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^^£RICAN HERD-BOOli 



DEVOTED TO 



AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND RURAL AND DOMESTIC AFFAIRS. 



Perfect Agriculture is the true foundation of all trade and industry.— Liebio. 



Vol. X.— No. 13.] 



7th mo. (July) 15th, 1846. 



[Whole No. 138. 



PDBLISHED MONTHLY, 



BY JOSIAH TATUM, 



EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, 



No. 50 North Fourth Street, 



PHILADELPHIA. 



Price one dollar per year. — For conditions see last page 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Prospects in Eastern Virginia for new 

 Settlers. 



To THE Editor, — If we examine a map 

 of the United States, we shall find that Vir- 

 ginia occupies a position the most favoured 

 by nature of any of her sister republics. In 

 her southern counties, cotton, the fig, and 

 other plants belonging to the warmest cli- 

 mates, flourish — the fig standing the winter 

 without any protection. In all the southern 

 and eastern counties, sheep and cattle live 

 out all winter, and really need but little 

 shelter or fodder. In the central mountain 

 region, and the northern and western parts 

 of the State, the climate approaches that of 

 southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. 



There is likewise a great variety of soil 

 suited to the growth of every production of 

 the temperate regions of the earth; while 

 in many of the eastern counties the richest 

 marls are abundant and of easy access, to 



Cab.— Vol. X.— No. 12. 



sustain and increase the fertility of the land. 

 Both climate and soil seem better adapted to 

 the growth and perfection of all the finer 

 fruits, than any other portion of the United 

 States; and I believe the time is not distant 

 when this region will supply all the north- 

 ern cities with fruits and vegetables in great 

 abundance and perfection. 



The Potomac, Rappahannock, York, and 

 James rivers, penetrate the eastern counties, 

 and with their branches furnish the means 

 for transportation, not only to the northern 

 States, but to all the world besides. Steam- 

 boats leave Norfolk in the extreme south- 

 east part of the State late in the evening, 

 and arrive in Baltimore before sunrise the 

 next morning; so that a farmer or horticul- 

 turist in the vicinity of Norfolk, can attend 

 the Baltimore or Washington markets as 

 [easily, and have his fruits and vegetables, 

 or meats and poultry there, just as fresh as 

 jone within a mile of those cities. The run 

 jfrom Norfolk to Philadelphia, or New York, 

 with a good steamer, would occupy but a 

 ifew hours; and as soon as there is business 

 !made for the boats, they will be there ready. 

 During the last year a single individual re- 

 ceived $5000 for cucumbers alone,* which 

 ihe raised near Norfolk, and sold to supply 



* Three years ago, a friend of the editor's, who went 

 from New Jersny to the neighbourhood of Portsmouth, 

 Va., told him he had paid the summer before, the sum 

 of $1200 freight on vegetables, sent to the Philadelphia 

 market.— Ed. 



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