The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-31
TOBACCO CENTRE
OF MECKLENBURG.
South Hill, Only Seven Years
Old, is a Very Busy Vir-
ginia Town.
NOW STANDS THIRD
AS BRIGHT MARKET
In Dead Centre Of Magnificent
Agricultural Region-Built on
Site Seemingly Selected by
Nature-Large Wood
Working Estab-
lishments.
BY FRANK S. yvooDsoN,
Industrial Editor.

BY FRANK S. wooDsON,
Industrial Editor.
SOUTH HILL, VA, May so.-I wrots
last week from the western part OF
one of the best old counties in this
State, Mecklenburg. and tried to tell
OF the fertility of the soil and the
valued products that are being raised
from 1t and converted into money.
have this week been through the
eastern part OF the same county, and
I am prepared to say that Mecklenburg
Is great all over. South Hill, the
young and vigorous town from which
am now writing, may be said to be
q product of the rich soil. Seven years
ago there We're two stores and three
residences near to the depot, and that
was all. To-day South Hill is town
of at least 1900 Inhabitants, has thirty
large stores. four tobacco warehouses
and seven large and commodious dry
prizeries. one OF which is fitted with
steam. and thousands OF pounds OF to-
bacco are stemmed and prepared for
outer markets. The town has also a
large lumber interest, and two wood
working establishments which bring
here thousands Of dollars of outside
money every year.
NATURES Own Town Site.
It would seem that nature planned
for a large inland town right where
South Hill Is situated, and more de-
lightful situation for a healthy city
would be hard to find. 1t stands on
a natural watershed high above the
sea level. The town is built upon
a ridge between the Meherrin River,
six miles to one side. and the Roanoke.
ten miles on the other. Rain water
that falls in the principal street, which
To- ~
Meherrln and partly In the Roanoke.
While this situation is all that could
be asked, a town could not have been
built in seven years II the location
We're not in the centre of some of the
best farming and lumber producing
lands in the State Of Virginia.
I have been riding through some OF
these lands, and / am convinced that
properly titled they are well calcu-
lated to make the intelligent farmer
rich. The soil. like that in the west
ern part OF the county, Is rich choc-
olate loan. with a strong red clay
subsoll. Its products are tobacco, both
bright and dark. wheat, corn. oats. pea
nuts. peas and all the vegetables. Cot
ton Is raised to very large extent,
and marketed in Norfolk.
From the Roanoke and A1eherrin
Rivers back all over the county clover.
hay and all the grasses are produced,
and they bring good profit to the
producer. It naturally follows that
cattle and sheep and horse raising may
be made profitable, and are being made
profitable, in so good q grass country.
There is perhaps not fifty acres of land
within circle OF ten miles around
South Hill that cannot be cultivated
with modern agricultural machinery.
What One Man Did.
I have visited a model farm of 500
acres, which presents but sample OF
what an intelligent farmer can make
from these lands. 1t is the farm OF
Sycamore Lodge" his residence being
located at the end of a magnificent
lane lined on either side with splendid
sycamore trees. some of which are
more than hundred years old. Mr..
Ogburn took charge OF this farm about
ten years ago, and found 1t In a run
down, worn-out condition. To-day he
is producing from twenty to twenty
five bushels of wheat to the acre. sixty
to eighty bushels of corn. twenty to
thirty bushels Of rye, seventy-tive to
one hundred bushels of peanuts. $50
to 900 bushels OF onions. ESQ to 800
bushels OF sweet potatoes, and as many
Irish potatoes. which he sold last yeef
in Boston. Mass. realizing as high az
$2.50 per barrel on same, thus making
one acre of land pay $3.50 from potatoes
alone. His tobacco, bright. dark and
air-cured. pays him from $50 to 5000
per acre per year. He uses machine
ry on every acre Of his farm that Is
under cultivation. and has $4,000 worth
OF farm Implements, consisting OF
mowers, binders, corn harvesters. corn
planters, disc harrows. riding and
walking cultivators and rollers corn
shredders and corn huskers.
Much of this machinery Is operated
by movable gasolene engines, which are
also utilized to saw wood and grind
corn. making as nice meal as can be
made in any water mill.
An interesting investment made by
Mr.. Ogburn is rat-proot corn crib
and barn. 1t Is framed of wood and
so to speak, with
woven wire.
Others Can DO Likewise.
This sort OF equipment makes this
model farmer entirely Independent OF
shiftless and inferior labor, although
a large number of hands are required
to operate the machinery and plant
and gather the crops. OF course, Mr..
Ogburn. being a man OF considerable
means and money-maker all the
year around, has this 500-acre farm
equipped on scale that may not be-
possible with the average farmer, but
any Mecklenburg agriculturalist. with
100 acres OF land and as many as
two or three boys In his family. can
equip his farm with necessary ma
chinery to enable him, with the help
OF his boys. to make good money farm
ing in this county, The average price
OF Mecklenburg county lands, unim-
proved, Is from $40 to s2o according
to location and state OF Improvement.
or course, place like Mr.. Ogburn's,
Iii its high state Of Improvement and
splendid buildings, cannot be bought
for any such money. Mr.. Ogburn. who
Is trader and Is always ready to sell
or buy. holds his place at $40 per acre.
All OF these 500 acres. which are not X
In timber are in high state OF cnl-
tiyation, and have been brought there