1836.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



627 



sources of autumnal diseases in lower and middle 

 Virginia, is more likely to be Ibund in the mill 

 ponds — and these are abundant along, at least, 

 part of llie sickly borders of this river. If the 

 meeting of salt and fi-esh water is a fruitful source 

 of malaria, or the spreadinjr of salt water over 

 fi-esh marshes, (as stated in an article in the last 

 number of the Farmer's Register,) then the dis- 

 charge of floods of accumulated water, after hea- 

 vy rains from these mill-ponds, may, by overflow- 

 ing the adjacent salt marshes, produce much of 

 Uiese deplorable results, in addition to the univer- 

 sal extrication of mahiria from the ponds them- 

 selves, when lowered by summer droughts. The 

 pestilential emanations thus produced from mill- 

 ponds, and from the discharge of their floods upon 

 salt marshes, may thus serve to produce much the 

 greater part of the autumnal diseases so prevalent 

 on the banks of this river. The remedy lor this 

 great evil will only be found in the general a,bate- 

 ment of the greatest physical nuisance in our 

 country, vix. mill-ponds on small or insufficient 

 streams. As to the smaller amount of such dis- 

 ease justly attributable to emanations from ihe 

 general face of the country, it would be greatly 

 limited, if not annihilated, by that kind of manur- 

 ing which .would most redound to the profit of the 

 formers, in other respects as well as in preserv- 

 ing health. Such has been the undoubted result 

 on farms and in neighborhoods in Prince George, 

 where marl has been extensively applied. But it 

 is evident, that to derive this benefit fully, all the 

 lands of the neighborhood, whether in wood, 

 meadow or arable, should be made calcareous 

 on the surfiice. 



The salt marshes in this neighborhood are gen- 

 erally high and firm, and rarely covered by tides. 

 The growth is of ditferent kinds of salt grasses, 

 which are excellent food for cattle in the spring, 

 and beginning of summer, but which become un- 

 fit afteivvards. If this is (as is alleged) from the 

 older state of the grasses, it might be prevented 

 by mowing the marshes, and thus providing a 

 young and tender growth in the latter part of 

 summer. The kinds of grass which grow on 

 these marshes affect that locality more because of 

 its saltness than its wetness. As a proof of this, 

 I saw the same kind of grass, of good growth, 

 covering the lofty ramparts of the fortress at Old 

 Point Comfort, though the marsh mud which had 

 been used to construct them, had been lor years 

 in this very dry situation. 



Marl has not been in use but a few years in 

 Nansemond county, nor is it now used to much 

 extent, or by many persons, compared to the 

 great number who have it in their power to profit 

 well by this manure. I saw, as well as heard of, 

 striking improvements made by martin"', on the 

 flirms of Mr. J. T. Kilby, Mr. Mills Riddick, sen. 

 and Mr. J. Bunch, all in the neighborhood oi' 

 Suffolk. But still, the example of these gentle- 

 men has had but little effect in stimulatmg, or even 

 awakening their torpid countymen. Some per- 

 sons went zealously, but not judiciously to work : 

 they put rich marl on poor land in quantities far 

 too heavy ; and having thereby injured their land, 

 they have taken no means to correct the error. 

 They are content to abandon marling, and to 

 etand by their first fruits of it, as full evidence of 

 ite worthlessness, or the danger of using it. 



This county is celebrated for its crops of very 



fine sweet j)otatoes ; and on some of the low- 

 er river lands, water-melons are a considera- 

 ble and very profitable field crop. They are 

 sent by vessel loads to the northern cities." For 

 such distant markets, they are gathered be- 

 fore they are quite ripe, and therefore never can 

 be of as fine flavor as when left to ripen on the 

 vines. "" The greater part of the sweet potatoes are 

 sent to the northern markets. 



The former ov.-ners of farms on Nansemond 

 River have generally lived in the exercise of 

 what has been so much lauded as "old Virginia 

 hospitality" — and which deserves more to be rep- 

 robated, as the sj-stem or habits that have tended 

 more than any thing else to ruin the estates and 

 their owners, or their children, throughout lower 

 Virginia. I speak not in condemnation of true 

 hospitality, but of its excess and abuse. Accor- 

 ding to the long established precedents in such 

 cases, (ew of the lands on the Nansemond, are 

 now held by the, children of former possessors — 

 and still fewer by the same individuals who held 

 them twenty years acjo. A contrast to ihis state 

 of things is exhibited by the people who cultivate 

 the poor lands of the "piney woods." Dejirived 

 of all the comforts and luxuries furnished bv the 

 river, and compelled by the difficulties of their si- 

 tuation to be laborious and frugal, they have 

 prospered in their estates, in spite of poor lands 

 and a wretched system of agriculture, as much 

 as their richer and more fiivored countymen have 

 done otherwise. They live plain!}-, but comforta- 

 bly, have no fear of Irhe sheriff before their eyes, nor 

 anticipations of leaving their cliildren in want, or 

 dependence — and are able to exercise, and doubt- 

 less do exercise, true and kind hospitality, without 

 ostentation, and without the waste of the enter- 

 tainers' time and good habits, still more than of 

 his victuals and drink, on idle loungers and dissipa- 

 ted companions and visiters. 



It was stated in the early part of these remarks 

 that the low state of agriculture in this and the 

 counties lying to the east, was inexplicable. But 

 the reasons given for it will serve as a partial ex- 

 planation. The main one is the inducements held 

 out to capitalists, and still more to poor men and 

 laborers, to get timber for market, rather than to 

 till the earth for slower-coming gains. The im- 

 mense quantity of excellent timber in these coun- 

 ties has afforded occupation, in getting it up for 

 market, to any amount of labor : and the northern 

 demand tor shingles, and that of the navy yard in 

 Portsmouth, and the works at Fortress Monroe, 

 for every other kind of building and ship timber, 

 have offered ready and profitable markets for all 

 the products of labor thus directed. Even though 

 the general and average returns of this and agri- 

 cultural labor had been equal, the latter v/ould be 

 received only after a year's lime (at shortest,) 

 while a load of timber could be cut and sold in a 

 lew weeks. But the profits of the timber busi- 

 ness were the best. Besides — the great public 

 works long carrying on at the navy yard and the 

 fortifications required a great number of ordinary 

 hands, for which enormous hires have been al- 

 ways paid. This served to take away from agri- 

 cultural labor much of its proper laboring force — 

 and induced the owners of labor and capital to 

 look to other sources of profit than cultivating or 

 improving the soil. These advantages, have had 

 evil, instead of good effects. 



