The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-03-07
ESSEX.

Green Pea Crop Will be Late Rich
nond- Urbanna Raiiroad-A Good
Place to Breed Phsasants Fisher
men Must Set New Stakes, Etc.
Dnnnsyille, Va, March ,. 1905
The Ice is fast disappearing, and it l.
reasonable to conclude that in lev
days. shouli the prrrent weather con
time, we will have An uninterrupted
oAvigation IN tue R,ppahannork The
mails are arriving regularly this week
The roads are getting worse as the thaW
continues.
The enndition OF the soil will 'Anse pea
planting 10 he late, and the growers rah
scarcely hope 10 catch the early market
MIR J h kriete says that not aver 30
per cent. ci pas planted last ear will
be planted this year This applies 70
this side Of the river The green pea
industry briggs in ready ra-b TO The
small farmers, for they are the ones who
generally raise them AT Il time when
there II nothing Rise 10 sell, and should
the season be go back ward as t. prevent
the growers from striking the early
market. much local financial embarAss
ment will follow, especially AIN ing the
colOred people
The loss OF fully two month"; oyster
longing this season has craInped tht
oystermen terribly. and IL has been
stated % me by representative eOlored
man that thsre IL much SUFFERING among
them. Aud II this condition il followed
by failure ia the pea crop, there will be-
no MONEY coop coming in unlil l. matOeS
are ripe
The parAgrsph In The FREE La &c rela-
tive TO the Richmond ana rbsuHa Il
and MIR. John \. Wise's working up the
Richmond interest in IL, AwAkr's hope
for our railroad II dues seem time that
the people of Richmond should do some
thing To encourage the propOs enter
prise. Richmond wOuld natural be the
greatest bent ficiary. Many Of the prod.
nets, both of land and water of the
lower Rsppahanhock valley ~onld still
20 North, Of course. and some uf them
would 70 West, but Richmond would
have her pick. would seem that the
merchants ui Richmond are greatly der
eict In their own interests II they are
not encouraging the building Of the road.
It may possibly be that they 10 not
realizs the extent OF the business done
between the MsttapOni river and the
Potomac Could O committee whole
sale merchants pass down tn Malta
poni from Aylett's to the mouth, down
the RappAhannock from Fredericksburg
TO it's mouth taking in the Curritomsn
ra~aarfa lfraal md nn ~ fhn Bn.
tomac from upper " estmOreland county
20 It's mouth, and up the Great Wicom.
ico, and other Chesapeake Estuaries
along the Northern Neck. they would
doubtless be astOnshed al the immens
ity OF the freight carried away by the
different steamboat lines, and equally
astonished tO see the loads OF mefchan-
disc brought back by these steamers,
should the Gould line and the burns line
Doth be built then Richmond should he
able to capture large portion OF this
trade. IL il TO be hoped that the Cham
Der OF Commerce gave Mr.. Wise every
encouragement.
Robins are scarce. but huntsmsn are
plenty. greatly fear must OF them are
dead. setter belonging To Mr. ii. W.
Dunn brought a dead bird to hi- home
few days ago. 1t was stiff frozen.
Speaking If birds remind me: There is
tract OF perhaps 900 acres near here
covered with heavy timber for the must
part but with scrub timber, briars and
bushes along It's edges. lt seems TO me
chat our Virginia Phessants would 10
we'll 10 these woods. IL would not be q
lifficut matter to prevent huuting Ia the
woods for several years II necessary.
an you tell me how we could get some
breeders through the Agricultural Depart
meni2 We are much interested in the
propagation and the protection ot game
birds here. PheasAnts feed 10 wild
grapes 10 the fall, and then on the black
haw. and berry which grows on =
green vine the rest OF the cold sess0n
They would have no trouble In iindlng
food In the woods here. and the lay lug
and Matching ground il all that could b.
asked.
The fishermen are looking srouUd and
trying to get ready for the spring catch
| | doubt II there is a stake lett standing,
90 great has been the force Of the ice
Pine poles are not hard to get 10 these
parts, however, 90 the setting them will
be the greatest trouble aud rrst As the
.un comes out and few don their heavy
coats, we hope for good weather. an
Early spring. biz catch Of shad and her
| ring and the railroad.