Glass. Book. -T-^^Z » V / FOURTH EDITION. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. BY THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. KICHMOND, VA.: JOHNS A GOOLSBY, BOOK AND JOB PKINTER9. 1886. FOURTH EDITION. HAND-BOOK OP VIRGIN I A. rv-^ (1 BY THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. RICHMOND, VA.: JOHNS & GOOLSBY, BOOK AND JOB PEINTERS. 1885. *:^ fi*-i: 190S PREFACE. The act of March 29th, 1877, establishing the Department of Agriculture, in prescribing the duties of the Commissioner, requires him, first of all, to "pre- pare, under his own direction, a hand-book describing the geological formations of the various counties of this State, with information as to the general adapta- tion of the soil of the sa" 1 counties for the various products," &c. The first Commissioner, Dr. Pollard, in accordance with this requirement, pub- lished such a hand-book, and distributed three small editions, the last in 1881. These have long since been exhausted, and none have been issued since the edi- tion of 1881. Since the present Commissioner came into office there have been many applications frorn citizens of other States, principally, from the North and West, for documents of this sort — for information as to the soil, resources, and climate of the State, and such other particulars as would guide thera in seeking a new home. Fortunately I had placed at mj^ disposal a large number of copies of Hotchkiss' Summary — which is, what it purports to be, a full " Description of the State, its Geology, Soils, Minerals, and Climate — Animal and Vegetable Produc- tions, Manufacturing and Commercial Facilities," «&;c. These, and copies of Com- modore Maury's "Physical Survey of Virginia," I have sent abroad where I thought they would do most good, thus supplying, to a certain extent, the need of a hand-book. But, apart from the fact that a liberal construction of the requirement " to pre- pare a hand-book " shows the obligation upon the Commissioner to continue to issue such publications from time to time, I think the " hand-book" fills a place — supplies a ne-' * -which even such a magazine of information as the "Summary" of Hotchkiss car , t fully supply. The spirit of the age more and more calls for condensation s. particularity — working men want information culled out and put in concise snape — digested for them, as it were. A hand-book should be what its name imports — a publication brief and to the point — portable — easy of refer- ence — a book for the hand — a truthful finger-post to direct the immigrant where to find the best location. The present publication falls far short of the standard I have set up, and but that from various causes I have been delayed in getting it out far beyoiid the time expected, I would rewrite the greater part and try to make it conform more nearly to my ideal. In the elfort to be concise, doubtless many things have been left out which should be recorded^ and, after all, there wall be found matter which a more judi- cious editor would have excluded. To secure full and accurate information, embracing all the improvements — the betterments — that have been introduced in the different sections of the State, at I HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. least one correspondent in each county was written to, with a request to give a concise description of said county — soil, climate, products to which it seemed best suited — its resources of all kinds, as minerals, timber, water-power, &c. — its ad- vantages and attractions, including accessibility to market — all these items of in- formation for the guidance of intending settlers I hoped to get from the fountain heads in every quarter of the State. But the responses have been few — instead of the valuable descriptive paper asked for frooi each county, I have received at the rate of one from each ten. To those correspondents who complied with my request, I beg leave to return grate- ful acknowledgments, and to the many who did not, as well as to the public, I would express my regrets that so meagre description of not a few counties had to be given — that they are not credited with various improvements, which have been made in the last year or two, and which are brightening their prospects and making them more attractive. The papers desci iptive of the Piedmont division, and that Northern half from Botetourt to Jefferson and Berkeley, were contributed by Captain Richard Jrby, general agent of the "Bureau of Immigration," and the papers upon the South- ern half of the Valley, '*Blue Eidge," and "Appalachia," are the work of Capt. C. R. Boyd, of Wytheville. To those who know these gentlemen it is unneces- sary that I should speak of their marked fitness for giving a graphic description of the resources of these sections of the State, with which they were, perhaps^ more familiar than I was with the Eastern division. RANDOLPH flARRISON, Commissioner.^ "JjuCins-yijix: MpCf- Ict-C^ ^««^ ^^^ HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. OR BRIEF GENERAL REVIEW OF VIRGINIA. Virgiuia — what is left since the excision of West Virginia — lies between the parallels of 36° 21^ and 39°. 27'' N",, and contains an area variously estiraated at from 38,000 to 45,000 square miles. The designation, "Keystone State," would be more appropriate to Virginia than to Pennsylvania, seeing that it is one of the original thirteen States which occupies just that position — "keystone" of the arch in the grand sweep or curve of the coast from the Bay of Fundy to Florida, According to the classification of Maury and Guyot, it is the southernmost of the " Middle Atlantic " States. HotchMss, in his "Summary," says: " Virginia, as a whole, lies in the region of 'middle latitudes,' giving it a climate of 'means,' between the extremes of heat and cold incident to States south and north of it.' ' Dr. M. G. Ellzey, of Washington, D. C, well says : "The geographical position and physical features of Virginia are eminently favorable to a salubrious air and delightful climate equally removed from extremes of heat and cold." The often-quoted expression of Captain John Smith, "Heaven and earth never, agreed better to frame a place for man's habitation," shows the estimation in which Virginia was held by the early settlers. In 1858, the Hon. Caleb Gushing, of Massachusetts, in an address delivered in Richmond, declared his belief that "without disparagement of other parts of the Union, the belt of country subtended by the Chesapeake Bay, and extending in- definitely westward, possessed the climate and other conditions most favorable to the highest development of man and the horse, the noblest of the animal crea- tion." While this may well be considered somewhat in the light of a complimen- tary exaggeration, for we hold that this imaginary belt should be considerably broadened, north and south, yet it is probable that the central zone of the most favored climate lies within the limits marked out. Indeed, the truth of the utter- 4 JdAJNU JiUUK (Jt ViKUliNiA. ance with regard to the horse — cleflning the region where he reaches the highest degree of perfection — seems now to be established beyond cavil by the conceded preeminence of Kentucky which has taken the place once held by Virginia as the "race-horse region," and moreover is surpassing all other States in breeding horses for trotting and for all general purposes. It is affirmed also that men there attain greater stature than anyw^liere else on the continent. Even if this claim be regarded as untenable, it cannot be denied that the region in question is highly favored by nature. Going from the lowlands of Virginia westward we pass from the warm alluvial districts of "Tidewater," which are tempered by the influence of the gulf -stream, through the more elevated region of " Middle" Virginia and Piedmont, across the Blue Ridge into the great limestone formation of the "Valley" — thence into "Trans- Alleghany," or "Appalachia,"' which is also a limestone region, in part, the diflference of elevation, geological formation, distance from the sea, &c., giving an almost unlimited choice of industrial pursuits. For more convenient reference and examination by any who are thinking of settling or prospecting in Virginia, a short description of the State is here given by grand divisions, each with the counties composing it. These are taken in the order indicated above, from east to west, viz : Area— Square Miles. Tidewater Virginia 11,350 Middle Virginia 12,470 Piedmont Virginia 6,680 The Valley 7,550 The Blue Ridge 1,230 Appalachia 5,720 See Map. 45,000 THE TIDEWATER DIVISION. The first of these, " Tidewater," is an alluvial region rising from the sands tha skirt the ocean, the "post-tertiary " formation, to the low plains nearest! the Chesa- peake Bay, the "pliocene — then to the "middle tertiary," the "miocene" — the strip of country extending, as ascertained by Rogers and Ruffln, to a line passing through Matthias Point on the Potomac and Coggin's, on James river, near City Point— there we strike the "eocene," or " lower tertiary," a formation underly- ing the others, and coming next in age and elevation to the archaean formation of the "middle division," which it joins in its western boundary at the head of tide. SOIIiS AND CROPS. Tbe soils of this division are, in general, light, warm, easily tilled — and favored, to this end, with a semi-tropical climate, are, "par excellence," garden soils — admirably adapted to raising early vegetables for the great markets of the North- ern cities. This is especially the character of the Eastern Shore, the Norfolk, and parts of the Hampton and Gloucester Peninsulas. In a more restricted sense this description of the soil is applicable to the greater part of Tidewater. The land is "kind," and easily worked — an important factor in estimating the value HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. of land, as every practical farmer knows. The late Gov. H. A. Wise used to say of the lands of the Eastern Shore that they were more profitable than other soils which would make twice as much per acre, because, in the first, "a man and a mule could, thanks to the easy tillage and greater surface he could work, make more crop on the light land than on the strong— and in this country, where land is abundant and cheap, labor is the element most to be considered." The products of this division are very varied, and can be further diversified to an almost unlimited extent. Cotton is grown with great profit in several counties. Peanuts, the finest pro- duced anywhere. Corn and oats everywhere. Wheat of the very best quality, and grass, except where the lands are too light for these crops, as is the case with some of the most valuable. Tobacco is cultivated to a very small extent in some of the Tidewater counties. In colonial times it was the staple— not only the money crop, but the currency of the colony ; and the reputation of Virginia tobacco was built upon the product of the Tidewater section. The tobacco grown at " Varina," on James river, had an especial reputation, and the name of the place is said to have been given it be- cause the quality of the tobacco there grown resembled that of "■ Varinas," in Cuba. There is no doubt that excellent tobacco can \)&—has been— grown in every county in this section ; and probably in every one in the State. The prevailing practice, however, seems to indicate that in many localities other crops