JULY 43 
CORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
1=0 . 
DAIRY NOTES ON VIRGINIA.-I. 
An impression prevails with many that 
dairy husbandry cannot be carried on suc¬ 
cessfully south of Pennsylvania ; that, in¬ 
deed, Northern Virginia must be excluded 
from the dairy belt by reason of climate, 
water and other natural causes. The more 
we extend onr travels over different States, 
and the more we carefully examine the lands 
in different sections, the more are we con¬ 
vinced ihat the limits of the dairy region 
are broader than Imv* b en commonly sup¬ 
posed. In saying this, it must not lie in¬ 
ferred that the dairy lands embrace the 
larger portion of the United States ; for, in 
fact, they are comparatively of limited ex¬ 
tent, for it must be observed that even 
within the acknowledged limits of the dairy 
belt large quantities of land arc found not 
adapted to dairying ; and again, farms situ¬ 
ated only a few miles apart are unequal in 
their adaptability to this specialty. But as 
a general principle, we may say that wher¬ 
ever there is good grass, good water, and n 
suitable climate, other things being equal, 
dairying may be successfully prosecuted. 
In our recent visit to Virginia, wo exam¬ 
ined with considerable interest the lands in 
the Piedmont region, visiting a considerable 
number of farms in Loudoun Co., by which 
a tolerably fair estimate of the agricultural 
resources of that section of the “Old Do¬ 
minion ” was obtained. 
LOUDOUN VALLEY. 
Loudoun County was formed in 175? from 
Fairfax and named in honor of the Earl of 
Loudoun, commander of the military affairs 
in America during the latter part of the 
French and Indian war. Loudoun is one of 
the counties embraced in the class known as 
the Piedmont counties, lying between the 
Blue Ridge Mountains and the “tide-water 
counties” of Virginia. It is bounded uorth 
by the Potomac River, east by Fairfax Co., 
south by Prince William and Fauquier Coun¬ 
ties, and west by Clark Co., and Virginia and 
Jefferson Counties, W. Vn. Its western limit 
extends along the top of the Blue Ridge from 
Ashby’s Cap to the Potomac, opposite Har¬ 
per's Ferry., and the Potomac washes its en¬ 
tire northern bounds for 40 miles. Its area 
is 525 square miles, and its population is 
20,724, of which nearly G,000 are colored, and 
these are chiefly employed as laborers. 
Its mountains are the Blue Ridge and its 
spurs for 20 miles on tlie west. The Catoetin 
Mountain, a low range parallel to and 16 
miles east of “the ridge,” and a low range 
called “the Short Hill,” also parallel and 
two miles east of “the Ridge,” rising sud¬ 
denly near Hillsboro' and running north nine 
miles to the Potomac, on the other side of 
which river it crosses Maryland and goes 
into Pennsylvania, where it rises into the 
“Kittatinny Mountains.” Between the Blue 
Ridge and the Catoetin is the far-famed 
Loudoun Valley. 
OENERAL FEATURES OF THE COUHTT. 
The surface of the entire county is rolling, 
well drained, and remarkably free from 
swamps or miasmatic marshes. The water 
courses are the Potomac and its tributaries, 
Goose Creek, Beaver Dam, the Catoetin and 
its forks, Little River, Tuscarora, Hycolin, 
Broad Run, Sugar Land, Horse Pin, &c—all 
considerable streams, pervading the whole 
county. 
In traveling over the country we found 
but few bridges crossing the streams, but the 
lords were remarkably good, the bed of the 
streams being hard and gravelly, allowing 
the wagon to pass along without difficulty. 
At the seasons of high water, however, the 
crossings are often difficult, and sometimes 
impassable. 
THE FARMS WELL WATERED. 
In addition to the streams, the farms are 
remarkably well watered, springs and small 
creeks being on nearly every farm. Indeed, 
on many farms permanent water Is had in 
every Held, cool, sweet and pure, of easy 
access to stock, thus filling the requisite as 
to water for dairy farming as fully as could 
be desired. 
SPRIMO HOUSES. 
On every farm that we visited the spring 
house is a distinguished feature. It is a 
well-built structure, usually of stone, imme¬ 
diately over, or in close proximity to, a large 
spring of living water. The spring houses 
are for the most part well arranged, and 
some of them quite elaborate. The earth is 
excavated at the bottom and a wall built up 
on the inside, so as to form a vat between it 
and the outer wall or side of the building. 
