The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-29
VIRGINIA LANDS.


Tor the past Eevcral years We have
Il been telling our readers that Virginia
Il lax1n lands arc tho greatest bargains at
i Tie price IN this country. We arc more
and more convinced that that estimate
81 correct. Some farm lands are high
md. perhaps, are selling for rs much as
they are worth. There are other lands
which are not available. md. though the
prices seem ridiculorsly cheap. We would
/ not advise the purchase of them. But
q there are hundreds and thousands OF
acres OF available land in Virginia that
are selling. in our opinion, at less than
half their true value. and we believe that
such lands bought at ruling prices would
Yield rich profits to those who invest in
them.
We had an interesting talk the other
day with citizen Of one Of: the Tar
western States, who formerly lived in
Virginia. he is familiar with the situa-
ton in the West and he understands the
situation in Virginia, and he fully agrees
with The Times that lands in this sec,
ton OF Virginia are very cheap So
much impressed is he with the fact that
he has made large purchases of farm
lands in the Eastern part of the State
and he expects to realize handsomely on
the investment. There are several other
L land agents from that section of the
country who are now interesting them
I selves in Virginia farm lands. We learn
4 through these gentlemen that large
numbers Of men who years ago settled
In Missouri, wisconsin, North and South
Dakota and other States in the North
west have sold out their lands at a good
profit and are now looking for a more
Il desirable location In a warmer climate.
1t is the purpose of the land agents to
whom VIC have referred TO bring some
Of these Nort1lwesterners into Virginia
and settle them here. They have already
I brought down quite a number Of families
and they believe that they will bring
down many more Tho chief difficulties
I in the way Of selling Virginia lands TO
these men is the low price. The West
erners seem to think and naturally so,
that lands which are offered at from five
to ten dollars an acre cannot be worth
rery much.
But they do not understand conditions
! In Virginia. We haze too much land
for the number OF inhabitants, and labor
4 Is scarce. We need practical farmers
!: from other sections who will come and
take up the lands and till them with their
own hands. We ought to exert ourselves
as a people to induce such farmers to
come in and the State ought to exert
itself in that direction. We ought to
have our land agents in the Northwest;
we ought to circulate our literature there;
we ought to have our land agents in Vir-
: einia to receive these would-be settlers,
and when they come to direct them where
4 to go. little money judiciously expend-
ed in this direction would be about the
4 best investment that the State could make.
Finally, we believe that the st. Louis
Exposition will afford the State of Vir-
4 ginia the best possible opportunity and
occasion to advertise her agricultural
lands, her mineral lands and her adj
rantages and resources Of every descrip
Z tion.s If we will but take advantage OF
this occasion to make the right sort of
an exhibit and to advertise our State
) In the right way the practical results will
soon be forthcoming.