have been found more profitable— hence the culture of tobacco has been abandoned in county after county, so that there are many persons who have never seen the plant grow ing. But now that fashions are changing— new kinds of tobacco in demand, as, for instance, "Sumatra," which is being largely imported for cigar-wrappers, some fine, high-priced variety may be found which will suit this country and be profit- able here ; and Lower Virginia may regain her reputation for "sweet-scented," or highly-flavored tobacco. SHEEP AND HOKSES. This country is well-adapted to sheep. The earliest lambs, and some of the finest in the State, are raised here, and have been shipped to New York with great profits Fifty years ago the finest blooded horses of America were bred here in the western counties of "Tidewater," and the adjoining counties of the "Middle Division." This was called the "race-horse region," and it was long supposed that nowhere else could this class of horse be raised in equal perfection. GKASS. This claim, and the one Just preceding, that Eastern Virginia is a good sheep- raising region, may seem strange in view of the fact that it is commonly consid- ered the very reverse of a "grass country ;" but the native grasses, as wire-grass, crab-grass, and occasionally blue-grass (poa compressa), are very nutritious. Moreover, one of the results of the late war was to show that timothy, orchard and other grasses, previously supposed to be ill-suited to the country, would grow luxuriantly under proper conditions. Even old residents were surprised to find timothy, &c., growing in perfection where horses had been picketed and fed upon 6 HAND BOOK OF VLEGINIA. Northern hay ; and there is no longer any doubt that hay, the very fiaest, can be grown here. Some of the best that comes to the Richmond market is made upon the James river between Eichmond and Norfolk. FRUITS. This is a fine fruit country. Apples, pears, grapes, and small fruits, grow in great perfection. The peach is not a sure crop in the greater part of this country. TIMBBK. This region is well-wooded, as indeed is all of Virginia, the growth varying greatly with the geological and climatic differences referred to above. In the Tidewater division we find abundance of the finest pine, cypress, juniper, white and other oaks, ash, maple, gum, locust, cedar, holly, dogwood, hickory — some walnut, sycamore, persimmon — and many other trees of minor importance. In some of the lower counties are large quantities of fine chestnut timber. All along the banks of some of the rivers we find the white mulberry — the " morus alba " — growing in great profusion, offering an inviting field for silk-raising. This tree was introduced from Europe by Gov. Digges, one of the colonial governors, and has made itself at home along James river and its lower tributaries, flourishing and propagating itself as if indigenous. NAVIGABLE WATEKS. . Various writers have commented on the number of the navigable streams which indent this portion of the State. One of the oldest of them, in closing a descrip- tion, says : " So that no country iu the world can be more curiously watered; but this conveniency, that in future times may make her like the Netherlands, the richest place in all America, at the present I look on as the greatest impediment to the advance of the country, as it is the greatest obstacle to trade and com- merce. For the great number of rivers and the thinness of the inhabitants dis- tract and disperse a trade. So that all ships in general gather each their loading up and down an hundred miles distant. This {i. e., the number of rivers), is one of the chief reasons why they have no towns, &c." The same remark has been made by Mr. Jefferson and others, and explains why Virginia cities have been of such slow growth until recently — since water trans- portation is no longer paramount. Admitting the disadvantage in this respect, there are many counterbalancing advantages. This is a country of abundance — the rivers yield the finest fish, oys- ters, wild fowl; and as remarked by Dr. Pollard, "The numerous creek? indent- ing this country furnish the cheapest and readiest means for a commerce which comes home to the abodes of the rural inhabitants, while the ravines and river- cliffs, washed by the tides, disclose the rich marls which are destined to bestow the highest rewards upon its enterprise by spreading fertility and wealth upon the farmers who use them." MABL. To speak of the geology of this country is to give a description of the wealth of marl underlying it — the whole region from the ocean to tlie head of tide probably resting upon beds of marl at greater or less depth. There are, as far as is known, no minerals here possessing value other than in an agricultural point of view, HAND-BOOK OP VIRGINIA. 7 except the ochre bed? of Chesterfield county, near Bermuda Hundreds. The small deposits of iron ore occasionally found in the marl-beds, or bog ore near the streams, do not constitute an exception worth speaking of. But the a2;ricultural value of the marls of Virginia cannot well be overestimated — exhaustless stores of fertilizing material laid ap for the future — they will some day make the alluvial region of Virginia the Belgium of America. A full description of the geological formation of this alluvial region would not be interesting to the unscientific reader, but it may be well to call attention to the difference between the marls of the more recent formations, the pliocene and miocene, which derive their value mainly from the carbonate of lime which they contain, and the green sands and olive earths which are found in the eocene in conjunction with the shell or calcareous marl. (Green sand is sometimes found mixed with the marl of the miocene region.) The region of eocene marls extends from the falls of the river eastward fifteen to twenty miles. Miocene marl is often found overlying the eocene, and is easily recognized by the difference, in the shells which it contains — scallops and others not found in the eocene. Beneath this (Professor Kogers, quoted by Dr. Pollard, says) and usually separated from it by a thin line of " black pebbles,"* like those occurring on the Pamunkey, there occurs a stratum of greenish red and yellow aspect, containing much green sand and gj'^psum, the latter partly disseminated in small grains, and partly grouped in large crystals. The under stratum, rich in green sand and containing a few shells in friable condition, extends to some depth below the level of the river. At "Evergreen " the whole thickness of the deposit appears to be about twenty feet. This was said of the James river formation, but will apply as a general descrip- tion to the deposits of the Pamunkey, Mattaponi, Rappahannock, and Potomac, as Professor Rogers says " eocene marl is there found very similar to that in the James. On the Mattaponi the occurrence of green sand strata has been ascer- tained in some places while in others the beds containing the substance have been replaced by beds of clay which are less likely to prove valuable agriculturally. The olive earth overlying some of these beds, particularly on the Pamunkey, seems to have lost some of the carbonate of lime which it once contained, and has but a small portion of gypsum." See report of Dr. Ledoux, p 10. Much has been said of the wonderful change wrought in the lands of New Jer- sey by the use of the green-sand marl found in the eocene formation in that State, and I cannot do better than quote Dr. Pollard's remarks and citations at second hand from Prof. H. D. Rogers' report in the Geology of New Jersey, differing with him as to the "valuable constituents" of the green sand, to which its mar- vellous effects are due. " Of the agricultural value of eocene marl there can be no doubt. It has been used with great success in New Jersey, and very profitably on the James and Pamunkey in Virginia. For some time beds containing a portion of carbonate of lime (shells) and gypsum were sought after, particularly on the Pamunkey, to the neglect of the underlying green sand. Afterwards the green sand was learned to be appreciated. On " Turkey Island Creek," in Henrico, deposits were found al- most void of shells, which have been used to great advantage, particularly in pro- moting the growth of clover, and secondarily of the cereals. The effect of green sand is very permanent as well as very efficacious from the beginning. In New Jersey it iias been used in almost unmixed condition for many years, and is highly prized as a fertilizer. There, it is said, as small an application as ten or fifteen *2ifOTE.— These "black pebbles" are no doubt " ooprolites" rich in phosphoric acid. See report of Dr. Ledoux on p. 10. 5 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. bushels to ao acre is uniformly attended with most excellent eiFects, whether the soil be clay or a light sterile sand. Prof. Rogers quotes the following from his brother, Henry D. Eogers' report on the Geology of New Jersey: "When we behold a luxuriant harvest gathered from fields where the soil was nothing origi- nally but sand, and find it all due to the use of a mineral sparsely disseminated in the sandy beach, we must look with exulting admiration upon the benefits to vegetation conferred by a few scattered granules of this unique and peculiar sub- stance. The small amount of green sand dispersed through the common sand is able, as we behold, to effect immeasurable benefits in spite of the great preponl derance of other material, which we are taugfit to regard as, by itself, prejudicia- generally to fertility. This ought to exhibit an encouraging picture to those dis_ tricts not directly within the limits of the marl tract, where some of the strata contain the green substance in sensible proportion. It expands most materially the limits of the territory where marling may be introduced, and points to many beds as fertilizing which would otherwise be deemed wholly inefficacious." The dark, greenish clays and sands in this region have sometimes been mistaken for green sand. These clays are destitute of fossils, and have an astringent or copperas flavor, and generally a strong sulphurous odor, though a slight sulphur odor is sometimes discovered in the best marls. Small shells, well-decomposed, are often found sparsely distributed through these eocene marls, though an almost total absence of shells is sometimes observed in some of the best of them, as, for instance, those of Turkey Island Creek, in Henrico. Fine, sparkling scales of mica have been mistaken in these deposits for gypsum. The kinds of shell often found in the miocene and eocene marls serve to distinguish them when there is any doubt about the classification of the variety of marl. The saddle-shaped oyster is found in the eocene or green sand marls, and not in the miocene or shell marls ; and the common scallop or clam is found in the latter, and not in the former. The eocene marls have been extensively used in the past, and some are using them now, but to a limited extent generally ; and the same remarks are applica- ble to the miocene. It is to be hoped that their use will be resumed generallj^ as where the deposits are accessible and of good quality there can be no doubt of the value of their aiaplication ; and this particularly refers to the green sand va- riety. Where these latter deposits exist on the rivers, it would no doubt be pro- fitable to transport to farms