Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1920-03-05
DOWN IN DIXIE
J. E. Crane Writes of His Impressions
of Old Virginia

Editor Register,
Dear Sir:
To those who were familiar with
conditions during the Civil war little
need be said about Virginia, but for
the younger generation some notes on
this state may be of interest. Virginia
has three quite distinct divisions; the
Underwater, extending from the coast
as far west as Washington and Rich
mond; the Piedmont region, extending
from tide water to the Blue Ridge
and the Great Valley between the
Blue Ridge and the Allegheny mount
aims.
The soil about Washington and on
to the southwest is largely a redish,
gravely clay just as sticky as anything
we have in Addison County. The
houses as a rule are small and without
fruit trees or any shrubery about them,
giving one a somewhat desolate i'm
preston of the country The houses
appear to be set down without much
regard to the highway and may be in
a pasture or field far from the Travelled
road. You may even find college
with several hundred students far
from any town and located on large
farm or estate, and reached only by
a private road The soil for the most
part seems rather poor in this section
which accounts for small houses, but
to the south of Sharlottsville, on the
eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge, we
find some fine large orchards Of the
famous Albemarle Pippin that here
grows in perfection and is a fine apple,
but not as high favored as our
Northern Spy 1t is of special value
for export trade.
At Roanoke, situated some 225 miles
by rail southwest from Washington,
we were surprised to find a thriving
city of 10000 or 10000 population, that
has very largely grown up since the
war 1t is the headquarters of the
Norfolk and Western Railway, and
here are located its shops and factories
l was told that every working man here
owns the house he lives in, but this
is doubtless an exageration.
The country about Roanoke is quite
billy, quickly running into mountains
To the northwest rise ridge after ridge
of mountains. Here may be found
that peculiar class of people known
as Mountain Whites" that have re-
tanned the characteristics of the early
settlers of one hundred and fifty years
ago Doubtless the poverty of the
soil and difficulty of transportation
has had much to do with their con-
dition. OF what use to raise corn
beyond the needs of the family when
t cannot be sent to some market.
The soil to the west of the Blue
Ridge is better than to the east and
here we find fields OF wheat still green
n spite of the winter frosts There
ire also some fine orchards. | visited
me last week said to be one of the
how orchards of the state, consisting
If 1870 acres of apple trees in a block
md 100 acres of peaches, The apples
most grown are the York Imperial,
Ninesap, and Black Twig Success
S attained here as in the north only
~ much spraying and care. The
greatest trouble with peaches is late
rosts and thousands of smudge pots
md as many thousands of gallons of
petroleum are kept on hand for cold
lights during the spring. The Alberta
5 the most popular variety
The winter climate of southwest Vir-
inia is about that of mid April in
Western Vermont, freezing nights and
having out during the day, with some
lays very warm and pleasant. There
las been no snow here to speak OF
ince two years ago The Virginia
'eople, are very loyal to their state.
The ranges of mountains on the west
'rotect them from the fierce cyclonic
forms of the western plains. The
tate is far enough to the south so
hey feel little of the arctic cold of the
Iorthern states, while it is far enough
o the north to be rid of the long con-
inued tropical heat of the Gulf states.
Besides it raises more and better pea
uts than any other state, and but
ne other state produces more tobacco
Iot every girl baby born in the state
) named Virginia, but so many re-
Give that name as to make it very
oticeable. Surely it is a good state
o live ill.,
Coal is about as difficult to secure
ere as in Vermont although the mines
re not far away, and when you get
;, it is soft coal and not much cheaper
han anthracite in Addison County.
| was rather surprised the other day
D hear a merchant express his opinion
S to the results of the Civil War.
If the South had beaten the North,
aid he, what an awful fix we should
e in. We can now see that we were
l the wrong" Still they hold Lee,
ackson, and Jefferson Davis in great
onor.
One thing have noticed here with
good deal of interest. We all recog-
ize the peculiar dialect or accent of
lie negro, their slovenly way of speak
lg English. do not remember of
yer hearing but one negro that spoke