Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-12-05
HON. .. HOLLAND on HISTORIC
GROUND.

ieiccs anu impressions on visiting
historic Virginia points. was NH
lished in the Hollandale Revisu
several weeks ago. but escaped on.
notice at the time. There is so muoh
of interest and instruction tina, !.
will be found good reading at anr
time, therefore we reprint it substan
TALLY entire:
The tract of country which formal
the object of my visit in particulo,
was the historic peninsula between
the James and York rivers. The land
is generally Level but we'll drained
The soil varies from the aluvial, stis
soil along the rivers, to the soma.
what sandy uplands, nearly all
which have substratum of clar
Judging from general appearances
and somewhat superficial view O,
the surroundings, l think | am safe
in estimating the cleared land AS he.
ing one-third of the whole. the 70.
naming two-thirds being covered
with timber. l was told by an old
residents that before the war the
whole of this tract was in the high.
est state # cultivation and looked
like veritable paradise.
The climate on the whole must he
very healthy, getting the benefit Of
both ocean and river breeze. Excess.
sive heat and severe cold are stran-
gers to this region.
On account of the moderately
warm and long season, from March
to December, farmers can easily
raise two crops of most all kinds Of
grain in one year, providing the
necessary fertilizers are used, and
| the ground titled in a work manlike
manner. | witnessed several in.
stances in which good crop of Irish
potatoes were raised in the early
part of the season and the same
piece PIT into corn for second crop.
| Everything in the line of fruit that
/ can think of, with the exception Of
| lemons and oranges, thrives exceed.
ingly well here, and stapl $. such as
| corn, wheat. rye, oats. barley. pea
nuts, sweet and Irish potatoes, peas
of all kinds, beans, melons, tomatoes
and almost all kinds of berries, grow
|
very luXuriously.
The price of improved farms with
fairly good buildings range from
$500 10 $500 per acre. During the
week of my stay, several thousand
acres changed hands, nearly all the
purchasers being northern people.
A Chapman of Madison, Wis. pur-
chased 400 acres last spring. The
price of land has advanced material
ly the past four years, and will doubt
less continue to raise for some
time yet.
Around the city of Williamsburg,
within the radius of say 10 Elles,
quite large number of Scandina-
vians have settled within tie past
two years to make their homes IN
Virginia. All of them | met spoke
very favorably of the country ana
expressed themselves as well pleased
with the change they had made
from rigorous northern winters to
the mild ones OF the south. Exper-
fence has already taught these
northern farmers that as fine grasses
can be grown here as in any other
section of our country.
The natural grass common to near
ly the whole south is of course, the
Bermuda grass, but our common feu
clover, as well as orchard grass ana
timothy, was being raised by these
northern farmers. Mr.. Christ,
Swede lately from Dakota, had i
field of clover sown last fall, that
would bear comparison with the Des'
of clover fields in Wisconsin.
On account of the short and milu
winters, lazy and careless farmers
frequently let their cattle remain Gus
all winter, makirg their own living
with little or no feed. This praetlce
although not to be recommenued az
good policy for thrifty farmers WHo
wish to raise cattle for profit, reau'
| lily proves, however, that cattle can
be raised and handled here VITA
good deal less expense than "he'o
stock must be on full feed ioF
months or over.
Windmills are almost unknown
owing to the fact that springs ouoO''
up in almost every nook and eofne'
of the land.
The oyster and fish industries arc
/ Of great yalae and furnish revenues
to the people in considerable pfoPo'
tions. One day a certain captain ~
vited me to take boat ride on Wv
York river, We had no sooH',
pushed from shore, than be oIue'o1