up and down the rivers, and probably over railroads for short distances, where the roads touch the rivers. Formerlj' these marls were boated up and down the rivers in lighters, particularly on James river. As the condition of affairs improves, and farmers acquire more means, they will no doubt find it much to their advantage to use these marls to increase the fertility of their lands." Where these marls co-exist some of the effects are, of course, due to the lime, and some to potash in the green sand, but where the latter exists in good propor- tion the influence is no doubt due more to the green sand than the lime. Sulphate lime (gypsum) existing in many of the eocene marl deposits, no doubt on some soils exerts a beneficial effect. Note. — It was long supposed that to the potash contained in green-sand marls was due their great value in restoring wornout lands, and it is not surprising that Dr. Pollard, the first ©ommissioner of Agriculture in this State, active in acquiring knowledge as he was zealous in disseminating it, should have been of that opin- HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 9 ion. But that the principal value of green sand is attributable to its phosphoric acid seems to be clearly proven by Prof. Geo. H, Cook, LL. D., State Geologist New Jersey. I give his conclusions as of the very higjiest authority. GREEN SAND MARLS. " Green sand marls have been of inestimable value and influence in improving New Jersey agriculture. They have been the means of restoring large districts of wornout land to fertility ; they have improved the texture and productiveness of lands naturally too light to be otherwise worth cultivation. They continue to be used in large quantities, and constitute a valuable low priced fertilizer — very desirable where the cost of transportation is not too great. Phosphoric acid is in all the green sand marls, and is in combination with lime or iron, forming phosphate of lime or phosphate of iron. It is not a part of the marl grains, but is mixed through the mass of them, in fine powder or in small, light green and very soft grains. It is insoluble in water, but in good form to dissolve in the soil. It is in very variable quantities in tlie marls from different, beds, and in marls from different depths in the same bed there are considerable difierences in the percentages of this substance. Some of the best marls which are sold contain 3 to 4 per cent, of phosphoric acid, while there are others sold which do not contain more than a half of 1 per cent, of this acid. Potash is a constituent of the grains of green sand marl, and makes from 5 to 7 per cent, of its weight. It is combination with silica and silicates of iron, alumina and mag- nesia. It is quite insoluble in water, and though it may be soluble in some other substances, it is not more likely to be dissolved than the other mineral substances in the soil, for example, than feldspar or glass. We have no evidence that it is of any eflect in growing crops, and we cannot assign any price to it. It should be of value in composts, and there is some reason to believe that the action of quick- lime or of fermenting manures will liberate and make soluble some of the potash. Carbonate of lime, in fine powder, is found in some of the green-sand marls, but not in all of them. Samples have been anah'zed which contain 20 per cent, of its substance, while many others are found which do not contain any. Small quan- tities of sulphate of lime and sulphate of iron may also be found in some of the marl. The experience of the farmers who use marl, and the chemical tests which have been applied to the marl which they approve, and also to those which they do not value, have led to the following conclusions : 1. That marls containing the most phosphoric acid are the ones which are most highly esteemed by farmers. 2. That marls containing carbonate of lime in fine powder, besides any fehells^ that may be in them, are the best and most lasting fertilizers, though they must he used in large quantities. 3. That marls consisting of pure grains of green sand, though containing their full percentage of potash, are frequently without any fertilizing action, and their effects ai'e not very well marked in any caH!U\ \ /^ KV KKANK A (;UAY ^^^v. Department of Agriculture COMMONWEALTH OF VIKGINIA, Department of Agriculture, Richmond, 1885. His Excellency Wm. E. Cameron, , Governor of Virginia: Sir: I have the honor to present to you, and through you to the General Assem- bly, a Hand-Book of Virginia, fourth edition, with maps. Very respectfully and Obediently yours, RANDOLPH HARRISON, Corner of Agriculture. I nsr ID E x:. PAGE Accomac county 13 Albemarle county 66 Alexandria county 38 AUegliany county 129 Amelia county 38 Amherst county 69 AppalacMa 123 Appalachia by counties 129 Appomattox county 40 As a Health Resort (Piedmont) 63 Augusta county 92 Bath county „ 130 Bedford county 70 Bland county 131 Blue Ridge by counties .. 119 Bine Ridge Division 117 Botetourt county 95 Branches Taught in Public Schools 175 Brunswick county 40 Buchanan county 133 Buckingham county 41 Campbell county 43 Caroline county 14 Carroll county 121 Charles City county , 15 Charlotte county 45 Chesterfield county..... 46 Cities and Towns (Valley) 85 Clarke county 97 County School Boards.. 176 Craig county 133 Culpeper county 71 Cumberland county 46 Dickenson county 134 Dinwiddle county 47 Eastern Shore peninsula 13 Elizabeth City county 15 Essex county 16 Fairfax county 47 Fauquier county 72 First Public Schools 176 Floyd county 120 Fluvanna county 48 Forest Growth (Middle Va.) 34 Franklin county 73 Frederick county 98 Fruits (Tidewater) 6 Giles county 135 Gloucester county 16 Goochland county 49 Grass Culture (Piedmont) 63 Grass (Tidewater) 5 Grayson county 112 Greene county 78 Green Sand Marl (Tidewater) 9 Greensville county. 51 Halifax county 52 Hanover county 17 Health (Tidewater) 11 Healthfulness (Middle Va.) 36 PAGE Henrico county 17 Henry county 74 Highland county 136 History of the Public Free Schools 165 Immigration (Piedmont) 63 Isle of Wight county 19 James Citv county 20 KingGeorge county 21 King and Queen county ^. 20 King William county 21 Lancaster county 22 Lee county 136 Loudoun county , 75 Louisa county 52 Lunenburg county 54 Madison county 76 Marl (Tidewater) a Mathews county 22 Mecklenburg county 54 Middlesex county 23 Middle Virginia 32 Middle Virginia by counties 37 Minerals (Middle Va) 34 Minerals (Valley) 84 Montgomery county 100 Naosemond county..... v23 Navigable Waters (Tidewater) 6 Nelson county 78 New Kent county 24 Norfolk county 24 Northampton county 14 Northumberland county 26 Nottoway county 55 Orange county 80 Page county 101 Patrick county 81 Piedmont by counties 65 Piedmont division 61 Pittsylvania county §6 Powhatan county 57 Preface 1 Prince Edward county 57 Prince George county 27 Princess Anne county 26 Prince William county 58 Pulaski county 102 Railroads (Middle Virgmia) 35 Railroads (Piedmont) 62 Railroads (Tidewater) 11 Rappahannock county 81 Religious statistics of Richmond city 19 Richmond county 28 Roanoke county 104 Rockbridge county .., 105 Rockingham county 108 ■ Russell county 137 j School taxes.. 176 Schoolteachers 175 I School trustees 175 i Scott county 138 VI INDEX. PAGE Sheep and Horses (Tidewater) 5 Shenandoah county 109 Shenandoah Valley 83 Smyth county lU Soils and Crops (Tidewater) 4 Soils (Valley) 84 Southampton county 28 Spotsylvania county 58 Stafford county 60 Surry county 29 Sussex county 29 Synopsis 3 Tables— County and City Superintendents of Schools 168 Farm Areas and Farm Values 149 General Statistics of Agriculture... 145 Livestock 142 Live Stock ana its Productions 160 Numberof Farms 148 Number of Schools &c 178 Principal Vegetable Productions.. . . 154 PAGE Tables— Progi-ess of the Public Free Schools 177 Summary of the Principal Vegeta- ble Productions.... ». 153 Tazewell county 139 Text Books used in the Public Schools...... 175 Tidewater Virginia by Counties 12 Tidewater Division 4 Timber (Tidewater) 6 Tobacco Culture (Piedmont) 63 Transportation Facilities (Valley) 84 Valley by counties 91 Valley counties south of Augusta 85 Warren county 112 Warwick county 30 Washington county 112 Water (Middle Va) 36 Westmoreland county 30 Wise county 140 Wythe county 114 York county 31 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 17 HAXOVER ■was formed in 1720 from New Kent; population, 18,000; tliere are 2i)2,887 acres of land, assessed at $1,779,039. It lies between the Pamunkey and Cliickahorainy rivers ; the northeast line is formed by the North Anna and Pamunkey, the latter stream being formed near the centre of that line by the junction of the South Anna with the North Anna, The central parts are well-drained by tributaries of these main streams. The surface in the eastern part is mostly level, and the soil a ligiit sandy loam, well-suited to trucking. The sweet potato here attains its greatest perfection, and the melons of Hanover are unsurpassed. In the central and western portions tlie surface is more rolling, and the lands suited to the culture of tobacco, the ce- reals and grasses. On the Pamunkey are some fine wheat lands. There are many fine estates, and the farmers are intelligent, judicious and in- dustrious. The farm products aggregate a great bulk and value, and bring into the county large sums of money. Marls of several sorts, both miocetie and eocene, with green sand of tlie richest quality, are found here, and have been very profitably used on the lands. Recent discoveries of deposits of phosphate of lime have been made on the Pa- munkey river. Mica, feldspar, asbestos and gneiss are found here. This is a fine county for immigrants with small capital and industrious habits. The trucking business can be made very profitable here by persons familiar with gardening. HANOVER COUNTY MINERALS AT NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Gneiss, with gametts. 2. OrtJioclase feldspar crystals, from mica mine near Noel Station, C. & O. Ry. The following from Virginia Department of Agriculture : 3. Marl—Dv. Christian, St. Peter's Church. . 4. Asbestos— Ivovii Rockville : Leake. 5. Shale — Little River. 6. Lignite — Jura-Trias. 7. Marl—OM Church : G. L. Ernest. 8. Green sand marl — Hickory Hill : Gen. Wms. C. Wiekham. 9. Green sand /narZ— Hickory Hill : Gen. Wms. C. Wiekham. 10. Coprolites — Bassett farm, Pamunkey river. Contains 23.47 per cent, phos- phoric acid. 11. Bones, 8fc. — Bassett farm. Contains 24.39 per cent, phosphoric acid. Ana- lyzed by Dr. W. J. Gascoyne. 