Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-10-25
VIRGINIA..


From the Empire OF the South, published by
the Southern Railway Company
The Southern Railway enters the
S ate at Alexandria, just across the his
toric Potomac from Washington, end
leaves it on the southern edge four
miles below DanvilIe. From the main
stem of the road numerous branch lines
stretch out into rich sections of the
State or to its ports and commercial
centres. From Alexandria. q quaint
old city dating back to 174S, hallowed
by memories OF Washington and other
famous men, branch leads TO the west
through Arlington, Herndon and Lees
Durg 10 Round Hill. This is popular
suburban residence region with many
WashipgtoniaDs, who find the excellent
train service gives them the opportuni
ty of doing business in the city and liV-
Ing in a most salubrious and attractive
rural region. From Manassas branch
runs west and south by way of Stras-
burg TO HGrrisonburg, passing through
au uudulating, well-wooded and fertile
farming section where there are
evidences OF thrift On every hand
From Calverton there is a short
branch to Wsrrenton, pretty little
Virginia town, and the centre of re-
.lon famous for its fne old estates and
modern stock farms. At Franklin
Juncyion line leads to Rocky Mount,
aud from Danville the road has q
branch to Stuart. At the former place
the chief stem is joined by the Dan
vile and Richmond Division of the
Southern Railway, running through
Richmond TO West Point, passing OIL
the way the towns OF Sutherin, South
Boston, Burkeville and Amelia Court
House.
No traveller across Virginia on th'
Southern Railway will fail TO be im-
pressed with the extreme beauty anu
evidences Of thrift in the Piedmont sec
IN 1t the State. AT Manassas, the
frs important PIec- s)uth OF Atexan'
ira, was icu.hi thr battle CT August
20 and 30 1862 the roar OF which Vas
card even III " ashnrtou. B yond ir
5alvertoo, theu Cu!p, per, the home OF
t1c once famous Minute Men, WHO i'll
.lud9d in their membership john Mar
hall. atierwurd Chief Justice Of the
Uaited States.
Twenty miles south of Culpeper the
rain rolls across the historic Rapidan,
md shortly after Orange is passed, just
beyond which is Montpelier, where a
glimpse may be caught in passing Of
the home Of James Madison, the fourth
President. Il is beautiful region, all
oft, from Alexandria to Charlottesville
aud then on south, passing North Gar
len, Amherst and Monroe to Lynch
burg. Leaving this prosperous city the
road follows its southwesterly course 10
D.rvilla. passing on the Way lawyers
Road, with its nearby springs, Frank
an Junction and Chatham. 1t is upon
this portion of the route that the Blue
K de Mountains begin to build up
their shapely outlines against the
western horizon. They add charming
variation to the pastoral beauty of the
valleys, and form lovely panorama OF
which the traveller never tires.
Beginning with agriculture, which a
French savant once calle1 the Durtur
ing breast of the State," it will be
worth while TO direct attention in more
de.nil to the Old Dominion's breadth OF
Iiches. Here are the farm products OF
the State for 1896: Wheat, 5,724,9l
bushels: corn, 3S 067 ,9S6;oate, S,492, 296;
rye, 4l9 SO; potatoes, 1881 ,414; hay,
$50, ,6S2 tons; tobacco, 81 ,96l ,26O pounds.
Tne lands of the State are not only fer:
tile, but they are easily cultivated and
are contiguous to the best markets
This latter fact particularly adapts the
State to profitable truck farming.
The truck farmers have made Aieaf
success ot potato raising, and some OF
hem have cleared IA hian a. from $lO,-
40 to $50, 900 in sing season rom thla
,rop aloue. -,
Every variety of fruit which Will
grow in the temperate zone hourishes
ia the Piedmont region. The sunny
slopes of the mountains have pecu-
liarly light soil, kept constantly fertile
by the decomposition of rocks furnish
ing potash, and perennially moist by
numerous springs. This soil is, there
fore. admirably adapted to apples, and
one of the most famous kipd-the AL
hemarle pippin-has been brought to
its highest perfection here. II is the
favorite in foreign markets, and usually
sells at three dollars or mUre barre
ON the trees, the buyer furnishing the
barrels and doing the picking; :,
Next in Importance to the apps
comes the grape in line OF fruit. A
peculiarity noted in the most favored
claret-producing vineyards of France
is the large admixture of iron IN the
soil. This is the characteristic OF mucI
of the soil OF this section: The sou ano
climatic conditions of Virginia, wheI
compared with the grape districts o
Germany and France, present ma many ns
striking similarities. The average
ranges of the thermometer OF this sec
ton and of those at Bordeaux and otn
er vine growing sections OF Germsns 1Sn ny
and France are very close together
Ia this rolliug, hilly country, win Ia Hs
calcareous loan, or graveliy, loose sou sou
with rocky sub-soil, facilitating @ sel,'
drainage, with exemption from neavs a, :;
spring frosts apd early frost IN eulunu Im u
with rarely any excess OF raln'ai 1n,n IL