FARMERS' REGISTER— DESCRIPTION OF VIRGINIA, &c. 



half century. According to Mr. Jefferson, the 

 average daily range of the thermometer, in the five 

 years mentioned, did not exceed from 5" to 7" ; — 

 whereas, from 1824 to 1827 inclusive, the average 

 variation was 16". Richmond and Williamsburg 

 are sixty miles distant, and except that the latter 

 is nearer the ocean, and within the influence of its 

 breeze, the difference in temperature must be in- 

 considerable. That the climate is much more 

 fluctuating than formerly accords with the expe- 

 rience of most persons advanced in years. The 

 changes are more sudden and violent : the heats of 

 summer, especially in latter years, are more in- 

 tense, and the winter cold more severe for short 

 periods. The spring is exceedingly inconstant; 

 but the latter part of autumn, particularly in the 

 upper country, is a fine and delightful season. — 

 The Indian summer, which seldom fails to occur 

 late in the fall, or in early winter, is distinguished 

 by a golden haze, and most agreeable temperature. 

 Population. By the census of 1830, the free 

 white population amounted to - 694,300 



Free colored _ _ _ 47,348 



Slaves - - _ _ 469,757 



Total, 1,211,405 

 In 1800, the free white males numbered 



514,280 

 Free colored - - 20,124 



Slaves - - - 345,796 880,200 



Increase in thirty years, - 331,205 



or thirty -seven and a half per cent. 

 In the same period, the free whites increased 

 180,020, or 35 per cent. ; the free colored persons 

 27,224, or 135 per cent. ; and the slaves, 123,961, 

 or 36 per cent. For the ten years preceding the 

 census of 1830, the rate of increase of the whole 

 population diminished considerably, and the rela- 

 tive inci'ease of the several classes varied from tlie 

 foregoing results. On the whole population, the 

 rate was reduced from 37| to 13^ per cent. ; on 

 the free white, from 35 to 15 per cent. ; on the free 

 colored, from 135 to 28^ per cent. ; and on the 

 slaves from 36 to 10^ per cent. It is to be ob- 

 served, however, that, while the black population 

 of the whole state has been diminishing, wlien com- 

 pared with the white, the reverse is true in re- 

 spect to Eastern Virginia, which is peculiarly the 

 slave region ; for, while, in 1790, there was in tliat 

 district a majority of 25,000 whites, the slave and 

 free colored population outnumbered them at every 

 successive census, vnitil, in 1830, the excess was 

 upwards of 81,000. The facts thus exhibited show 

 that Western Virginia, which contains compara- 

 tively few slaves, has rapidly increased its white 

 population in the last ten years, the rate of increase 

 amounting to 25 per cent. ; while, on the eastern 

 side of the mountains, the increase of the whites, 

 in the same period, did not exceed 7^ per cent. The 

 greater multiplication of blacks in Eastern Vir- 

 ginia, notwithstanding constant deportation to the 

 Southern and South-western States, may be partly 

 ascribed to the mild treatment which they gene- 

 rally receive from their owners. On the other 

 hand, the evil effects of slavery, and the policy of 

 adopting some scheme for gradual abolition, are 

 topics which have been freely and earnestly dis- 

 cussed, and have already arrayed the Virginians 

 into two powerful parties. The slow progress of 

 tlie white population, compared with some of the 



other states, when so many propitious causes exist 

 for its advancement, has been \irged as a promi- 

 nent objection to slavery. Indeed, the march of 

 its aggregate population has fallen far short of the 

 predictions of former times. Mr. Jefferson, in his 

 Notes, which were written in 1782, estimated that 

 the then existing stock, unaided by foreign emi- 

 gration, would be multiplied to 2,270,000 by the 

 year 1835, exceeding, by upwards of a million, 

 the result of tlie last'census. That the increase of 

 numbers has been restrained by powerful checks 

 seems reasonable; but to point out their true cha- 

 racter and operation, belongs rather to the depart- 

 ment of moral and political pliilosophy.* 



For the Farmer's Register. 



Discovery of Marl in a. new District. 



" Lime is the basis of every agriculfural improvement." 



Baron Hepburn's Survey of East Lothian. 



Mankind have, in all ages and countries, been 

 prone to seek deliverance from the curse originally 

 inflicted on the race, that they should live by the 

 sweat of their brow. This propensity often leads 

 us to seize with avidity, any scheme, however 

 wild, which has the charm of novelty, and promi- 

 ses great results, from little effort. It subjects us, 

 in every department of life, to the vilest tricks of 

 the vilest impostors. 



Tlie wisdom paid for by experience, often at an 

 enormous price, may, sometimes, remedy the di- 

 rect evils restilting from this principle. But, there 

 are others growing out of an an antagonist pro- 

 pensity, affecting llie interests and prosperity of 

 tlie community, perhaps, still more seriously. — 

 Having suffered ourselves, or having seen otliers 

 suffer severely, by hastily adopting novel plans of 

 improvement, whicli had nothing to recommend 

 them, but the extravagant praises of their propa- 

 gators, we sometimes become prejudiced against 

 every change in conducting the concerns of life, 

 and obstinately persist in old practices, merely be- 

 cause they have been tried, although daily witness- 

 ing and acknowledging their defects, rather than 

 expose ourselves to ridicule for failure hi an untried 

 course. 



The foregoing remarks should not be applied to 

 the district for which this article is particularly in- 

 tended, but with much qualification and allowance. 

 The agriculturists of middle Virginia are generally, 

 intelligent and enterprising. Tliey see and deplore 

 their peculiar obstacles to improvement. Their 

 efforts have, in a great measure, been thwarted or 

 controlled by the privations of nature, or the still 

 more galling and intolerable, because unjust, op- 

 pressive and relentless regulations of man. From 



+ |CIp'Itis peculiarly suitableto the jilan of our publi- 

 cation to present a general description of Virginia, as in- 

 troductory to the many references that will be made to 

 different regions and particular localities, and to the 

 agricultural reports on farms, or on counties, for which 

 we hope to be obliged to some of our correspondents. 

 This object could not have been better attained than by 

 offering to our readers the foregoing extract from the 

 excellent article on Virginia in the Encyclopccdia Amer- 

 icana. It is attributed to the pen of a Virginian who is 

 distinguished for literary taste and acquirements. We 

 shall be much pleased to obtain directly from the same 

 source, the valuable aid which it can so well give to our 

 pages. — [Ed. Far, Reg, 