12. Olive earth — Bassett farm. Contains by analysis of Dr. Gascoyne 2.64 per cent, phosphojfic acid. 13. Green sand. HENRICO was one of the original shires into which Virginia' was divided in 1634. Its length is 27 miles ; mean breadth, about 8 miles. The surface is undulating ; soil oa the rivers very productive. It is drained on the south line by James river, and on 2 18 HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. the north by the Chickahominy and by their tributaries. It produces largely of corn, wheat, oats, trucks, and some tobacco. The population, including Rich- mond, is 83.575. Number of acres of land, 163.949, assessed at $2,682,129. Having the large city of Richmond, with a population of 70,000, near the centre of its south border, and four railroads passing through this county, the products of the farm have quick, ready sale and small cost of carriage. Its productions are large and varied, and the profits of farming as good as in any part of the country. Green sand marl has been found in the lower or eastern part of the county, and used on the land with excellent results ; also white marl, rich in lime, abounds in the lower end, and has been very profitably used. Grass succeeds well. There are several large nurseries and many large orchards and vineyards in the county ; and dairy farming is extensively carried on. The planting of vineyards is going on rapidly, as experience has shown that this county is admirably adapted to grape-growing. The "Norton," the best of American wine grapes, except the " Cynthiana," which is of the same family, originated just outside of Richmond, and almost all the native grapes do well here. A few years will probably see Richmond the centre of a great wine-making district. The Richmond and Alleghany railroad run^ along the southern border of this county, and the Chesapeake and Ohio, the Ri-hmond and Fredericksburg, and Richmond, York River and Chesapeake railroads pass through the county. Granite in great abundance, potter's clay and coal, exist in Henrico. " Natu- ral" coke of excellent quality is largely mined in the upper part of the county. Iron pyrites have recently been discovered in this county three miles below Richmond. Richmond, the'capital and the largest city in the State, is situated in this county, on the north '.bank of James river, at the head of tidewater. It has extensive wharves and docks, with a depth of 18 feet of water over the bar, to be increased 24 feet. The tonnage of the port of Riclimond amounted to the following in 1881 : Steamers, 490,000 tons; sailing vessels, 205,000 tons. This does not include river steamers, tug-boats, or small sailing vessels. The water-power is afforded by a fall of 84 feet. At the lowest flow of the river this fall produces 9,500 horse- power. The whole of this power now in use is 4 200. From Bosher's Dam, nine miles above the city to tidewater is a fall of 116 feet, which, with the above flow, would produce 13,500 theoretical horse-power or 10,000 actual. For steam power the capacity is unlimited, as this city has access to the finest and cheapest steam coals. The real estate within the city amounts to $30,066,782. Personal property, $38,066,782. MANUFACTURES. Number of establishments 711 Persons employed 15,676 Capital employed $10,594,121 Annual sales $24,697,507 HAND-BOOK OF VIKGINIA. 19 Religious Statistics of Richmond. DENOMINATIONS. Baptist— white Baptist— colored Catholic Chrlstadelphian Disciples ..... Friends. German Evangelical Jewish Lutheran Methodist — white Methodist— colored Presbyterian Protestant Episcopal— white . . . Protestant Episcopal— colored. Totals No. of Member- Churches ship. 9 4,698 11 11,744 3 5,T00 1 45 2 780 1 75 1 300 3 250 2 410 8 3,094 3 416 5 1,553 9 2,475 1 65 59 31,555 Contribu- tions. $ 41,291 40 24,374 11 2,355 98 6,435 73 2,500 00 6,200 00 4,635 00 35,730 02 2,057 14 28,943 38 61,448 .52 570 59 $217,978 08 Sunday Schools. OlHcers and Teachers 431 234 61 40 10 22 324 34 162 255 12 Scholars. 3,573 2,768 705 300 150 221 2,340 283 1,039 1,789 120 13,691 HENKICO COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW OKLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Granite, from Richmond Granite Company's quarry at Korah Station, R. and A. R. R. 2. Granite, two finished monuments each 10 feet high, from same company as above. 3. Granite, two varieties of Belgian blocks for paving, from same. 4. Granite, Belgian paving blocks, two varieties, from J. B. Mitchell & Co., Mitchell Station. 5. Granite, two cubes of building stone, dressed, polished, &c., from same as above. 6. Lignite, from " Dutch Gap " on James river, from Prof. Fontaine. From Virginia Department Agriculture : 6. Green Sand Marl, from John W. Wariner. 7. Marl, J. W. Wariner. 8. Fire Clay, Dill's farm. 9. Quartz. 10. Clay, Westham, on R. and A. R. H. ISLE OF WIGHT was one of the original shires into which Virginia was divided in 1634. It is 35 miles long, with a mean width of about ten miles. Population, 10,572. It has 187,065 acres of land, assessed at $1,218,000. The surface is mostly level, and the soil a light sandy loam. Ihe productions are corn, wheat, oats, cotton, peanuts, and fruits. 20 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. The land is easily tilled, and produces good crops. Trucking is carried on very successfully. This county has the James river for its north border, and is penetrated on the south by Blackwater and its tributaries. The Norfolk and Western railroad tra- verses the centre and the Seaboard and Roanoke railroad passes through the south- ern part. These roads, together with the navigation on the James and on Pagan creek, place all parts of the county within easy and quick communication with the markets of the whole country. This county has valuable and extensive deposits of marl, rich in carbonate of lime. This and lime are largely used in peanut culture. Vegetables, fruits, and melons are shipped from this county to the Northern cities in large quantities. The supplies of fish and oysters are very large and valuable. Timber of all the varieties native to this section is abundant. The health of this county is as good as any portion of tidewater. JAMES CITY was one of the original shires. Its length is 26 miles, and its mean breadth eight miles. Population, 5,422 ; area, 91.520 acres; valued at $370,000. It lies in the peninsula formed by the York, the James, and the Chickahominy rivers. The surface is level, or gently undulating. The soil on the rivers is rich and productive ; the ridge lands are generally light, but easily improved. Fish and oysters abound, and are important sources of food. Land sells for $lo to $25 for improved ; $1 to $10 for unimproved, per acre. Marl is abundant, and was formerly used with fine eflect on the soil. The an- cient and renowned town of Williamsburg, the seat of William and Mary College, which has sent out many distinguished men from its halls, is in this county. Corn, wheat, oats and peanuts are the principal crops. The lands are easily cultivated, and produce well for the labor bestowed. Fruits and all vegetables do well. Many of the farmers are embarking in the trucking business, for which it would appear they have admirable facilities. In addition to navigable waters, the means of quick access to the markets of the world have been greatly increased by the extension of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad through the centre of this county to its deep water terminus at Newport News. JAMES CITY COUNTY MINEBAIiS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Marl, phosphatic green sand from the "Grove," or Carter's Grove, P. W. Hinton. 2. Phosphatic green saud marl, ground, for basis of "Carter's Grove Fertil- izer," from Carter's Grove plantation on James Eiver, from Hon. E. G. Booth. 3. Glass Sand, irova the ''Trenches," 1^ miles from Williamsburg; probably the same from which glass was made by the early settlers, as mentioned by Capt. John Smith. 4. Fossil Teeth, from Jones' mill, one mile west of Williamsburg. KING AND QUEEN was formed from New Kent in 1691. It lies between the Mattaponi and Pianka- tank rivers, which, with their numerous tributaries, drain this county and make it one of the best watered in the State, It is about 30 miles long by 10 wide, and HAND-BOOK OP VIRGINIA. 21 contains 189,830 acres. The river lands, which constitute a large part of the area, are very productive, and the inexhaustible beds of marl found here afford the means of permanent improvement. The staple crops are wheat, corn, oats, hay, fruits, and vegetables. This county is well situated for "trucking," the lines of steamers plying to West Point, just across the river from King & Queen, and in the Mattaponi, giv- ing an outlet to the Northern markets, while by rail there is a close connection with Richmond. Fish, oysters, wildfowl, and other accessories to good living are abundant ; and the people are conspicuous, even in Virginia, where this is the general characteristic, as industrious, moral, law-abiding citizens. KING GEORGE was formed in 1720 from Richmond county. Population, 6,532; area, 112,737 acrcF, assessed at $812,795. It lies between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, which form the north and south boundaries respectively, and furnish extensive navigable waters for the entire county ; the width between the rivers being from five to ten miles, while the extent of river frontage is about twenty miles on each side. Besides the valuable transportation facilities afforded by these tidal littorals, the streams furnish large resources in fish, oysters and wild fowl. The lands on the rivers are very good, and produce valuable crops of wheat, corn, oats and vegetables, and are generally light and easily cultivated. The means of plenteous, and even luxurious living are abundant, and render this a most desirable county to live in. There are some large and valuable estates in this county, and it was once the residence of many wealthy families. Fruits of all kinds succeed well in this section. Marls of various kinds are found in this county. KING WILLIAM was formed in 1701 from King & Queen county. It is about 30 miles long by 8 miles wide. Population, 8,689; area, 166,897 acres, assessed at $1,217,260, or about seven dollars per acre. It lies between the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers, which unite at its southeast corner and form the York. These are navigable for a con- .siderable distance above their junction, and York river is navigable for the largest ships to West Point. West Point is the terminus of the Richmond, York River and Chesapeake railroad, and is a shipping point of much importance, with regu- lar lines of steamers to New York and Baltimore. These streams give the county large tidal fronts, and afford valuable food products of fish, oysters and wild fowl, beside affording cheap transportation facilities convenient to all points in the county. The surface of this county Is level or slightly undulating, and the soil is mostly of a. light sandy texture, easily and cheaply cultivated. The productions are corn, wheat, oats, vegetables, and fruits. "Trucking," or raising vegetables for market, is carried on to a considerable extent. There is abundance of good marl, which has been used with much benefit to the soil. The green sand marl of King William is similar to that of New Jersey which has been found so valuable as to bear carriage considerable distances from the beds. The timber consists of pine, oak, chestnut, beach, poplar, and ash. All these advantages render this county a very inviting field for new settlers, who are always heartily welcomed. 