Not unfrequently these vats are on two sides 
of the structure, or there may be a partition i 
wall so as to form two or three vats for the 1 
reception of water, and the arrangement Is i 
such that by closing the outlet In part the I 
water may be raised in the vats a foot or 
more, as desired. The door of the spring 
house Is usually of stone flagging, either ce¬ 
mented or laid in mortar, so as to be dry and 
easily kept dean. Sometimes the entrance 
is on a level with the ground, and sometimes 
there is a flight of steps, according to the 
nature »f the location. 
The farm houses are mostly stone, erected 
many years ago, and the site seems to have 
been selected in reference to the spring and 
without regard to convenience to the high¬ 
way. Not unfrequently, therefore, the farm 
buildings are found quite a distance from 
the roads or public highways, and are reach¬ 
ed by a private way across the fields, and 
entrance is closed by gates. The gates arc 
always provided with spring latches having 
prominent handles arranged so that a horse 
man can open and dose the gate without 
leaving the saddle. 
We speak of these peculiarities because 
they differ so much from the general way in 
which these things are managed at the 
North, where every farmer seeks to have 
his farm buildings on the highway or near 
the street, regarding it of the utmost im¬ 
portance to the pleasure and happiness of 
his family to be located on a well-traveled 
road, in order that persons passing may be 
plainly seen. Again, riding on horseback 
has quite gone out of fashion at the North, 
while at the South it is still the prevailing 
mode of travel, both for male and female ; 
ami in this respect it must be confessed that 
our Southern friends exhibit the better 
taste, for it is a healthful and graceful mode 
of travel, to say nothing of the economy and 
convenience. 
FARM BUILDINGS. 
The farm buildiugs in Loudoun Co. are 
altogether better and more substantial than 
we had expected to sec. Stone and brick 
prevail to a large extent both for dwellings 
and out buildings. Many of the dwellings 
are a hundred years old, and are still, appar¬ 
ently, In a good state of preservation. The 
hams are often found with basement, the 
driveway in the second story exhibiting a 
better style of architecture than wa3 com¬ 
mon at. the North many years ago, when 
these Virginia barns were first erected. In 
some parts of the country, during the late 
war, a large number of barns were burned 
by order of General BirEnmAN, in order to 
cut off supplies from Mokby aud his men. 
The burned buildings have generally been 
replaced with good and substantial struct¬ 
ures and, taken as a whole, the farm build¬ 
ings, wo should say, are excellent, denoting 
thrift, while in many places much elegance 
and taste are shown in the buildings and 
their surroundings. 
THE SOIL. 
The soil, of course, varies, and for the 
most part is a clay loam, but sometimes with 
a considerable admixture of sand. Major 
Williams, in describing the Piedmont re¬ 
gion, says the Triassee, or red sandstone 
formation spreads out to the foot of the 
Catoetin Mountain, a distance of about 20 
miles. Here the'rocks of the Blue Ridge 
system first appear, and having a dip to the 
south, a synclinal valley is formed, along 
which the calcareous breccia, or Potomac 
marble of former days, is strewn in large 
masses. The next formution, as we ascend 
the country west of Leesburg, is comprised 
of the various rocks peculiar to the Blue 
Ridge. These consist of gneiss, clay slate, 
hornblende, greenstone, quartz, mica tal 
cose, schists, epidote and chlorite. The rocks 
appear in great confusion, in consequence of 
the pitching and folding of the strata during 
the upheaval of the Blue Ridge and its out¬ 
lines. As a consequence of such violent 
action and subsequent denundation and dis¬ 
integration of the various rocks, the Pied¬ 
mont region is eminently diversified by its 
minor ridges, numerous foot hills, gentle, 
undulating aud level plains. 
