Mi 



VIRGINIA. 



VIRGINIA. 



1030 



daces abundant crops of maize, wheat, and tobacco. There are also 

 extensive orchards, which produce apples and peaches of good quality. 



The northern section of this mountain region, or that which lies 

 within the basin of the Potomac in Virginia, is divided by the Kitta- 

 tinny Chain into two natural divisions, which gradually lower as they 

 proceed from south to north. Nearly the whole of that division of it 

 which is inclosed by the Blue Ridge on the east and the Kittatinny 

 Chain on the west, is drained by the Shenandoah and its affluents. 

 It is comparatively level ; and the soil is in most parts stony, but, 

 consisting almost entirely of limestone, it U generally fit for cultiva- 

 tion, and on the river bottoms it exhibits a considerable degree of 

 fertility. The crops of wheat, rye, maize, and oats are tolerably 

 abundant Bat as the colder climate of this region favours the growth 

 of grasses, the inhabitants pay more attention to the dairies and rear- 

 ing of domestic animals. North of the plain of Staunton the true 

 character of tho Alleghanies reappears. Between 38 30' and 39" 10' 

 N. lat the whole space between the two principal ranges is filled up 

 by several elevated ridges, with their intervening valleys. These 

 ridges rise as high as the Blue Ridge and run parallel to it The 

 valleys contain the best description of limestone-land, and are from 

 two to three miles wide. They produce the same articles as are 

 grown in the plain of Staunton, and cultivation extends at some places 

 over the lower declivities of the Blue Ridge, but the ridges west of it 

 are unfit for cultivation. The low tracts along the rivers are very 

 fertile, bat mostly used as grass-lands, for here too the rearing 01 

 .cattle is more profitable than the cultivation of grain. The mountains 

 an mostly covered with oak, pine, hickory, and chestnut The moun 

 tain ridges which traverse the central basin of the Shenandoah extend 

 northward to the banks of the Potomac, when they spread over the 

 westsm districts, which contain only narrow valleys between high 

 fidgssj, so that this tract is better adapted for pasture than cultivation. 

 But ns the space between these ridges and the Blue Ridge widens 

 coniidersbly north of 39 10' N. lat, a plain occurs here, which 

 issmls to the banks of the Potomac. Its surface is uneven and in 

 some parts hilly, but the slopes of the hills an not too steep for culti- 

 vation, and the soil is rather fertile, being what is called limestone- 

 land of the beet description. Wheat, rye, miize, and tobacco an 

 extensively grown. The cultivation of grasses is also carried on to 

 some extent, and the orchards an numerous. This tract is considered 

 the moct fertile in Virginia, and is very populous. 



The basin of the Upper Potomac, or the country between the 

 Kittatinny Chain on the west and the Allegbany Mountains on the 

 east, may be considered as a terrace considerably elevated above the 

 basin of the Shenandoah. Its snrbce is very elevated ; and it is 

 traversed longitudinally by several ridges, which leave only narrow 

 valleys between them. The soil of the valleys is either poor or of 

 indifferent quality, except a fine tract of bottom ground on the south 

 branch of the Potomac. As the climate is cold the crops do not 

 always saeceed, and therefore the inhabitants have turned their ttn 

 HOB more to the rearing and fattening of cattle and keeping of other 

 domestic animals, especially sheep. But in the country which 

 approaches the north branch of the Potomac cultivation U more 

 attended to. The grains, except maize, with flax and hemp, an culti- 

 vate.). Fruit-trees an scarce, with the exception of applea and 

 berries. Vegetables an extensively grown. The low lands and the 

 lopes of the mountains an still to great extent covered with forests. 

 On the top of the mountains and more elevated portions of the 

 slopes sn cedars, and pitch, spruce, and white pines ; in some places 

 these trees have attained their full growth, but in others they are 

 stunted. The less elevated grounds an overgrown with oak, beech, 

 elm, black walnut, and hickory ; and on the low grounds along the 

 banks of the rivers, which an subject to be inundated during the 

 freshets, the woods consist mostly of sycamore-trees, plane-trees, and 

 red or water maple. 



The principal articles which an cultivated in the region west of the 

 Allegheny Mountains, an maize, oats, and buckwheat; cattle are 

 rather numerous. The eastern portion is an elevated table-land, 

 whose surface is distinguished by extensive prairies ; it is drained by 

 five or six small rivers, which by their union form Cheat llivcr, an 

 upper branch of the Monongahela. Numerous herds of cattle find 

 pasture on these natural meadows. The western district, or that 

 which lies contiguous to the Laurel Ridge, U a valley, called Tygart's 

 Valley. It is about 30 mile, long and 2 miles wide, possesses a fertile 

 oil, and is w- II settled. It produces maize, wheat, rye, oats, and 

 several vegetables in abundance : clover and other gnuaes an exten- 

 sively grown, and cattle an numerous. The mountains surrounding 

 the valley are well stocked with fine timber oak, poplar, cherry, pine, 

 fir, red cedar, Ac. 



The climate necessarily varies greatly in a mountain region, which 

 in some pert* rises to 3000 feet above the sea, and in others hardly 

 attain* an elevation of 300 feet The winters are more seven than 

 in the errantries east of the Blue Ridgo, and they generally last thne 

 month/ without interruption. The vegetation on the east side of the 

 < usually two weeks enriier than on the west side ; but 

 the sir is never so hot on the west side as to dry up the grass during 

 the summer months ; droughts however occasionally occur. 



