The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-28

Except walton SaunueTs.
He had just returned from TIP
bottoms in the vicinity of Richmond
/ ard It's suburbs were formerly cleared
/ and in cultivation, out the uncer-
| tainty of crops and the knowledge
! that in a wet season failure was in
! eVitabie, has led To a graduaI aDah-
/ dcnment of the land save for what
! rough stuff or pasturage can be OBJ
| tanned.
! In the lower bottoms the subsoil
! Is distinguished by larger percentages
I Of silt and clay, which give to 1t
era Wish or blush shade. The top soil.
| especially in tho low, yet situations,
contains more orsanic matter, the re-
t mains Of a iuxuriaUt vegetable 5reWta
| which has oversprcad most cf the
| bottom. IL is &nocoinie-colored,
silly clay rather than muck soil. ana
with few exec options the bottom is de-
void OF any OF the deep spongy. mucky
| or peaty areas which are commonly
associated with typical swamp land
The forest growth, estimated TO cover
| "a of the lowland, Is principally
sweetgum, poplar. maple. Dirch,
beech, oak, and below Roxbury. cy-
press and tupelo gum. Tho iner-
charitable timber is confined largely
to the lower bottoms and where the
| large trees are net sc close as to
create a senxo shade thers Is thick
III owth OF -1nes and underorush. tSee
plate ~ The native vegetation in
dicates great fertility of soil. At ore
time or another much of the lowiand
| has been cut over, part OF II nov
| being In sprout ana the other por-
tions in wood that would apparently
cut twenty-five to thirty cords TO the
acre. (See plate II. zig. %
| Neither the upper nc- the lower
| bottoms are now farmed TO any con-
siderable extent and statistics of crop
yields are therefore difficult TO OBJ
tain. 1t is stated by landowners and
others who have been familiar with
conditions for many years that from
! fifty to seventy five bushels Of corn
per acre were common yields in the
upper bottoms, and that 100 bushels
/ per acre were not unusual in the best
portions of the lower bottoms; also
that fine stands Of timothy and other
English grasses have been obtained
| even to the banks of the river. The
old corn rows are still 10 be seen in
various parts of the valley, even in
| the heavy woods Of the lower bot
toms and where now there are trees
| two or more feet in diameter. iSee
plate IL, fig. %
Land Values.
Including railroad right Of ways
/ the 1882 acres comprised within
| the survey is diveded into 1876 sep
arate parallels held under 145 different
ownerships- THIS parcels average,
| therefore, slightly under 100 acres
each, and for the most part are held
In connection with adjacent upland
farms In the vicinity OF Richmond
| the lands are occupied largely by
dairymen. and land values are higher.
| than at points more remote from tho
city.
A tract of about :so acres, Of which
2l0 acres are lowland, situated above
| Hunslett, is stated to have sold re-
| Gently for $40 per acre. farm
! Of ESQ acres. OF which IT'S acres
| are iowland, near the Creighton road,
has an assessed valuation. Including
| buildings, OF $3.50. but sold In No
vember, 1909, for $4,000. or about
| s3s per acre.
A farm Of s02 acres near Highland
! Springs. of which TAT acres are low
land. is assessed for 1924 A farm
Of l73 acres. l mile above Grapevine
bridge. of which fifty-three acres are
lowland. has an assessed valuation of
| $4,000. but sold in December, 1911,
for $4,000, or about $2s per acre.
A farm OF 1872 acres near the South
ern railway. OF which eighty seven
| acres are lowiand, IS assessed for
s1,6o0. A farm OF about 400 acres
| near Bottoms bridge. of which l55
acres are lowland. was purchased for
| 1900 in January. 1852. 1t is now
assessed for $1,000. 1t should be
understood that generally assessed
valuations are considerably below
v,,r rhA nj at,,nc
oottom lands alone have been made,
but from the figures gwen and from
other sources of Information 1t is be-
| i!eved that the present values viii
range from IS to $50 per acre. de-
pending upon location and elevation,
with an average value OF about SIS
per acre.
The agricultural operations are
general rather than specialized. the
trucking industry near Atlee and the
dairying industry in the vicinity of
| Richmond being the most con-
| sptcuouA The milk is hauled to tn.
Richmond market and at the pres
ent schedule OF prices nets the farmer
II LIZ cents per gallon in the sum-
| ner and 10 Ia cents per gallon In
the winter. the retail prices ranging
from eight to ten cents per quart.
The Survey.
The survey was begun May 20,
1911, and completed September 30th
following. 1t WIS conducted by the
writer. aided by Assistant Drainage
Engineers Newton q. Wade and John
r iasweil. With an average force
of eight ner. comprising rodmen,
axemen. tcamster ana cook.
Primary level lines were run from
IT. bench mark established by the
Erted States coast and geodettc Sur
vev Al Laurel to the head os the
Chicliahominy river swamp, and also
70, checking purposes, from estab-
! Iished benches In the city OF Rich
mend to Two other points further
down the river
From the head OF the swamp as a
starting point three survey lines were
carried down the valley to Provi-
dance Forge. One survey line over
which levels were carried followed
the rivers mearder. and upon touch
ing the coast and geodefic survey
bench mark at Providence Forge.
fcrty-s.iree miles from Laurel a.
the line OF levels was run. il MAS
found TO differ b. less than two