22 - . HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. LANCASTEK was formed in 1651. It lies on the north bank of the Rappahannock river, where it debouches into Chesapeake Bay. Northumberland and Richmond counties bound it on the north. Area of the county, 78,000 acres, assessed at $632,300, or about eight dollars per acre. Population, 6,145 The surface is mostly level, with some rolling lands. The soil is a sandy and clay loam, producing good crops of corn, wheat, oats, vegetables and fruits. It is drained by numerous creeks running from the interior of the county, trib- utaries of the Rappahannock river and of Chesapeake Bay. There are two steam- ers plying between Baltimore and Fredericksburg, which touch at various landings in this county four times a week ; and one steamer between Baltimore and Pian- katank, touching at a wharf on Dymor's creek. Ship and other timber, and a large quantity of cord-wood, is shipped from this county ; and immense quantities of oysters are shipped annually. A large area, consisting of apples, peaches, pears, apricots, plums, &c., of this county is in orchards. Corn is the chief farm crop, but some of the lands produce large crops of wheat. With cheap and quick transportation to the cities north, this county is enabled to throw her early products on the market at the most pro- pitious time. The health of the county is good. Consumption is rarely heard of. MATHEWS was created in 1790 from Gloucester. It is 20 miles long, and at its widest section about 9 miles across— a peninsula, extending into Chesapeake bay, united to the main land by a narrow neck of land scarcely a mile wide — so that its boundaries are almost entirely of water. It contains 53,802 acres, assessed at $640,761. Population, 7,507. The surface of Matthews is almost a dead level — the soil light, easily worked, and fertile. Corn, wheat, oats, grass (a correspondent says about 200 acres of grass produce from 1 to 2 tons per acre), fruits, and vegetables are largely pro- duced ; and there is convenient and cheap transportation to Baltimore by steamers touching at the wharves. Mathews is famous for oysters and fish, which are a source of large revenue. Owing to its almost insular position, Mathews is swept by salt breezes, and is said to be very healthy — a most desirable location for settlers. It may be re- marked that Mathews is among the most thickly settled counties in the State (not reckoning cities), and the average assessment of lands is higher than in most of the counties of Tidewater. Only Elizabeth City, Norfolk, Alexandria, and Ac- comac surpass it. > MATHEWS COUNTY MINERALS AT N. O. EXPOSITION, FROM COL, RICHARD LAMB 1. Grayish marl, from Taliaferro farm, on Warehouse Creek. 2. Compact crystalline marl, from same locality as above. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 23 MIDDLESEX was formed from Lancaster in 1675. It comprises a strip of land about 30 miles in length, with an average width of five miles, lying between the Eappahaanock and Pianliatank rivers. Contains 83,077 acres of land, assessed at $599,372. The whole county is underlaid with beds of miocene marl, which has been ex- tensively used with great benefit to the soil. Some of this marl is a nearly pure carbonate of lime, analyzing 95 per cent. On the rivers the elevation of the land is from ten to thirty feet above tidewater — a mile or two back it rises to a hundred feet or more. The soil, varying in tex- ture from sandy loam to the stiffest clay, is well-drained, easily tilled, productive, and very improvable ; being very convenient to market (there are lines of fine steamers on both rivers bordering the county — time to Baltimore eight hours, and freight low), Middlesex oflfers great inducements to truckers, fruit-growers, and farmers. Fish and oysters abound. There are several oyster and fish canneries and seve- ral fish factories in the county. Timber is abundant, cheap, and of excellent quality, and there are many steam and water-mills in the county. In colonial times there were potteries here, there being beds of fine potter's clay. Society is good, and the people will welcome immigrants. Lands are yet low- priced, but rising in value. MIDDLESEX MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Blue marl — from Hon. Eobt. Healy's, Va. Dept. Agriculture. 2. Shells, pebbles, Sfc. — from Dr. J. Mason Evans, Va. Dept. Agriculture. NANSEMOND lies on the western side of Norfolk, and, like that county, extends from the North Carolina line to Hampton Roads, being, in round numbers, 30 miles long by 19 wide. It is watered by JSTansemond river and other streams running into the James, and by tributaries of the Blackwater. Number of acres of land 256,242, assessed at $1,514,767. Population, 15,963. The surface of Nansemond is nearly level — the soil a friable, sandy loam, a de- scription of land now considered the best for general purposes, the most profitable to work on account of economy of cultivation and adaptability to a great variety of crops. Marl is abundant in the county, and is much used. Peanuts and cotton, corn, oats, and vegetables of all sorts (truck) are the prin- cipal products of this thriving county. A large portion of the land is devoted to "trucking," easy access to market being furnished by the Nansemond river and the steamers plying thereon, and by railroads to Norfolk and Portsmouth (the Norfolk and Western, and the Seaboard and Roanoke). The potatoes of Nansemond have long been celebrated, and other vegetables grow in equal perfection and ripen early, especially melons, peas, and tomatoes. Fish and oysters abound. There is yet much fine timber in this county, mostly pine, cypress, and juniper. This is one of the most prosperous counties in Virginia, the people being indus- trious and ready to avail themselves of the many natural advantages with which JNansemond is blessed. 24 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. Suffolk, the county seat, is a busy and thriving town, the centre of a large local trade. It is connected with Norfolk and Portsmouth by railroad?, as above men- tioned, and by river navigatior^fcand is the terminus of the Suffolk and Carolina railroad. Suffolk has recently been visited with a heavy calamity — a fire which consumed much of the business part of the town — but it is believed that the energy of this thrifty people will soon rebuild their town and revive its prosperity. , NEW KENT was formed in 16.o4 from York. It is 26 miles long and seven to nine miles broad, and contains 130,209 acres of land, assessed at S378,791. Population, 5,514. This county, lying between the Pamunkey, York and Chickahominy rivers, has extensive and fertile bottom lands, with navigable streams on two sides. Two railways furnish added facilities for access to market. The Richmond and York River railroad on the north, and the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad in the south- ern part, are of convenient access to all parts of its territory, and bring it into close connection with all the trade-centres of the country. The soil is light and sandy in the interior, and varies from sandy to stiff clay on the river bottoms. The productions are corn, wheat, oats, and early vegetables and potatoes ; for which latter the soil is well-suited. Marl is abundant and of excellent quality. That near St. Peter's church con- tains about 90 per cent, carbonate of lime, and has been successfully used on the lands and even for mortar in laying bricks. The timber consists of oak, hickory, maple, dogwood, pine, and other valuable trees. Much cord-wood and ship-timber is annually marketed from this county. The people are intelligent and cultivated, and are noted for their hospitality and sociability. Lands can be cheaply bought, the price varying from $2 to $20 per acre. It is a healthy county, with the exception of mild types of intermittent fe- vers easily controlled. NEW KENT MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Phosphate Bock—h-om R. H. Lacy. Contains 23.20 per cent, phosphoric acid — ^Va, Agricultural Department. 2. Iron Ore — from Va. Agricultural Department. 3. Green Sand Marl— from J. P. Pearsons, Tunstall's— from Va. Dept. Agricul- ture. 4. Shell Marl— from Tunstall's— Va. Dept. Agriculture. 5. Shell Marl— from near St. Peter's Church— Va. Dept. Agriculture. NORFOLK was formed in 1691 from Lower Norfolk. It is twenty-four miles long with a^ mean breadth of nineteen, and stretches from the North Carolina line to Hampton Roads in the north, with Elizabeth river and its branches penetrating every part. In the southwestern corner, partly in this county and partly in Nansemond, is the celebrated "Dismal Swamp," which, lying higher than the surrounding country, furnishes an abundant supply of the purest water, which can be carried to the- cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth. Hx\ND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 25 ^ The population of Norfolk county, including Norfolk city and Portsmouth, is 58,942. Number of acres of land, 227,926; assessed at $15.62 per acre. The surface of the counts'^ is level, the soil a sandy loam with clay sub-soil. Na- ture seems to have designed it for a great garden, and it is rapidly being utilized in that way. Gardens and trucking farms are spreading in every direction around Norfolk and Portsmouth — soil, climate, market facilities, all concurring to give an unexampled impetus to the trucking business. Other crops can be raised — corn, oats, peanuts and other field crops — but market gardening is found so much more profitable that all energies are being applied in this direction. Communication with all the great cities north of Virginia is now rapid and easy, and freights are cheap. The recent opening of the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk railroad, shortening the time to the great markets by five hours, has given a great impetus to market gardening. Early vegetables and strawberries of the finest quality are shipped in immense quantities and bring a large amount of money into this county and those adjacent. Perishable fruits and vegetables can be gathered in the even- ing and placed in the New York market by sunrise next morning. Lands are rapidly rising in value, and already very high in the vicinity of the cities. Norfolk is celebrated for the excellence and quantity of the oysters and fish brought to its market, and for the abundance of game. Norfolk and its twin sister, Portsmouth, are rapidly growing in importance. Lines of steamers to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New' York and Boston, besides those running inland toEichmond, Smithfield, Newport News, and those across the bay to Cherrystone and Cape Charles City, and by the canal to Currituck, throng the fine harbor. The foreigh trade of Norfolk, too, is considerable, and increasing, as Norfolk has become a great cotton port. The Norfolk and Western railroad, the Seaboard and Roanoke, and the Norfolk and Carolina railroads terminate here, and the railroads to the popular sea-bathing places at Ucean View and Virginia Beach have made these places easily accessible and draws great numbers of people to Norfolk. A great naval station and dry-dock of the United States is located here, and the largest ships can be accommodated in this fine harbor and dock. The enterprise and public spirit of the people has kept pace with the develop- ment of their resources and of their commerce. Fine shell roads, radiating in sundry directions from Norfolk, have superseded the dirt roads that were used a few years ago. No part of the country offers a more inviting field to enterprising and indus- trious settlers than does Norfolk county. NORFOLK COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. Collected by Richard Lamb, C, ^ S. E., Norfolk^ Va. m 1. Feat, from the Dismal Swamp. 2. Swamp Soil, from the Dismal Swamp. 3. Swamp Soil, from same ; land produces 50 to 60 busliels corn per acre. 4. Sandstone, found 18 feet from surface in excavating for sewers. 5. Clay and Brick Sand Tiles, made from same, from George Oldfield's brick- yard, near Norfolk. 