4. Tht Hilly Kcji-m of the Okio and Kanatctia comprehends the 

 BOrth-Western portion of the state, or that which is inclosed by the 



north-west limit of the mountain region, the Sandy River and tho 

 Ohio, and the boundary of Pennsylvania. The most southern portion 

 of this region is the most elevated, which is north of it, by a line- 

 commencing on the banks of the Big Sandy River, where that stream 

 is cut by 38 N. lat, and running thence to a point on the Great 

 Kanawha River a little above the salt-works, whence it continues iu 

 the same direction' to the salt-works on the Little Kanawha, where 

 it turns eastward. The whole country consists of high masses of 

 rocks, which generally rise to the elevation of mountain ridges, which 

 are united to the western edge of the Mountain Region at right 

 angles, as they generally extend from south-east to north-west There 

 are no bottoms along the river-courses, except a few small tracts 

 hardly a quarter of a mile wide. The rocks, which are generally con- 

 tiguous to the banks, rise to 500 feet and more, and in many places 

 with a nearly perpendicular acclivity. Where the acclivity is uot too 

 steep the mountains are covered with soil, and along the watercourses 

 overgrown with bushes ; but in many parts the rocks are bare. At 

 some distance from the watercourses the high grounds present a hilly 

 surface, usually covered with low bushes or stunted trees. There 

 are only a few tracts of moderate extent, on which maize, oats, and 

 potatoes are grown ; and the pastures which the higher grounds afford 

 are too poor for cattle. The inhabitants obtain their livelihood partly 

 by taking lumber to the lower country. 



The remainder of this region is only hilly, with the exception of 

 the north-eastern country, where some short ranges of mountains 

 occur. The hills rise from 300 to 500 feet above the river bottoms, 

 generally with a gentle acclivity, though in many places they are 

 steep. The bottoms differ in width, from a quarter of a mile to 

 upwards of two miles. The least fertile part is the tract which lie* 

 between the Big Sandy River and the Great Kauawha, where the 

 hills which form the higher grounds between the rivers consist of 

 sandstone, rise with a steep acclivity, and have flat tops covered with 

 low bushes. They are not cultivated, and not even avoilable as pasture- 

 ground for sheep. In tho depressions between the hills the soil is also 

 poor. The bottom of the Great Kauawha has many very fertile tracts, 

 and in general it yields good crops of maize, wheat, rye, oats, and 

 potatoes. The hills which inclose the bottoms of this river and thono 

 of iU affluents contain large trees, especially lime, hickory, sugar- 

 maple, laurel, hemlock, anil sumach : the sumach attains here the 

 height of a stately tree. North of the Great Kauawba the country 

 improves. It is still hilly, but the slopes of the hills are not so steep, 

 and the soil is more fertile. The higher grounds are overgrown with 

 trees or bushes. The best portion of this region is the basin of the 

 Monongahela. Though the river-bottoms are not so wide as those of 

 the Ohio or Great Kanawha, they are very fertile, and produce abund- 

 ant crops of wheat, maize, rye, oats, potatoes, and vegetables. In some 

 places the higher grounds rise into mountains. In general the hills 

 OB the higher ground, though broken, have a good soil, which pro- 

 duces maize, rye, and oats. The higher grounds between the Laurel 

 Chain and Chestnut Ridgo ore destitute of trees, but in summer they 

 are covered with grass ; the cultivated tracts are not very numerous. 

 The most northern part of Virginia, or that narrow tract whidi 

 between the western boundary-line of Pennsylvania and the Ohio, 

 reaernble* the countries on the banks of the Mouougahela, being much 

 broken," but equally fen 



Hydrography, Cuntmumca/toni. Virginia has numerous navigable 

 riven. They all originate within the Mountain Regiou or on tho 

 ranges which form the edges of that region. The greater number run* 

 east and south-east, and flow into the Atlantic. The others flow 

 north or north-west into the Ohio. 



The Potomac, from iU source to its mouth, forms the boundary 

 between Maryland and Virginia, and will be found described under 

 MaBTLJLVO. As there mentioned, ships of the line ascend it to the 

 Washington navy yard, and large boats to Harper's Ferry, where the 

 river breaks through the Blue Ridge. Its principal tributary in Vir- 

 ginia is the PhtnanduaA, which rises near 38 N. hit., and drains 

 Dearly the whole of the Mountain Region north of that parallel and 

 between the Kittatinny Chain and the Blue Ridge. It flows 130 miles 

 before it joins the Potomac. 



The Rappokannoc rises on the eastern declivity of the Blue Ridge, 

 with two branches called the Hedgeman and Rapid Ann, which unite 

 after a course of about 50 miles. After the union of these streams 

 the river becomes navigable, but 10 miles farther down it haa some 

 Falls, and a short distance below them it meets the tide-water at 

 Predericksburg, up to which place vessels of 140 tons can ascend. In 

 approaching the sea it widens to a narrow bay, which at its lower 

 extremity is about 2 miles across. Its course is about 160 miles. 



Y'I- k litter originates iu the south-east mountains, with two branches, 

 ihe Pamunkey and Mattapouy, each above 100 miles long. By their 

 uniou the York River is formed, which is an lustunry from one to three 

 niles across. After a course of 85 miles it falls into Chesapeake Bay. 

 The largest ships ascend to Yorktown, 12 miles from the sea, where it 

 onus an excellent harbour. Up to the union of its two branches it 

 las a depth of 3 fathoms, and admits coasting- vessels. The Paaiuu- 

 ley and the Mattapony are navigable by boats for 70 and 50 miles 

 respectively. 



The Jama Rirer is the principal river belonging wholly to Virginia. 

 A rises in the Allegheny Mountains with several branches, of whioh 



