Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-02
COUNTY OF NANsEMOND
IN T|DENATER VIRGINIA
Where the Peanut Nabobs Move and
Live and Grow Ricll-Land
of Many Truckers.
LEADERS IN COTTON GROWING
Big Alfalfa Averages shown-All the
Railroads Have to Pass Through
Observation-Disclosures Interest and
Many Woodworking Plants.

Nansemond County is just in the
center of Tidewater Virginia. 1t Is
bounded on the north by Hampton
Roads, on the east by Norfolk County.
on the south by Gates County, NJ c.,
and on the west by tho Counties Of
Isle OF Wight and Southampton. Tho
population outside OF the city OF Suf-
folk. is about $4,000. 1t is a large
county, containing 393 square miles.
Sixty-five thousand acres OF the land
lies in the Dismal Swamp. The soil is
a sandy loan. with a splendid clay sub.
soil. and the most Of 1t is rich. that
along Nansemond River and the smaller
water courses being of very fine
quality.
The farm products are corn. oats.
wheat. cotton and peanuts All of the
vegetables grow In this county. and
trucking is an immense Industry.
There are truckers in Nansemond who
sell every year 10000 to $1,000 pack
ages of truck. and some who go to
10000 packages and more. Various
types Of the grasses grow we'll, and
since alfalfa has become the popular
grass crop. it has been found that no
county in tho State brings 1t better,
and the farmers have made some
records that would astonish their
brethren in California AS much as
seven tons to tho acre have been cut,
and the county agent is authority for
the statement that the average yield
Is over four tons to tho acre.
The county has also made some very
fine corn records One young farmer
has been known to mako 100 bushels
on an acre. and II is very common
thing to make records of from seventy
five to eighty-hve bushels to an acre.
IT must be said in this connection that
Indifferent white farmers here and
there and the many colored farmers
who are not up to date in their farm
Ing methods keep the general corn
average down. as they do the average
In every other product
PEANUTS. MAKING MONEY IN
SEVERAL WAYS, IS THE CROP
Virginia does not boast much abou,
Its cotton production. but 1t has a tier
Of counties that grow as fine cotton az
Is to be found anywhere in the South
OF these counties, Nansemond is the
leader. She grows 5000 to 1000 bales
year, and has made some very fine
ieSOIoo. III TACT. III one year, not
great while back. she led the entire
South in the production Of seed cotton
per acre. 1t is probable that tho
farmers OF this county would grow a
great deal more cotton but for the fact
that they find that peanuts. alfalfa
trucking and dairying pay better.
The peanut is the big money crop in
Nanscmond County. and. being great
land improver and hog maker. the
profits come about in moro ways than
one. The Nansemond "goobcr" Is famed
all over the country for it's superior
quality. and the growers find no diHi-
Guilty In obtaining the topnotch prices
when they carry their peanuts to tho
Suffolk and Norfolk markets Some
handsome fortunes have been made in
growing peanuts in Nansemond County
In the last ten to twenty years.
1t may be depended upon that any
county that grows peanuts to any ex-
tent is also large grower OF hogs.
Nansemond is one of the best hog
raising counties in the State. and It