6. Giant Oyster Shell, half of oaf, weighing 6 pounds, from eastern branch of Elizabeth river. 26 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 7. Fossil Crab, found 60 feet below the surface in excavating for dry-dock at U, S. Navy-yard, at Gosport. 8. Singing Sand, from deposit near Ocean View. 9. Fossil Fine Wood, nearly decomposed, found 10 feet below the surface in JSTorfolk city. 10. Lime burned from oyster shells. NORTHUMBERLAND is one of the five counties constituting the "Northern Neck," which lies between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers and Chesapeake bay. Northumberland county was formed in 1648. It is 25 miles long and about 7 to 8 miles wide, and contains 117,930 acres, valued at $809,199. Population, 7,925. The surface is mostly level. The soil on the streams is a sandy loam, with clay subsoil, and is very well adapted to wheat. The ridge lands have a light soil, and are generally thin, but easily improved. The farm crops are corn, wheat, oats and trucks, or green vegetables for citj'^ consumption.. Almost every part of the county is acces- sible to water transportation by the creeks and estuaries from the bay and Poto- mac, and the projected railroad from Richmond, the "Richmond and Chesa- peake," is to have its terminus in this county, near the estuary of the Potomac, and the cities of Alexandria, Georgetown and Washington are largely supplied from this county with melons, fresh vegetables, oysters, fish, wild fowl and poul- try. There are valuable fisheries in this county. "Fish chum," or the refuse from fish-oil factories, is largely used as a fertilizer here, as well as in many other counties of this section, especially on wheat, with marked benefit. A recent cor- respondent says there are at least 700 hands engaged in the fish business. Fish chum is shipped to Charleston, and other places, for making fertilizers. There are also several fertilizer manufactories in the county (which incorporate the phosphate rock with fish chum) with expensive steam machinery. There is marl in this county. Eight hundred to one thousand barrels of eggs and large quan- tities of turkeys are annually sent to market. Farmers are generally out of debt. The county levy is very low. There are only two bar-rooms in the county. This is a fine part of Virginia, and oifers pleasant homes and good inducements to im- migrants. ■' PRINCESS ANNE was formed in 1691 from Norfolk county, and lies on the Atlantic ocean and Chesapeake Bay, extending south to the North Carolina line. Population, 9,422 ; area, 162,977 acres, assessed at $1,185,397. The surface is level. The soil a sandy loam, resting on a yellow clay subsoil, is easily tilled and is generally productive. The best lands are in Holland Swamp, Eastern Shore Swamp, and on Back bay. The productions are corn, oats, potatoes, trucks and fruits. A large part of the county is devoted to truck farming, and great quantities of vegetables and fruits are annually shipped to the Northern markets. The shipments of fish, oysters and wild fowl from this county produce a very large revenue to the citizens of the county. The fisheries on Cape Henry beach, Lynnhaven bay and river are very valuable. Lynnhaven bay oysters are renowned for their fine size and flavor. ' HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 27 The timber consists of oak, pine, gum, cedar, cypress, elm, holly and persimmon. The " Seaboard district," comprising the northeast angle of the county, is per- haps the best timbered region of lower Virginia. • The transportation facilities are ample and convenient to all parts. The ocean front Is about twenty-three miles in extent ; Back bay and North river are both navigable, and comprise a great extent of water fronts in the southern part, while the northern portions have the Eastern Branch of Elizabeth river, Lynnhaven river and the bay shore. Besides these facilities for market by water, there is the Virginia Beach railroad from Norfolk, passing across the county t> a beautiful and most attractive watering place called " Virginia Beach," on the Atlantic «hore. With good lands, easily tilled, abundant supplies from the water, cheap and convenient access to market, and a climate botli pleasant and salubrious, it would seem that here is a place where all should be happy and contented. PRINCE GEORGE was formed in 1702 from Charles City. Population, 8,861 ; area, 179,206 acres, valued at $1,098,501. The surface is mostly level, and the soil on the rivers is very fine. Its north and northwest boundaries are formed by the James and Appomattox rivers, which give over forty miles of deep-water frontage to this county. The lands on these rivers are noted for fertility. Many broad and fertile bottoms are found on the numer- ous tributaries of these two rivers, on Blackwater river, and on the tributaries o^ Nottoway river in the central and southern portions of Prince George. The productions are wheat, corn, oats, peanuts, cotton and tobacco. The light warm lands of the southern portions of the county are well-adapted to the peanat and cotton. Marl of various sorts is abundant, and has been extensively used, with good re- sults. Near Coggiu's Point, and at other places, is found the valuable green sand marl; and this is the locality where the late Edmund EuiBn conducted many of his experiments in the use of marl and demonstrated its value. The facilities for reaching market are convenient to all parts of this county, and are furnished by the navigable rivers alluded to above, and by the Norfolk and Western railroad, passing through the central portion, with a branch road from the city of Petersburg, near its western boundary, to City Point, at the confluence of the Appomattox and James, This is a shipping point of some consequence, with a sufficient depth of water at its wharves for the largest class of vessels, and was used as a base of supplies for the United States troops during the siege of Pe- tersburg. Much fine timber and cord-wood are shipped from this county to the North. The lands of Prince George are well-adapted to fruit culture, especially the grape, and encouraging progress is being made in this direction. A valued cor- respondent, living in the vicinity of the Courthouse, says: '-I know of about 9 (nine) acres in vineyards between here and Petersburg. One party commenced about seven years ago, and has extended his vineyard to eight acres, and is making a great deal of money— has refused $8,000 for his place that he gave $1,500 for, and the vineyard has been the cause of it." 28 HAND-BOWK OF VIRGINIA. \ RICHMOND was formed, in 1692 from old Rappahannock. Is 30 miles long and about 7 miles wide. It lies on the north bank of Rappahannock river, which is navigable here for large vessels, and is watered by Rappahannock river, Moratico creek, Farnham creek, Totrisky creek, Rappahannock creek, Menokin creek, and others ; watei- power good and ample. The low grounds are very fertile, producing fine crops of corn, wheat, oats and vegetables. The upper or forest lands are rolling, and the soil is a light sandy loam with red clay subsoil, susceptible of a high state of improvement, and is worth, at present prices, from $5 to $20 per acre. The river along its front abounds in fine fish and oysters, the shad and herring fisheries be- ing very productive and profitable. Warsaw, the courthouse, is situated about the centre of the county, six miles from the river, and contains a population of about 300. Population, 7,199 ; number of acres of land, 115,887, assessed at $625,268. There are 38,843 acres in timber of oak, hickory, chestnut, pine, cedar, walnut, poplar, dogwood and maple. Acreage in wheat, 4.266; oats, 500 ; buckwheat, 7*5 ; potatoes, 200 ; elover, 2,133 ; orchard grass, 200 ; in orchard, 1,277 — in apples, peaches, pears, plums, apricots and cherries. This is reported to be a good grazing country. Sheep especially are found very profitable. There are vast quantities of marl in this county, both blue and white marl, which has been used with good efi"ect. The winters are mild, cultivation of soil easy and cheap, living abundant and easily obtained, access to market very convenient, and altogether a very pleasant and desirable country to live in. Three samples of blue marl in this county average 16.40 per cent, of carbonate of lime with some green santl. SOUTHAMPTON. was formed in 1874, from Isle of Wight. The surface is level, and the soil pro- ductive. It is watered by Meherrin, Nottoway, and Blackwater rivers, which furnish a good supply of fish. Population, 18,074. Number of acres of land, 362,562, assessed at $1,520,416. The principal productions are corn, cotton, peanuts, trucks and potatoes. Soil, a light sandy loam, with red clay subsoil. Marl exists in the county, and has been used successfully, though not extensively. The Seaboard and Roanoke railroad runs through the southern portion of the county, and the Norfolk and Western passes near its northern limits. There is much valuble timber, as oaks, pine, chesnut, &c. Southampton is amongst the most thriving counties of this prosperous section of Virginia. The population is intelligent and industrious, and her principal staples, cotton and peanuts, skillfully handled, have brought much money into the community. This is the banner county in the State in the production of cotton, between five and six thousand bales being sent to market annually. HAND-BOOK OS VIRGINIA. 29 SUREY is one of the oldest counties in the State, bein^- just opposite Jamestown, the cra- dle of the colony. It has James river for its northern boundary, and the Black- water for a portion of its southern, Number of- acres 161,499, assessed at $741,229. About three-fourth of the county is in timber, chiefly pine and oak — on Black- water is very fine cypress timber. A large business is done in shipping lumber and cord wood, and much ship timber to the Northern markets. The whole county is underlaid with marl, much of it of very fine quality. Besides the usual field products — corn, wheat, oats, &c. — peanuts, cotton and potatoes are largely grown, especially the first ; and fruits are very extensively cultivated, more than 10,000 acres being in orchards — apples, pears and peaches — and a large surface in small fruits. The soil is especially adapted to all these last mentioned products, being light, kind, easily cultivated and improved. This county has rapidly improved since the war — there are evident signs of thrift and prosperity. A large accession has been made to the population by northern settlers. At Claremont, on James river, a fiourishing colony has been founded, and is attracting much attention. This town is the deep-water terminus of the Atlantic and Danville railroad, which has been constructed through Surry and Sussex to Hicksford in Greensville county, crossing the Norfolk and Western road at Waverly station, and will be extended through Greensville, Brunswick, Mecklenburg and Halifax to Danville. This, it is believed, will give a great im- petus to the settling up of this prosperous county. SURRY COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Yellow marl, from Blair Pegram. — Virginia Department of Agriculture. 