The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-09
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VIRGINIA FARMS.

VIRGINIA FARMS.
Tho Lexington Gazette says that from
the farmers OF Rockingham county comes
IN The cry that II is impossible to secure
reliable labor. That condition is not
confined to Rockingham. We hear 1h s
same complaint from various sections OF
the state. especially from the counties IN
the black. belt, where there We're io'-
enerlv many negroes. But q large NUM- NUM-
bcr Of negroes are now finding employ
mcnt in the mines or on the raliroaos
and they prefer this to farm work, pc
cause they receive better pay and there
3s more or less of adventure in mining
and railroadins.
There has come great change IN lnls
respect during the past several years anu
the farmers Of Virginia must meet the
new conditions They must rely in the
main anon themselves and their sons 10
iii The soil, and that means that farm
operations must in a measure DC cur
tailed. The average farmer cannot I'M
der existing conditions have his Droao
acres.'' He must confine his operations,
no must reduce his acreage. he must inn
prove his lands and make one acre pro
duce as much as two acres produced I'M
der the old system. If that RUE is loi-
lowed we believe that it will eventually
result in n great good to the farming
community. There is more profit IN Gull
tiyating ., small, rich acreage than IN
cultivating u large, poor acreage.
But what is to become Of the lands
which are not titled? The best thing
to do with them is to sell them TO set
tiers who may be Induced to come In from
the outside, and we believe that it IS
nov entirely practicable 10 bring num-
! bcrs of such settlers into Virginia.
Several days ago we mentioned the fact
that a gentleman from South Dakota,
who was educated in this State, had pur-
chased lands in Tidewater Virginia, with
a view to selling them to persons whom
he expected to bring from the West.
Since that time we have had a call from
another citizen Of South Dakota, who is
engaged in the same work. He has al
ready brought q number Of Western peo-
X + d -
pie here and settled them on Virginia
farms and he expects to bring many
more. Lands in the North and North
west are now very hign in price, bring
ing $50 to 500 an acre, and many who
purchased years ago at a much lo.nr
price are selling out, in view of seeking
a warmer climate These settlers are
favorably disposed toward Virginia. but
almost Invariably they ask these TWO
questions:
''Mhy is land SO cheap in Virginia."
III that is a good country, why have
thirty ycars?'
The land agent says that he has much
difficulty in giving satisfactory answers
to these questions. Northern and West
ern people contend that the land cannot
be worth much or the prices would not
be so low. The answer is simple enough.
The landowners Of Virginia are what we
call land poor They have more land
than they can profitably cultivate. This
surplus land is lying idle and is a dead
taxes, and they receive no profit when
it is not cultivated. When such land is
rented the rent amounts to very little and
the tenant is after getting all that he
can out OF the land and SO will spend as
little as possible in the way Of perma-
mont improvements. So under the pres
ent system. many farmers would rather
let their lands remain idle than to rent
them. 1t is not surprising that surplus
lands under these conditions should be so
low in price
But there is another answer. While
these posi- lands bring low prices, there
are farms in this section Of. the State
which could not be bought for $40, SEQ or
even $50 an acre. They are lands which have
been improved. and lands in this section
Of Virginia are all susceptible to i'm
provement. When they are enriched the
fertilizer remains in the soil. for it can
not be washed away. 1t is quite possible
for an industrious farmer to take lands
valued at $40 an acre and improve them
and in few years make them Worth
double and treble that price.
These facts should be well advertised
all over the West and Northwest If SO
there would soon be greater demand for
Virginia farms.