A soil derived from the disintegration of 
so many kinds of rooks, rich in the elements 
of vegetable nutrition, would at once estab¬ 
lish its claims to a high reputation for fertil¬ 
ity. The undecomposed rocks yet on the 
surface or slightly imbedded, containing 
lime, potash and the oxides of iron, consti¬ 
tute a reserve iu the soil which annual crops 
will not ’exhaust for ages. The crumbling 
down of the gueissoidal rocks in this section 
leaves on the surface small, whitish pebbles, 
forming what are locally called “ hominy 
soils.” These pebbles contain at least 12 per 
cent, of potash. The potash Is liberated 
slowly by atmospheric agencies, and being 
washed down the sides of the hills, shows its 
effects in a luxurious vegetation. The small, 
barren knolls, instead of beiug waste places 
on the farm, are really its supporters of fer¬ 
tility. The soil also contains lime, magnesia 
and the oxides of iron, and is capable of 
growing a great variety of plants. Although 
the great source of wealth iu the Piedmont 
range consists in its multiplied agricultural 
capabilities, it is not destitute of valuable 
minerals. The calcareous breccia has already 
been mentioned. A quarry of marble has 
l>een opened on the lauds of Mr. Caktjcii on 
Goose Creek, in Loudoun Co. Its texture 
and purity adapt it, it is said, to the highest 
purposes of statuary. Years ago a bed of 
Iron ore was worked at the foot of the Catoc- 
tin Mountain, near the Point of Rocks, on 
the Potomac. Indications of the existence 
of iron are frequent along the base of that 
mountain. Asbestos lias been discovered in 
Loudoun Co., and ochres are abundant in the 
Piedmont range. 
CLIMATE. 
The climate in this region is mild, and the 
air has a softness which, to one accustomed 
to the bleak, cold, raw winds of Northern 
New York, is delightful. When we left 
Herkimer Co,, N. Y., in the latter part of 
May the trees were as bare as in mid-winter, 
uhd only a faint green tinge In the fields gave 
evidence of the approaching movement of 
vegetation. Two days after leaving Herki¬ 
mer, arriving in Virginia, we found fruit 
trees in tdossom, the wheat fields allowing a 
tall growth, the plants beginning to head, 
and vegetation of all kinds in vigorous 
growth. The contrast between the two sec¬ 
tions of country was more marked than ever 
before experienced ; but ou this point we 
shall have more to say hereafter. 
Having thus briefly referred to some of the 
general features of the Piedmont region, wo 
shall iu subsequent articles speak of the 
manner of farming, the people, whom we 
met, and our impressions of the country os 
adapted to dairying. 
<3% Horseman. 
HORSES 
COWS 
SHEEP. 
The first-named stand out in conspicuous 
superiority as agricultural stock for breeding 
by gentlemen farmers ami retired merchants 
or professional gentlemen or the sons of 
either inheriting their property having in¬ 
comes without cause for further accumula¬ 
tion ; for those capitalists want amusement, 
and the breeding, raising and training of 
such animals as would command a very high 
figure among the class of men they belong 
to, would give zest to the enjoyment of their 
fortunes, giving a taste forjeountry life and 
thereby preventing the questionable excite¬ 
ment ami speculation iu forming monopo¬ 
lizing, companies, &c.,-called “rings” for 
taking advantage of the public. Many of 
the members of rings and monopolists have 
worse dispositions and are bigger rogues 
than any in Sing Sing aud it looks bad for 
the future of the United States to see how 
much ill-gotten wealth is used iu bribery and 
corruption to attain ends adverse to the 
community at large but to fraudulently en¬ 
rich a few. 
Therefore, as the breeding of trotting or 
sporting horses is calculated to cause the 
common farmer to neglect the other stock 
and may prove to give the sons a contempt 
for the less exciting duties appertaining to 
the herds and flocks, it would be fortunate 
if the raising of sporting animals could be 
chiefly confined to the wealthy class who 
have no business which can suffer by their 
devoting time and attention to all connected 
with the training and racing of fast horses. 
Farmers oould breed the fine draught 
horses, and, take an average of years, do 
better than by being confined to cows and 
sheep, for a mixed stock raising is best if 
pereevered in ; for If one kiud is down in 
price another will probably be up. Besides 
on all farms devoted to stock raising there 
ought to be old grass pasture permanently 
kept from the plow, and on such all the best 
native grasses flourish so very much more 
luxuriantly and the stock thrives so much 
better, if a variety of stock graze ; for the 
sheep eats after the horse with great relish, 
and the cows, too, while at the same time the 
horse duos well after cows. 