2. Serpula, a mass of fossils from near Surry courthouse, from Richard Lamb, C. & S. E. SUSSEX was formed in 1754 from Surry, the Blackwater river being the boundary between the two counties. By this river and its branches Sussex is watered in the north- eastern parts, while the Nottoway meanders through the heart of the county, with many tributaries joining the main stream here. Number of acres 295,791, assessed at $855,629. The soil of Sussex, like that of the adjoining counties, is light in general, and is very productive on the streams. The crops for which it is best suited, and which are most cultivated, are peanuts, cotton, corn, and oats. Marl is abundant, and has been used with very fine efifect. This county has fine railroad facilities, the "Norfolk and Western" passing through it in the northeast, the "Petersburg and Weldon" in the west, and the "Atlantic and Danville" from northeast to southwest, through its largest diame- ter. The construction of the last-named road has given a great impetus to the business of the county. 30 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. WARWIOK, now almost the smallest county in the State in area, anrl the smallest in popula- tion, was one of the eight original shires, and was densely peopled ; there were in this little county six parishes. It contains 43,120 acres, assessed at $305,367". The surface is level, and the soil productive. The average yield of wheat is said to be 15 bushels, of corn 26, of oats 35 bushels — if so, it is far above the average of the State. The land is easily cultivated and very improvable — and there are large deposits of excellent marl. Fish, oysters and wild fowl, are abundant. The population of Warwick was in 1880, only 2,264; but since that time the extension of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway to Newport News in the south- eastern angle of this county, has made an immense difference in the status of Warwick, Newport News having grown to be an important shipping point — re- sorted to by ocean steamers. This is, perhaps, the best coaling station on the continent — and there is here a grain elevator with a capacity of 1,500,000 bushels and wharves on a grand scale, with depth of water to accommodate the largest ships that float." WARWICK COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. Case of bottles of borings from Artesian well, 630 feet deep at Newport News. They represent' the Quarternary and Tertiary beds of Virginia, and probably extend into the Jurasso Cretaceous. Loaned by C. W. Smith, general manager of the Chesapeake and Railroad. WESTMORELAND, is bounded by Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, and counties of King George, Richmond, and Northumberland. Average length 30 miles, width 10 miles. Area, 178,581, assessed at 8839,147. Population, 8,849, The surface is generally level, broken and hilly about the sources of the streams. Soil good, light loam resting upon red clay ; in some sections the red clay reaches the surface. It is well watered; pure springs abound, and very good well water is in easy reach. Numerous tributaries of the Potomac penetrate inland for some miles, furnishing good steamboat navigation. Regular lines of boats give access almost daily to Washington and Baltimore. These inlets abound in oysters and fish, and offer good sport in winter for the fowler in ducks and geese. A third of its surface is woodland. In many /parts are found pine, four or five varieties of oak, hickory, cedar, chestnut, locust, poplar, and gum. Valuable white oak is only found, however, in small detached parcels. Many orchards of fruit — peaches, apples, and plums are found. Corn, wheat, and clover are the staple products. Winter oats are cultivated profitably. Potatoes of both varie- ties grow well ; the soil is very fine for all varieties of vegetables, and trucking is increasing. Orchard grass and Timothy are being introduced. Their cultivation, and raising clover seed for market are decided successes. Good land yields from 10 to 35 bushels of wheat; from 25 to 50 bushels of corn ; from one and a-half to two tons of hay. The prices of land range from $3 per acre up to $30. Good public schools, 22 ; several private schools ; churches, 20 — Baptist, 9 ^» Methodist, 5 ; Episcopalian, 6. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 31 There is some migration to this county, chiefly from the States ; the population is homogeneous; society refined and cultivated; crimes of very rare occurrence ; homicides almost unknown. Lands are easy of cultivation ; capable of sustaining a population ten times as numerous as that it now has. Manners of the people, simple and unostentatious. Cost of living, owing to kindly soil and good climate ; facilities of shipment to market, and abundant supply of oysters, crabs and fish from its waters is perhaps as low as in any section of the Union. Unbounded supplies of fertilizing material lie in large measure unused on every farm. Marl in many locations, marsh mud, oyster-shell lime, are within easy reach of every industrious farmer. Increased attention is being paid to sheep husbandry. Flocks of sheep average from §2.50 up to $6 per head of annual profit. Cattle do well — oxen often weigh 1,000 pounds at four to five years old, fed in winter upon dry fodder only, and then upon the natural grasses of the country. The head streams of the estuaries, or creeks, afford fine water-power. Saw and grist-mills are found all through the country. Men from any section coming to share our fortunes are gladly welcomed. — Cor- respondent, YORK. This county like its neighbor Warwick, is one of the original shires of the colony. It is a long, narrow county, lying along the south bank of York river and extending to Chesapeake Bay, and the estuary of Back river, with a large water front and intersected by numerous tidal creeks. This county is abundantly supplied with fish, oysters, and wild fowl. Deer and other game are plentiful, as indeed is to be said of the adjoining counties. The surface of this region is generally level, the soil inclined to be sandy, easy of cultivation, productive when well managed, and responds readily to improve- ment. Marl is abundant, and tells wherever applied. / Corn, wheat, oats, and peanuts have been the staple crops. Since the exten- sion of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway, which skirts the southwestern edge of this county, much of the land has been brought into quick and easy communica- tion with Newport News and the great markets of the North, and a more diversi- fied style of farming is now rendered possible, and will soon be found to be very profitable. YORK COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Pectens, scallop shells, bank of York river; Va. Dept. Agriculture. 2. Marls, fossils, corals, tertiary limestone cut into millstone, from bluffs of York river near Yorktown. The following were collected by Richard Lamb, C. «& S. E. : 3. Miocene marl, white, pulverulent, 90 per cent, lime carbonate, from near Yorktown, 4. Clay and iron oxide, massive, sub-ci"ystaline, from "York Cliffs." 0. Shells, fossil and recent, from "York Cliffs." 32 HAND BOOK OF VIRGINIA. MIDDLE VIRGINIA. The next, as we go westwai'd, is the " Middle Division," comprising tlie coun- try from Tidewater to ttie low range of mountains parallel to the Blue Ridge, and about twenty miles distant from it. This outlying range extends from Loudoun to Pittsylvania, with somewhat irregular intervals and direction, but with a gen- eral conformity to the course of the Blue Ridge. It may be observed here that the respective limits of the " Grand Divisions" of the State assigned by various authorities are not positively defined, but vary ae- cordino- to the point of view from whicli the subject is regarded. For instance, Hotchkiss, subordinating other considerations to the geological formation of the country, assigns to " Middle Virginia" the four counties of Stafford, Prince Wil- liam, Fairfax, and Alexandria. They belong for the most part to the archgean or primary formation, although they skirt the Potomac and are intersected to some extent by tidal creeks. For the latter reason, Maury assigns them to the Tidewater Division. Further South, the counties of Caroline and Hanover, which are assigned to the Tidewa- ter Division, are in part in the archjean formation, and vice versa the county of Chesterfield, which is classed with the "Middle Division," has a tidal front of fifty miles on James and Appomattox rivers, and a considerable border of purely alluvial land ; but by far the greater part of its territory is in the archsean, to which it is assigned. And the " low range of mountains" spoken of as making the line between Middle Virginia and Piedmont does not conform exactly with the county boundary lines, so that many of the counties have part of their terri- tory overlapping the adjoining division ; but they are properly assigned to the one in wiiich the greater part is comprehended. The classification of Hotchkiss will be adhered to here. Thus reckoned, "Middle Virginia" consists of twenty-five counties, and con- tains between twelve and thirteen thousand square miles, or nearly a third of the State. As said, this is a primary formation, resting for the most part on granite and gneiss, but here and there on the new red sandstone, and the soil varies widely. Here is the great tobacco region of Virginia — the lands of the upper and lower Jurassic period — a new red sandstone being especially adapted to the finer qualities. This formation is identical with that of Lancaster county. Pa. and the lower Connecticut Valley, where the cultivation of seed-leaf tobacco has enriched the community to an almost incredible degree. A strip of the former (the " upper Jurassic") extends along the line of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad almost its entire length. Considerable sections of the lower Jurassic are found in Pittsylvania, Halifax, Campbell, Appomattox, Prince Edward, Cumber- land, Buckingham, Albemarle, Chesterfield, Henrico, Orange, Culpeper, Fau- quier, Loudoun, Prince William, and Fairfax. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 33 These older " Mesozoic" areas are aptly described by Hotchkiss in the Virginias as islands in the archsean region of Midland and Piedmont Virginia. Professor Fontaine says of them : ''They are all situated east of the Blue Kidge, and most of them are found in the terrane of the crystalline azoic rocks. They lie in the eroded and upturned azoic strata, and are formed out of the material yielded by them. They lie in narrow strips isolated from each other, and seem to have been deposited in fresh, or at most, brackish water. Some of these areas were at some period in their history in the form ol marshes, or had such a character as to per- mit the formation of an abundant vegetation and the accumulation of a consid- erable amount of coal. In Virginia coal is found only in those areas that lie far- thest east.'' Those in which coal is found are the Eichmond and the Cumberland areas. But H is of their value in an agricultural point of view that I would speak more par- ticularly here — of their fitness for the production of choice tobacco. Much has t>een said of the unprofitableness of tobacco — of the sure and rapid impoverish- ment of the lands in wiiich it is grown. That it has tended to produce that re- sult, indirectly, is undeniable — but that this result is the necessary consequence of tobacco-raising is certainly not true. Even in Virginia, where the system is, or has been, of the very worst, instances can be shown of steady improvement of farms on which large crops of tobacco are grown— and, in the Northern .States, whole communities can be pointed to as evidence that tobacco-growing does not necessarily exhaust the fertility of a country. There is, perhaps, no part of the United States more prosperous than Lancaster county, Pa. — the largest tobacco- ;growing county of the Union. Land there sells at prices almost fabulous, when- ever, by any chance, it is put upon the market. Other instances might be cited — in Connecticut, New York, Wisconsin. These people are prosperous because they believe in high farming — in getting large re- turns from the land, both in quantity of crop and in quality. The tobacco they make— the "seed-leaf," for cigar-wrappers — gives a heavy yield, and is eagerly sought after by buyers at prices that leave a large profit. This digression is to the point in calling attention again to|;the important fact that these "islands," just described — these large " areas, "^scattered through Vir- ginia — are of the same character of soil with the great county of Lancaster — that the climate of Virginia is as good for tobacco-growing— perhaps better — and that the land can be bought for a tenth — nay, a twentieth — of^the price. Middle Virginia is an undulating country — hills, table-lands, and intervalesr— living springs and never-failing water courses everywhere."