Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-11
RICH BEDFORD COUNTY
and ITS PEAKS OF OTTER
Another Blue.Grass Region That Is
Doing Elmo Stunts i'm Cattle
and Dairy Lines.
COUNTY GROWS EVERYTHING
Fine Lands, Much Timber and AM
pie Transportation Facilitics-Nu-
nerous Industries In County Seat.
Mecca OF Summer Visitors.


One OF the larger counties of Nir-
ginia is Bedford. l, is forty miles long
and about thirty miles wide, the area
being $50 square miles II is a hEh-up
county, the average altitude above sea
level being 900 feet. /, lies at the
eastern base OF the Blue Ridge Noun
tains. in the southwest central part Of
the State. The surface is much broken.
and in the western part of the county
it is mountainous. blu, all OF the land
Is good and very productive. In fact
It is claimed that Bedford is one of the
richest and one OF the most productive
counties in the James River Valley.
The soil is. for the most part. red
clay. and the balance a light gray or
slate. all of IL producing abundant
crops, and almost any kind that man
may choose TO grow. The principal
products are wheat, rye. oats. corn to-
bacco. hay, all the vegetables ana all
kinds OF fruit. Tobacco is. OF course.
a money crop. and for many years was
really the principal product on which
the farmers depended for money. but
in late years they have become great
grain growers, aud Bedford h be-
como large seller of wheat, corn and
rye. The farmers are also giving n
great deal of attention TO stock.
GRASSES AND CATTLE AND
FRUITS IN ABUNDANCE
In the western part OF tho county
the blue grass is Indigenous, and all
over the county other grasses are
grown TO perfection, and these ad>an-
taEes are being utilized by tho stock
raisers more and moro every year.
Beef cattle are raised for the markets.
and dairies have been and arc being
establishcd-and they have proved en-
ceedingly profitable. 1t is safe pre-
dction that within tho next decade
Bedford will he the leading dairyinE
county In the State
The county is high up on the list
OF fruit-producinE counties of Virginia.
The mountainous and hilly sections arc
especially adapted TO orchardn@. All
kinds of fruits do we'll, hut apples and
peaches are the spccialticS. There arc
some as fine apple orchards in Red
ford as are to be found anywhere in
the State. and the interest ~ this in
dust-y Is spreading every year. II is
moro than likely that moro apple trees
have been set out in Bedford within
the last three years than in any utacr
one county.
SPLENDID TRANSFORMATIONS
FACULTIES FOR WHOLE COUNTY
The minerals arc numerous and of
Gra Ir, s.
bcstos, kaolin, silver. harytcs, mica
slate and lead The asbestos mica
and barytcs mines have been worked
extensively and protitably, as have also
the limestone QuarricS, brt the deposits
OF these minerals arc not near en-
hnusted In fact, ii may lc said they
have only been touched as yet and
there arc openings here FOR ;omchody
to do great business.
There are all kinds OF timbcrs IN
Bedford and vast quantities Of it.
Oak, pine, poplar. chestnut, hickory and
walnut are plentiful. although there
arc and have been for years busy
sawmills in all parts OF tho county.
The transportation facilities arc
good. The VirEininn Railway goes
across tho southern part Of the county
from east 10 west III" N"rfoik and
Western runs from east TO west through
tho center and the Chesapeake and
Ohio goes across tho northern end.
Tho county is %til wi:errd. otter
River and Goose Creek. which Is large
enough TO be- called river run through
the central sections. tho stanton
River goes along tn" souih"ru border.
and the James along the northeastern
line. Nun.rro large creeks arc
tributary, and along all Of these