Horses can be kept in numbers about equal 
with cows ; and about eight sheep can be 
reckoned for one horse or cow. Now, to 
make a very easy calculation, we will say on 
a large farm of about 3,000 acres, a stud of 
10G brood mares, 100 dairy cows and 800 
breeding ewes were kept, the proceeds from 
each would run as follows, allowing for bar¬ 
ren mares and losses, say 80 colts are raised ; 
from the cows say 40 heifers are raised ; 
from the ewes, as there are always many 
twins in well-kept flocks, 800 lambs can be 
reckoned, and be long below the truth. After 
this, there will have to be brought into the 
account butter from the cows, say only $00 
per cow and there will be the wool fx-om the 
ewes and from 800 one-year old sheep. Now 
the l-euder is to get slate and pencil, or pen 
and ink. First put down 80 horses for sale 
annually ; 40 cows and 800 sheep, all sepa. 
rately, and add to the sum total for cows per 
year the $15,000 for butter and to the sheijj 
1,000 fleeees, at $3 each, which will be $4,800; 
Bay $10 each for 800 sheep sold, #8,000, and the 
yearly income from sheep is $12,800, Say 40 
fat Cows, $80 each, and there is an income 
of $10,000; say 80 horses, at $800 each, and that 
is $24,000. But these have to be charged for 
three years’ keep, beyond the sheep, and for 
two beyond the cow?, as they would not sell 
till four yeai-B old ; this would take off a 
great deal, and the cows would have to be 
credited with the 40 steers which might be 
raised to two years old and sold for suy $40 
each, thus putting them up to #11,000. “There 
would bo extra labor in milking and dairy 
attendance to charge against them; but 
when, after a few years, a good bull had 
been used from a good milking strain and 
both milking aud beef-producing qualities 
are improved, the milk can be said to be 
worth $20 per cow more, which will add up, 
with $20 each added for 40extra fat cows, to 
$14,400. 
However, here is enough said to allow of 
any one figuring for themselves and they can 
go into details farther than newspaper space 
will allow. Horses require very little atten¬ 
tion, less even than sheep ; but the breaking 
into harness and getting the colts gentle will 
give as much labor as shearing ; but then the 
young horses can he made to pay for break 
ing after the first day oi- two by making 
them take a horse.’s place in plowing, &c., 
half a day at a time. Altogether, and reckon 
everything pro and con, it will be found the 
American is somewhat slow in rot seeing 
that the Canadians, by pitying a 20 per cent. 
Import tax and raising through winters of 
two months’ longer duration, proves beyond 
doubt that breeding horses for heavy draft 
must be at least (#100) per horse more profit 
aide to the native, for there is also cost of 
freight to bo calculated. Mutton comes from 
Canada, too, but not much beef if any, and 
this goes to prove, likewise, that sheep hus¬ 
bandry would bo remunerative if conducted 
properly in the United States. What a boon 
to New York City if every capitalist ever 
connected with gambling transactions in 
stocks, in raising prices of coals, flour, pork, 
&c., to consumers or in corporation “jobs,” 
custom - house frauds, or R. R. rings ami 
other rings could be banished forever into 
the country under penalty of being, with a 
housebi-eaker or pickpocket, strung up by 
the neck if he returns, as a warning to others. 
A Working Farmer. 
PISCICULTTJRAL NOTES. 
The Michigan Grayling. —Tho London 
Field says :—“ The location of tho Grayling 
[in Michigan | is very curious and is equally 
remarkable in our own country. The de¬ 
scription of the fish shows that if not identi¬ 
cal with our own, it is very nearly so, and 
the time of spawning, which appears to be 
from March to May, would scorn t/> be also 
in accordance with ours. The account of a 
visit to the river Au Sable in search of live 
fish and spawn, from tho pen of Mr. F^eiv 
erick Mather, is very pleasantly written,” 
No Shad for California. —The roeent- at¬ 
tempt of Mr. Seth Green to transport j ouog 
shau to the Pacific coast has failed. Last 
year the aquarium car was wrecked; this 
year the car went through safely, but the 
water at Laramie was so highly impregnated 
with alkali that the young shad all died 
within ten hours after the water at that 
place was put Into the tanks. The rest of 
the young nsh went through safely. 
Cidling Seaweed and Fish .—The practice 
of cutting seaweed prevalent on some of tho 
English coasts deprives fish of the harborage 
provided for them hy nature, anti in the end 
may drive them from the shores of England. 
This danger is said to be Imminent along t he 
coasts of South Devon and Cornwall, where 
seaweed cutting has become a recognized 
branch of trade, owing to the agricultural 
demands for the article as manure. 
Eels in Wisconsin Waters .— Joseph Hob- 
bins, Madison, Wis., writes to the Western 
Farmer that he has made several efforts to 
introduce eels Into the waters about that, 
city, but has been assured by Seth Green 
that owing to being so far removed from salt 
water, the eel would not propagate there, 
and they would takeout of their waters only 
the eels they put in them. 
