+2 
tion, to welcome business men and farmers, and even to take hold with energy, 
and push new enterprises to success. Wheat, dry and heavy, yielding superior 
flour, may be considered a specialty in the Shenandoah valley, and in many of 
the central and eastern counties. Corn, for cattle feeding, has been produced 
largely on the north branch of the Potomac, in the valley of Virginia, and it 
has been a prominent crop in Norfolk, Gloucester, York, and Lancaster, on tide- 
water. Our correspondent on York river illustrates the capabilities of this coast 
region as follows: ‘One hundred and ten bushels of corn, forty of wheat, and 
sixty-four of oats, have been made to the acre. The oats were grown and har- 
vested by myself, on light black land, never manured, and was the second crop 
of small grain, and the sixth of its cultivation. ‘The other two parcels of land, on 
which the corn and wheat grew, were heavily manured. The profit was large 
in each case.” 
5. Expressions of preference for Tappahannock wheat are received from 
Greene, Washington, Wythe, Craig, Louisa, and Clarke. The Lancaster is 
preferred in Loudon, Botetourt, and Highland; the Oregon, because of its 
white, plump grain, in Lancaster ; the Walker white in Scott, and, until recently, 
in Wythe, where it was introduced thirty years ago from Tennessee, and be- 
came very popular; the red-chaff Mediterranean in Montgomery, and the Medi- 
terranean varieties in several other counties. 
The time of sowing has a wide range; generally through September, and a 
part or the whole of October, and on the sea-coast to December first. In Pu- 
laski county, the range is through October and November; in Carroil, from 
August 15th to November 1st. The commencement of sowing, in most of the 
counties, is during the latter half of September; and the close, upon an average, 
is from October 15th to 20th. The average for the date of commencing the 
harvest is June 21st, for the tide-water region, and June 25th for the whole 
State. The harvest, in most localities, is continued to July, but rarely extends 
beyond the first week, though sometimes continuing to July 10th, and, in some 
cases, to July 15th. J.ate sowing is often practiced to suit the time of corn- 
ripening, the corn being cut and the wheat harrowed in. In Wythe, the first 
half of September is preferred for sowing, “‘as the wheat gets a better root, is 
not 80 liable to be winter-killed, or to rust the next year.” In Clarke, “ either 
the Lancaster or Mediterranean, sown upon a dry soil, and drought prevailing, 
with warm weather, are liable to destruction by the fly; but, if sown upon a 
damp soil, in moist weather, escape the ravages of the fly.” The modes of cul- 
ture are various, and, like those of other parts of the country, generally careless 
and imperfect. In most of the counties a very small portion is drilled, In a 
few “valley counties” the drill is considerably used. In Craig it is common to 
turn over sod-land with a two-horse plough, then put in wheat with a shovel- 
plough, or harrow, and sometimes both ;’’ and, in corn-land, to sow while the 
corn is standimg. In Lancaster county, “many farmers cut off the corn, and 
sow upon the same land, but the greater number, and the best farmers, sow 
upon fallow.” In Greene it is put in with the single and double-shovel plough, 
the harrow, or double-cultivator. 
6. Blue-grass, white clover, crab-grass, and red-top, everywhere abound for 
the pasturage of cattle. The average length of the season for exclusive feeding 
is nearly eight months, and in mild seasons, in some localities, cattle obtain a 
subsistence without feeding throughout the year. Provision should be made, 
however, as it will be by good farmers, for a partial supply for four months or 
more. Far less hay or other feeding material is required, during this period, than 
for the same months in more northern latitudes. The price of pasturage varies 
greatly, ranging from $3 to $16 for the season, according to location and other cir- 
cumstances. The average is less than a dollar per month. It is high in the neigh- 
borhood of Winchester, where lands are high, and grazing is not the principal 
business ; and low on the mountain slopes of the Blue Ridge and the Allegha- 
