78 
THE CULTIVATOR, 
March, 
sates the expenditure, as well of capital as of labor, be¬ 
stowed upon it. The vicinity of the Washington mar¬ 
ket—at all seasons one of the best and most constant to 
be found in the United States—and accessible by the 
best of roads—the mildness of the clime—the uniformi¬ 
ty of the temperature—the early period at which the 
labor of the husbandman may commence, and the length 
of the season which is before him, and which is never 
contracted, as at the north, by unexpected frosts and 
early winters—the wonderful luxuriance which attends 
the growth of every species of vegetable, grain, and 
grass—the consequent frequency and abundance of crops 
—these advantages, together with the general health- 
fulness of the surrounding country—and the adaptation 
of the soil to most of the purposes required in an en¬ 
lightened system of farm husbandry—present strong in¬ 
ducements to all in a less favored climate, whose cir¬ 
cumstances or inclination point to a change of domicil, 
rather to avail themselves of the certain blessings at¬ 
tendant upon the advanced and settled state of civiliza¬ 
tion, such as is unquestionably to be found here, than to 
brave the perils and suffer the deprivations and depra¬ 
vations of an incipient state of social advancement in the 
far west. 
To those whose physical constitutions have been un¬ 
dermined by the rude and incessant attacks of a harsh 
climate, and by the rapid alternation of heat and cold 
which is so common in the northern and eastern sec¬ 
tions of the Union, and which it is so impossible effect¬ 
ually to guard against, there can be little doubt of the 
permanent advantages which a transfer to the mild, 
equable, and at the same time invigorating breezes of 
the “ sunny south ” secures; andwliich,Iam confident, 
neither a continual northern “ exposure” nor the much 
vaunted “ sea breezes ” of that latitude can so effectual¬ 
ly command. My own experience, and that of others, 
similarly situated in this respect, can abundantly vouch 
the almost instantaneous efficacy of the remedy here 
pointed out, in the renovation of health and strength, 
the elasticity of spirits, and the complete invigoration 
of the entire physical system. To that large and con¬ 
stantly increasing class of our young men who are 
rushing into the already crowded avenues of the various 
professions, where, in a few short years at farthest, the 
greater portion of them must be hopelessly stranded in 
the vortex of that ruinous competition which must 
necessarily ensue from the vast disparity between the 
demand for their services and the supply—no less than 
to the struggling victims to this disastrous and injudi¬ 
cious choice—the cultivation of the soil opens a most 
inviting and profitable field of honorable enterprise—and 
I know of no more advantageous investments in this 
field than are presented by the inducements held out to 
emigrants and purchasers of land in the eastern or tide 
water sections of Virginia. This territory is, as yet, 
sparsely settled; its divisions, instead of being meted 
out by villages and towns, are subdivided only into coun¬ 
ties—the occupants of its soil are widely separated from 
each other: and such is the tendency to segregation, 
that you may, in some instances, travel the most fre¬ 
quented highways for twenty, thirty, and forty miles, 
without becoming aware, except occasionally, of the 
proximity of a single dwelling—the mansions of the 
proprietors being thrown back for nearly a mile, and 
approached by circuitous and wooded lanes. This state 
of things grows out of the great extent of their do¬ 
mains, and the consequent advantage of a central loca¬ 
tion with reference to its various parts. From five 
hundred to a thousand and two thousand acres, are re¬ 
garded as but an ordinary farm. The period has now 
arrived, when, for the reasons to which I have above 
adverted, large portions of these lands are thrown upon 
the market.; and from the sales which I have seen ef¬ 
fected during my short residence here, and the vast 
quantities of fertile and productive land every day 
offered at prices which are much below the prevailing 
standard at the north for lands of the same quality, I am 
well satisfied that capitalists and laborers, with but 
limited means, might, to say the least, “go farther and 
fare worse.” 
I have only to add, that so far as my personal obser¬ 
vation and means of information extend, the society in 
this, as well as in every portion of this ancient common¬ 
wealth, is of the highest order. Churches, schools, and 
all the varied institutions which indicate an advanced 
civilization, abound in every quarter. Slavery, it is 
true, “ and pity ’tis J tis true,” exists; but I have as yet, 
been able to discover none of those more flagrant enor¬ 
mities with which the fertile imagination of some of our 
northern friends has invested its already sufficiently re¬ 
pulsive features. The slaves, in this vicinity, ai'e, 
without a solitary exception, well treated and carefully 
provided for. The entire gallery of the church is set 
aside for their use on Sundays; and they uniformly at¬ 
tend, and, I doubt not, profit by the lessons they re¬ 
ceive. But I have already trespassed too far upon your 
valuable paper; and will defer what I have to say fur¬ 
ther to another number. S. S. R. 
Lake Borgne Place, Prospect Hill, Va . 
RUTLAND COUNTY, YT. 
Messrs. Editors. —I perceive from the December 
number of the Cultivator, that 138 copies of it are ta¬ 
ken in Rutland, and the number taken by the other 
towns in the county, show that we are eager for infor¬ 
mation and improvement in agriculture, rearing stock, 
&c. The soil of Rutland county, (the valley of Otter 
creek in particular, which runs nearly through the mid¬ 
dle of the county,) is not surpassed by any in New- 
York or New England. The eastern part of the county, 
lying on the Green Mountains, is excellent for grass, 
potatoes, and English grain. The dairy, and raising 
cattle for market, is the principal business. The wes¬ 
tern part, bordering on Lake Champlain, has a stiff 
clay soil, that bears grass and hay of superior sweet¬ 
ness, on which large herds of cattle and sheep are fat¬ 
tened for Brighton market, and sold at no. 1 prices. 
The valley of Otter creek is good for all the grains and 
grasses, and remarkable for the evenness of crops in all 
seasons, never suffering, like most other places, by 
drouth. 
The greatest product of the county is Merino wool. 
There are many fine flocks that average to 4 lbs., 
and some of a little coarser staple, that shear 5 to 5| 
lbs. well washed wool; stock bucks from 8 to 14 lbs. 
Rutland alone keeps 26,000 sheep. 
The Rutland Co. Ag. Society was formed about a 
year-ago. Its prespects are most encouraging. The 
October fair told well for the first one, for horses, cat¬ 
tle, and sheep, agricultural implements, and manufac¬ 
tures. From 7 to 10.000 of the yeomanry were present. 
The annual meeting of the society was held on the 6th 
inst.; an excellent address was given on the occasion, 
by Prof. Hallock, Principal of Castleton High School 
(Agricultural lectures are given at this institution, and 
some practical instructions.) The address is to be pub¬ 
lished; also one on a former occasion, by Prof. Carr, 
and an essay on manures, by Dr. Ives. The premiums 
on field crops were awarded as follows:—Spring wheat 
from 22 to 29 bushels to the acre; corn, 5 applications, 
from 99 to 135 bushels; oats, from 57 to 84 bushels; 
potatoes at the rate of 675; carrots at the rate of 1,430 
bushels; white beans, 37 bushels. Potatoes in this 
county but little affected by the rc$ this year. 
H. W. Lester 
Rutland, Vt.y 1847. 
