The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1907-11-22
Two Virginia Counties.

Of the State? Something like an esti-
mate may be arrived at 10y an eXami-
nation Of the figures in the auditors
report for 1906 taken together with the
census Of 1900 Without going into a
general comparison a few facts may
be noticed in regard 10 two counties,
one east and the other west Of the
Blue Ridge.
Page county lies in the lower valley
Of Virginia and is not much smaller
than Prince Edward, Prince Edward
having an area Of 3l5 square miles and
Page an area 81 square miles. Both
Of these counties are agricultural coun-
ties, the town population Of each being
nearly the same. The two towns Of
Page county, Luray and Shenandoah,
are together "a tnhe smaller than
Farmville census 1900. Page, like
Prince Edward, has one river. Both
Page and Prince Edward are supplied
by the Norfolk * Western railroad.
That road is the only one in Page
county and the Southern has no great
mileage in Prince Edward. BY the
last census the population Of Page
county was about 1900 and the popu-
lation Of Prince Edward countya little
in excess Of 1900.
As reported in 1900, the average
acreage Of the farms Of Page county
was l29; the average acreage Of Prince
Edward county farms was l23. The
average for Page gives better index
than for Prince Edward since the
number of very small holdings in
the latter county is so large. In con
sequence Of the number Of small hold
lngs i'm Prince Edward, insuillciently
farmed, il is not surprising TO find that
in Page county Of the 5000 acres in
farms 10000 are improved, while in
Prince Edward Of the 1884 600 acres of
farm land only $1,000 are improved.
In this connection two facts must be
remembered that Page county is very
mountainous on two sides the Blue
Ridge land, however, il fertile and
that Of the large holdings i'm Prince
Edward it often happens that only a
fraction is handled.
In 1900 the value offarm implements
and machinery was $4,000 in Prince
Edward, $4,000 in Page. The gross
income from farm products in Page
county, mot including products fed
live stock was S5S3, 900 in 1900. De
Quoting $4,000 for labor, and s2S, 900
for fertilizer net balance Of $4,000
remains. Prince Edward county in
1900 showed a gross income from farm
products Of 1923 600, and a net balance
Of 1894 900 after deducting $4,000 for
fertilizer and $4,000 for labor. OF
course, no census report can be eX-
pected to give the amount of net in
come from farm products. 1t is to be
observed that in Page county the fer
tilizer bill is little more than half
that for Prince Edward, and that the
Prince Edward labor bill is more than
one-third greater than that for Page.
In Page county phosphates are being
used more and more for wheat, but the
farmer generally seeds the crop him
self.
Page county in 1906 owned 5000
horses and mules valued at $4,000.
In the same year Prince Edward con-
fessed to 2.25O horses and mules val
ued at Sl22, 900. There should be an
enumeration Of steers i'm Prince Ed
ward. Doubtless steers are classed as
cattle. Of which there were in 1906
.. 200 i'm Prince Edward county valu-
ed at $33. 900 Page county owned
6 800 cattle valued at Ssl 900. Prince
Edward was not furnished, in the
original deal, with mountain pasture
rented at a dollar the head for the
season. Blue grass also is an advan-
tage. Page county showed 1000 sheep
and 5000 hogs in 1906 as against Prince
Edwards 500 sheep and $500 hogs.
The household and kitchen furniture
at the last assessment in Page county
was valued at $4,000; Prince Edward
county $4,000. There were So watch
es taxed in Page county I'm 1906 val
ued at $4,000; 1913 watches in Prince
Edward valued at $500. Prince Ed
ward county carries not so many
wats shes, but Of very good makes
Similarly with clocks. Page county
paid taxes on 400 clocks worth 81, 700.
The 266 clocks Of Prince Edward were
worth 5000. These figures are very
instructive, and If all other documents
were lost would be extremely valuable
Finally, the total valuation Of realty
in Page county 1906 was II ,69l SO
The total valuation for Prince Edward
was S2,l4S,5Sl Town lots and build
ings were assessed in Prince Edward
at SS3s, 800 and in Page at only
Sl54, 20. One good town is better than
two smaller ones, and a market thai
extends its lines out like the radii o.
a circle is better than a market that II
closed on two sides and lies like
shoe string. 1t is noticeable as wei
that the returns from tobacco
cause the gross income from farm
products in Prince Edward to overtoI
those in Page, with all its fat cattle
and high priced lands.
DR.. Vlneberg, Eye and Ear Specialist
DR.. Vineberg, the noted eye and eal
specialist Of 700 X street, n. W, Wash
ington, d. c., will be again in Farm
vile Monday and Tuesday, Novem
Der 18th and 18th at Hotel Prince I'D