The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-06-23
WRGlNlA'S RESOURCES.
The South Compared With the West
Our Splendid Opportunities.


from the Roanoke Times of Sunday
1t is an article from the pen Of Pau
Scherer, Land and Immigrant agent o
the Norfolk and Western railway. Mr.
Scherer says:
For number Of years past, the rail.
roads Of the South have been engaged
m systematic effort to bring before
the eyes Of Western and Northern
people the superlatiye advantages OF
the South, agrculturally and indus
trially. This leaven so judiciously
placed in the lump Of public opinion
has commenced to work, and Western
farmers are beginning to take cogni-
zance Of the vast possibilities which lie
before well-directed, intelligent effort
on Southern farms.
In comparison Of Western agricul-
tural conditions with those Of the
South, the balance is largely in favor
of the latter, both as to cheap lands,
equability of climate and contiguity to
the large markets. These facts are
easily demonstrate by statistics, but
the most effective object lesson is the
success which has been attained by
those Westerners who have 'come over
and possessed the land.n
In Virginia, Western men and
methods have repeatedly increased the
yield of wheat per acre from five
bushels to twenty-five and thirty.
Farms which few years ago would
barely support two horses and a cow
have been made to support thirty cows,
more than twenty sheep and half a
dozen horses. In short, Western men
have established the fact that our lands
will produce well properly cultivated,
and acknowledge our superiority in the
essentials of first-class farming COM
munity.
With our splendid combination Of
advantages, why is it that we do not
see people hocking to the South in
constant stream, as was the case at one
time in the West? Why is not the
influx Of farmers to the South greater?
Why is it that the per cent. Of gain in
in the cities is greater than
in the farming communities
There are, of course, cogent reasons
why such conditions exist, but they
have not yet been ventilated in the
public prints. The slow progress being
made in settling up our farm lands is
due principally to lack of proper
banking facilities. A few years ago
the country was divided on the currency
question. Since then there has been a
marked improvement in financial
affairs, but with this change has come
no improvement IN the banking ques-
ton as far as the farmer is concerned.
While capital seeks investment in
city real estate and is ready to respond |
to every call in that direction, it is very
slow to turn toward investments in
farm lands.
The man with limited capital has a
better opportunity to secure home in
a city than in farming community,
because capital is eager to invest in
city real estate; but, on the other hand,
the chances are not so great for the
poor man to retain city property as
would be the case if his holdings were
in improved farming lands, because
the farm IN itself is a continual source
Df revenue to the owner, while if the |
city workman loses his position in the |
shop or factory the chances are that he |
will also lose his property, because the |
source of income being cut off he is
thereby unable to keep up his pay
ments. Is not the rapid growth of our
cities largely due to the easy plan of
home?
And in support of this view it may |
be asked: has, during the last crisis, the
value Of farm land decreased more than
he value Of city property? What has
Deen the experience Of our Virginia
titles during the last five years?
What was the experience Of strictly |
arming communities?
Statistics say that the average size Of
4 farm in Virginia is one hundred and
fifty acres, but by looking over the list
If lands offered for sale in this State it
will be noted that ninety per cent. Of
he farms on the market contain more
han two hundred acres, and practical
'eal estate men all agree that small
arms Of from one hundred and twenty
o one hundred and fifty acres always
ind a quicker sale than large tracts.
In ninety cases out Of hundred the
Western man who wants to buy a
home in this country, suited to his
astes and his means, is forced TO buy
more land than he really wants or can
are for. This condition exists solely
because of the lack Of capital engaged
n the real estate business. The fact is
veil established that a hundred acres
# land will sell quicker than five hum
lred or a thousand. 1t is, also well
,nOwn that hundred acre tract will
ring, acre for acre, higher price than
thousand acre tract, yet in spite Of
Woods Seeds. |