The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-08
T|DEWATER.LA
OF GREAT VALUE
Views Of Expert On Trip
Through That Fine
Section.
PERFECTION OF PRACTICE
Fabulous Sums Made On Ten
Acres of Cultivated
Ground.
PERFECTION OF PRACTICE
(By Prof. Andrew NJ. soulc. superintend-
ent of tho Virginia Experiment Sta

The general lay OF the country through
out this entire Virginia Tidewater region
Is level and gently rolling; in many
places the land does not rise greatly
above tidewatcr. In the Norfolk area
eight or ten feet is the general average.
In other sections visited the elevation
is considerably greater, but for the most
part the soil seems to be filed with wa
ter; In fact 1t approaches so closely to
the surface In many instances that
drainage is necessity. particularly
where truck crops are grown. In gen.
eral character the soil Is sandy but II
varies greatly from gandy loan to
type of soil containing considerable
amount OF clay. In many cases the sub
soil are clayey In nature. generally of a
light yellow color. but sometimes having
decided reddish cast. typical OF the
upland clays OF the State. For the most
part tho soil Is frlablc and easy to work,
though beds of clay occur here and there.
and when this land is underdrained and
farmed intell!gcntly. 1t Is wonderfully
productive, and the very long growing
season enables the farmers TO raise two
or more crops per year
The general agricultural practice OF
this section OF the State is not so well
rant. but there Is spirit of progress
evidenced that is delightful TO come in
contact with. and the genera, belief In
the need of agricultural education and
of following scientific methods In farm
work are the best evidence that the de-
fects in the present system win soon be
overcome.
WELL-NIGH PERFECT.
In the trucking region the practice lis
A.
Quoted after the latest and most sue
cessful methods of practice known. Fer
tiizers arc uscd in abundance; probably
sometimes In larger amounts than the
results justify. and especially as the
maintenance OF soil fertility. particu-
larly the content of nitrogen and hnmus
through the use OF leguminous crops does
not seem to have met with much favor
UP to the present time. The belief OF the
trucker is that he cannot afford rota-
ton OF crops. but that 1t is cheaper and
better for him TO use heavy applications
OF commercial fertilizers
PITY II is that the high culture and the
wonderful success achieved By the truck
ers OF this region could not be fully ap-
preciated in every section of the State
and the soils OF old Virginia. from the
highest mountain 10 the level of the sea,
made to produce TO their full capacity.
ta!nIy must. the agricultural production
OF the State and the wealth consequent
thereto will be quite beyond the appre-
citation of the citizen of to-day.
ARE TYPICAL.
The most important fact that a study
of this region brings out is the surpris-
Ing productiveness of soils that were
thought for many years TO be worth
comparatively little and that are simply
J-,, f, lJ.,,-
Virginia that can easily be brought under
cultivation and made as highly produc-
tive as those of the Norfolk area. 1t is
wonderful: indeed, marvellous, what has
been accomplished In this region 1t is
strange. SURPRISING strange. that with
the evidences of prosperity and wealth
gathered from the soil, that greater eff
forts have not been made to induce imni-
grafton and to develop thousands of acres
of land which lie just back of the great
trucking region and are comparatively
unproductive and surprisingly cheap to-
day. 1t is remarkable that section so
favored by climatic, and soil conditions
as the Tidewater region Of Virginia,
should have been overlooked by the thou
sands of immigrants who yearly come
into the country and who seek 10 become
land owners at the earliest possible date
We simply need TO advertise TO the world
our full quota of a very desirable class
of immigrants, for the farmers of tho
North and West by the hundreds-yes.
even by thoukands-are looking for new
and better locations in the sunny South,
and ideal situations without number may
be found throughout this entire region
at prices for land that seem almost in
credible.
This is all right in SO far as 1t goes,
thn mai mi ne coil tx ,1o
srable mechanical condition is very
important matter, and can only be ac-
complished through adding vegetable
matter to the soil from time to time.
If abundant supplies of farm-yard ma
nure can always be had. this will be
comparatively simple matter, but as
farm-yard manure Is difficult article
to obtain in region where stock rails
Ing is practically undeveloped, some other
means OF maintaining humus must be
resorted to- and the growing of crops In
rotation offers one of the best means,
OF solving this difficult problem. That
something of this nature must be done
IS evidenced by the complaint of certain
truckers that the lands DO not respond
as well to commercial fertilizers as they
formerly did. and that their crops in
some instances arc more subject to va
Iious diseases than they used to be-
FINEST IN COUNTRY.
For the ideal cultivation OF the land.
however and the highest type Of agr-
cultural production, the trucking region
in the vicinity of Norfolk is probably I'M
surpassed SUI anywhere in the United States.
A It Is certainly delight to witness the
perfection Of practice shown here. the
clean, beautiful beds of spinach and kale
now being fully developed and only ,wait-
Ing favorable market, This region is
one or tho greatest, II not the greatest,
the OUTPUT of various crops being simnly
enormous and the price of lands littlc
short of fabulous. The profits made on,
ten-acre farm In the trucking region.
N a favorable season read like a fairy
legend. and yet one who has seen what
he's been accomplished there realizes the
truth of every statement put forth, even.
by the most enthusiastic citizen OF this
section of the State.
n FISH AND OYSTERS,
fFhera IL nnnthnr i,taraSt IN, Nthfc 10 ~