the fact that il
is not a grass country, IL Is now album
dainty proven by example, that 1t can be
converted into fine dairy farms and
sheep raising Is one Of the most prof.
table ventures of the good farmer RUt
rich coyes Of its mountains practically
throughout this entire region. there IS
unlimited opportunity 10 develop orchard
and vineyard work With these great
opportunities Of soil and climate, we
have as vet but one special Virginia
Srapc-Norton-aTu the wine from II
has made Virginia Claret noted on two
continents. In no other soil can this
Claret be produced with the sam body
aud rich color as upon the soil Of Pied
mont
TO the greatest perfection, but we nave
developed none peculiar TO this soil and
climate. | feel safe in saying. that II
is possible 10 develop seedlings both Of
wine and table grapes upon our own soil,
which shall render these regions as ia
nous as those small regions along the
Rhine for their peculiar brands Of wine.
I'm orchard fruits We have one variety
which stand out with great prominence
i'm this section. the Albemarle Pippin,
and yet / do not believe 1t TO be the
most profitable, hut its character Is sU-
peTb ii meets a great want. \ common
average receipt from vineyards IS Sto
10 SO per acre and where apples are
choice and weil-Grown, / have known
them to yield all the way from 800 to
3 900 per aCre-thc less figure is easily
reached and the larger one is not IN
usual
vMGJNIAs Blue GRASS REGION.
The region of the state included with
In these two phy siCial divisions com
lIIses the bluegrass country of virginia,
motel since the earliest times for its sur
passing beauty and incXhaustible fertil-
ty. This section undoubtedly contains
The richest soils of the state. Not that
their absolute productive capacity Is so
ions. but that this soil stands exhaustive
farming better than ligh'er soils, This
region is prominently grain, grass, and
stock country. / have been able 10 per