Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-05-20

Accessibility.-Vi Virginia lies midway
between Maine and Florida and is very
accessible by rail from any point in the
United States, and by sea with the
world.
Agriculture.-Condi all favor the
work OF the intelligent and industrious
husbandman. Midway between the
North and South, the State produces
the staples of both extremes, and ii in
colder and harsher climate, as well as
those who live in a warmer and more
eneryating region TO come to this ga
luxurious land Of corn and wine, OF grape
and fig of sunshine and flowers, where
the happy mean is maintained through
out the year, and where prosperity
follows industry. The Man Behind
the Hoe" in Virginia, if ne keeps the
hoe busy, is one Of happy lot and II
he makes the hoe do it's duty there Will
never be occasion Tor the Man Behind
the Gun" or the Man Before the Sher-
ill.," for ne will live in peace and plenty.
Truly did Capt John Smith, the ad-
venturous and dauntless father Of Vir-
GINA, suggest that Heaven and earth
never agreed better 10 frame place
for mans habitauon."
Apples.-This staple fruit is extensive
ly grown, and there is a yearly increas-
ing number of trees planted. In one OF
the Valley counties a 17-year-old orch
ard OF 1,150 trees produced an apple
crop in 1905-its record year-which
brought the owner 10000; another
OF so 20-year trees, brought 500. In
Patrick county there is a tree of feet
inches around which has borne ITO
bushels of apples at single crop. These
are exceptionally good yields, but under
right care trees can be made to give
handsome returns. The Pippins grown
in Albemarle county are very popular
in the London market. The foothill
region is specially adapted to apples.
Area. 49, Virginia contains 42,450I
square miles, or 25,GS0,000 acres, OF
which 2,325 is water, and ranks 81 in
size among the other States. 1t is
divided into 101 counties. 1t is pop
ularly known as the "Old Dominion"
Banks.-In 1890 Virginia had 1871
banks, which number had increased in
1907 to 302, deposits having gone in
that period from S28,000,000 TO $685.
100000. Virginia has the honor OF
having ten State banks Of 420 in the
Union. with surplus and profits in eX-
cess OF capital. In this roll Of honor
there is one with capital of 100000,
while the surplus and pTohts item
reaches the exceptional amount of
$526,611, placing it first among the
state banks Of the United States.
Battle GrOund.-Virginia was storm
center during the civil war. The num-
Der Of engagements, which embrace all
the armed collisions of hostile forces
on Virginia soil deemed Of sufficient
importance for place in the Official
Records OF the Union and Confederate
Armies" aggregate 1.404; to-wit: 1904
IN what is now Virginia, and $40 in
what is now West Virginia. The State
put into the Confederate service 90
regiments OF infantry, 40 battalions of
infantry, 20 regiments OF cavalry, 40
battalions OF cavalry, and 125 batteries
Of artillery. Federal soldiers from
the North are now living in every part
OF the State. The family quarrel is a
hallowed memory, and discussed with
serenity in this era OF peace, when the
general good OF the whole Union is the
concern of the brave and the true,
who in looking forward. have left re-
Srets and animosity behind.
Bees.-The abundance Of flowers.
sweet with nectar. and the mild sea-
sons combine to make the bee usiness
a profitable one for all engaged in II.
Berries.-The South exceIs in wild
anu tame varieties OF DefTleSt some
kind or other can be had from spring to
fall. Joseph T.. Wing, a well-known
writer connected with the Breeders Ga
zette, of Chicago. had a series of arti-
cles on the South in that paper during
1906, in one Of which he spoke Of Vir-
ginia as "a Land of Fat Cattle. Lambs
and Blackberries." saying among other
things: The blackberries here are
sweeter and more luscious than any
where 1 have ever tasted them You
can guess what the grass tastes like
by the blackberries. Lift up q bush
and take the lower ones that are soft
and ripe; they are like little globules
Of honey. l one day ate three bushels
OF these blackberries, as near as I could
estimate. And yet hundreds OF other
bushels went to waste. had done my
utmost. and was content" The straw
berry is widely cultivated and goes
north in the spring by car loads. The
raspberry, too. is prolific in yield
Building Material.-The Southern
lumber district is now the finest in
America, and no part of the country
has a larger variety and supply OF
marbles. GRANTEES, states. sandstones
brick clays. etc.
Cattle.-It IS recorded that on August
Z. 1911, Sir Thomas Gates arrived al
jamestown with three hundred mer
and one hundred kline and other cat
tie" In the old days, and even to re-
cent years. cow was COW IL she gave