The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-12
Lumber Interest Necessarily
Attractive to the Investor
Seeking Raw Material.
HOME OF PEANUTS
AND VARIED FRUITS
Farm Lands That Can Produce
Anything That Is Marketable
for Quick Sales-Good Water
Supply - Four Banking
Towns-Iinexcelled
Railway Facilities.
BY FRANK S. wooDsoN.


ts.ar correspondence.I
wAvERLY. VA, April ll.-"sussex
county is a garden spot" So says
JEdgeaJ. f. West. a citizen of the coun-
ty and of this town, and he ought TO
know. Certain 1t is he has been Nv
Ing here about long enough--more
than nifty years maybc-to have found
out. or course, the judge has local
pride and all that sort of thing, but
he Is OF judicial turn of mind. and
IS not given to exaggeration. What
he says about Sussex, therefore. may
be taken without the usual discount or
the proverbial grain of allowance, and
hence Will probably quote him not n
little before I complete this sketch.
Sussex county was created by an act
or the Legislature at least $50 years
ago; the exact date could be given.
but that Is not necessary. 1t was taken
from big slice of what was then the
inimenae county of Surry. AS 1t now
stands. 1t is bounded north b. the
county of Prince George, northeast by
the present county of Surry, south by
ampton, and west by the county OF Din
widdle. It's length from west to north
cast is thirty-sevcn miles.
The population of the county Is some
thing over 1900. and that population
Is growing every week by immigration
from the West and Northwest and other
parts OF the country, attracted here BY
the possibilities and poteEtialities of
the rich soil and the wonderful supply
OF raw material TO be used in wood
working. cotton manufacturing and
peanut cleaning. and other lines of
Industry.
Well Drained Lands There BE.
This county is drained by the Not
toway and Blackwater Rivers and their
tributaries. The Nottoway enters the
county on the west and passes through
practically the centre of the county
in circutous course, until 1t enters
the county OF Southampton on the
south. and drains the central and
part of the western and southern por-
lions of the county. The Blackwater
River divides Surry from Sussex county
and drains the northeastern part of
Sussex. The principal tributaries of
tho Nottoway River are Sappony Creek
Stony Creek, Rowanty Creek. Hunting
Quarter Branch and Three Creeks. the
last of which drains the southwestern
and southern portions of the county.
Sussex county has erected four hand
some iron bridges across the Nottoway
Piver where its county roads cross
the same. and also many bridges over
smaller streams.
Why Land Is Rich.
According to a most interesting little
booklet issued by the county board of
supervisors, and largely circulated at
the recent jamestown Exposition, the
soil of the county is OF a rich loamy
character, with clay subsoil and the
land is mostly level. but rolling to
degree. and capable in every part of
the territory OF easy drainage The
river lands are especially rich. and
all the other lands are fertile and gem
orally very responsive to improvements.
They are capable of holding we'll the
improvements made by the free use of
manures and other fertilizers, when
properly applied. The face of the
country being almost entirely level,
and no hills worthy the name inter
vening. farming machinery can be and
is used to the very best advantage:
therefore. in Sussex county the labor
problem is not a. subject of discussion,
and the farmers ask no odds of the
negro farm laborer. He can come or
lie can go. The farmer is, with the
help OF machinery, independent OF him.
Climatic Conditions.
The climate OF the county is salu-
brious, and tho people who live here
and those who have been visitors to
other sections of the country believe
and boldly declare that they have the
finest climate in the word, it being
free from the extreme cold of the
North. heat of the South and from the
billiards of the West and being To-
Gated less than sixty miles from the
Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay,
It's breezes are tempered by the pre-
vailing salt winds from the ocean and
bay.
BY reason Of the fine climate ana
the fact that the atmosphere is con-
stantly filled with ozone, the popula-
ton is generally unusually healthy
and free from the attack of diseases;
and colds, catarrh and Influenza are
reduced to the minimum.
Home of the Peanut.
The principal crops grown in the
county are cotton, corn, peanuts, to-
bacco, wheat, buckWheut oats, clover,
alfalfa, timothy, rye, millet hay. COW
peas, sofa beans. navy beans, sweet
potatoes and Irish potatoes, The soil
is peculiarly adapted to the growth of
peanuts and when properly cultivated
very lasslsa yield Is the result, $50
upon improved land, while unimproved
lands will average forty bushels per
ncre.
AS was shown by evidence produced
In letter written from Wakefield, in
this county, several weeks ago the
first peanuts ever produced for market
In the United States We're grown In
Sussex cospty on little farm within
stones throw of the town of Wake
fold. 1t may be added here that the
first endless belt ever used in hand
picking and grading peanuts for mar
ket was invented and operated mt
Wakefield. in this county. ! have stated
It before In the Industrial Section OF
The Times Dispatch. but 1t will bear