^ The soils vary greatly — the bottom lands generally very fertile, and the up-lands are often very produc- tive, especially when the rocks contain epidote and some,^varieties2of horn blende. The irregular limestone formation along the western borders of Middle and the eastern of Piedmqnt does not make a characteristic soil except in a few localities. Here and there the soils are exceedingly fertile, as in parts of Orange, Culpeper, and Loudoun, which counties are assigned to "Piedmont," although part of their territory belongs of right to the "Middle Division." The productions of this region are varied. Tobacco has been mentioned as the staple of a large part of this division of the State, but its cultivation is by no means universal — in many counties it is not grownjat all. Everywhere the cereals and fruits of temperate climates, notably the apple and ;grape, grow in perfection ; and while we have not yet reached the grazing sections proper, we find clover, timothy, orchard and other grasses growing here and there in great luxuriance ; and they show a natural adaptation to grass which, however, so far from having 3 34 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. been encouraged, has persistently been thwarted — fought against — from the first settlement of the country until recently. "Killing grass" has been the object kept steadily in view in growing tobacco and Indian corn, and with the large force of slaves inhabiting this region, was so effectually done that it came to be believed by many that the valuable forage and pasture grasses would not grow here, despite the fact that "blue grass " — " poa-compressa " (the true " blue grass ") — the iden- tical grass which is so highly valued in Fauquier and Loudoun for maliing fat pas- tures—is the grass which has given the planters most trouble to keep under, which has made such a struggle for existence that it has never been extirpated in this region ; but, where it has half an opportunity, will assert its rights and will take possession of the laud, crowding out wheat or whatever may, at the time, be in occupancy. Clover has long been successfully grown here; and the idea that timothy, or- chard grass, &c., would not succeed has been disproved by the logic of facts — there is scarely a county in this region in which there are not meadows that would compare favorably with the best anywhere ; few though they be, they demonstrate the possibility. The renovation of this healthful and most improvable region will be brought about by clothing a large portion of the county with meadow and pasture grasses. FOREST GROWTH. The " Sylva " gradually changes as we ascend from the Tidewater Division to^ Piedmont. The cypress disappears, the long-leaf pine ceases to grow after the first tier of counties is passed, and the cedar and holly, the gum and willow oak, become more and more infrequent. The short-leaf, or hard yellow pine, furnishes its valuable timber in every part of Middle Virginia, but does not take exclusive possession of large tracts of land as in Tidewater, except where it is found as "second growth " on lands which have been cultivated and then turned out to grow up again. There it takes the place of the geniune "loblolly" or old-field pine of Tidewater — the long-leaf variety — the "pinustaeda" of Botanists. In the forests of Middle Virginia the pine (short-leaf, yellow and two other varieties too rare to deserve a description) grows along with the various oaks, the tulip tree, hiekory, walnut, locust, maple, ash and other timber of minor importance ; and on the streams sycamore, beech, birch, willow and maple. At some distance from the mountains we again find chestnut in large quantities. In fine, the forest growth of this section is of singular variety, beauty and value. MINERALS. The mineral resources of this region are very great. Besides the coal of the meso- zoic areas of Richmond and Farmville, heretofore alluded to, this country yields gold, silver, copper, and iron ores in great variety and abundance, and for architec- tural purposes fine gray granite and gneiss brown stone. Potomac or breeciated marble, and the finest slate for roofing purposes ; also, mica, kaolin, asbestos and limestone. Sulphurets of iron are abundant in Louisa county and have been shipped in large quantities. They are rich in sulphur — one sample having analyzed 52.73 per cent. Another deposit contained 43 percent, of sulphur, and 5.89 per cent, of copper. These are found in that remarkable formation known as the "gold belt" of Virginia — a strip of land from 15 to 20 miles in length, and running for two hun- HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 3:6 dred miles through the State. The rocks of this belt are the slates, ti^ps, steatites, &e., of the primary, dipping at high angles, generally to the east. InSerstratified •with these are numerous veins of gold bearing quartz, magnetic, hematite and specular iron ores, and the sulphurets of copper (and of iron) referred to. Large amounts of gold have been taken from this belt — some of it from surface washings. The veins of iron ore are numerous, some of the magnetic ones having a thick- ness of four feet ; the beds of hematite ore, particularly those upon either border of the belt, as along James river, where it runs parallel with it, and in the "Wil- derness," near the Rappahannock, are very thick and extensive. The first successful furnaces in America, those of the colonial Governor Spotswood, were supplied from the latter beds. There are also large beds of this ore where the Chesapeake and Ohio railway crosses the belt. In this vicinity the valuable sulphurets of iron and copper are found, and there will soon be large sulphuric acid works and a manufactory of fertilizers here, turning out copper and iron as by-products. The slates of the middle country are excellent for all purposes, notably those of Buckingham and Amherst counties. In Buckingham they have been long and extensively quarried for roofing, flagging, mantles, &c. The sandstones of the inaposed " middle secondary" are valuable for building purposes, as are also the " brownstones" of the red sandstone, which are extensively quarried at Manassas. The infusorial earth, so abundant in Richmond, is valuable as a polishing material. Ochre of very fine quality is found in Chesterfield, near Bermuda Hundred, and is being shipped from that point. RAILROADS. This country is favored in respect of means of transportation, railroads pene- trating it in every direction. The great "coast line," which passes through the State from Washington to Weldou close to the divide between Middle Virginia and Tidewater, almost in the line between the archfean and the tertiary forma- tions — sometimes in one and sometimes in the other — belongs equally to both. From Washington and Alexandria ray out, the Washington, Ohio and Western, and the Virginia Midland, with its various branches ; from Fredericksburg, the nar- row guage to Orange C. H. ; from Richmond the Chesapeake and Ohio stretches out through Henrico, Hanover, and Louisa into Piedmont, and thence to the Ohio and beyond ; and the Alleghany, along the beautiful Valley of James river through Middle Virginia into Piedmont and Appalachia. The Richmond and Danville road penetrates ttiis part of Virginia for a hundred and fifty miles before passing into North Carolina, and sends out a branch at Keysville and another at Suther- lin. The Brighthope road from Bermuda Hundred taps the coal region at Clover Hill, twenty-odd miles away. At Petersburg, the Norfolk and Western road passes from Tidewater into Middle Virginia, and after a course of more than a hundred and twenty miles in this division, strikes out southwest through Pied- mont and the Valley to the Tennessee line at Bristol. The " Atlantic and Dan- ville" is in course of construction from the point to which it is now completed, Hicksford, in Greensville county, to Danville and beyond ; and the southern link of the Virginia Midland extends from Lynchburg to Danville with a branch from Elba Station into Franklin county. All these roads intersect this division of Vir- ginia, and there are others projected, and probably soon to be built. 3€ HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. WATER. This is a marvellously well watered region — a land of living springs and peren- nial water-courses, rivers, creeks, and brooks. The eastern edge of the belt has been described as " a granite rim rising some 200 feet^above the tide waters, set- ting bounds to their further flow inward, furnishing fine water-power by the fall- ing of the rivers over it, and sites for commercial and manufacturing towns. In every part of the "Middle Country" there is abundance of water — it would be hard to find a field in which there are not springs or brooks — and sites for mills are nowhere far to seek. Most valuable mineral waters are found in this region. The lithia springs of "Buffalo," in Mecklenburg, have long had a wide reputation, and the more re- cently discovered lithia and other springs near Farmville, and at " Wolftrap," in Halifax, are rapidly becoming known throughout the country. The sulphur springs in Powhatan (Huguenot) and in Amelia were once much resorted to. A recently discovered well at Chase city, in Mecklenburg county, where is a colony of Englishmen, furnishes a water which is said to have made some re- markable cures of dyspepsia. HEALTHFULNESS. Except in limited localities in and near certain water courses, where malarial diseases prevail to some extent, this is an exceptionally healthy region, perhaps as favorable to longevity as any part of America — we might almost say "of the world." HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 37 MIDDLE VIRGINIA BY COUNTIES. GROUPING IN NATURAL SUB-DIVISIONS. NORTHSIDB GROUP. Potomac Basin , Pamunkey Basin. James Basin James-Appomattox Basin. Appomattox Basin. COUNTIES, [Fairfax, j Alexandria. \ Prince William. (.Stafford. f Spotsylvania, t Louisa. f Fluvanna. \ Goochland. 'Buckingham. Cumheriand. Powhatan. Chesterfield, t Appomattox. f Prince Edward, t Amelia. SOUTHSIDE GROUP. Nottoway Basin. f Dinwiddle. \ Nottoway. {Lunenburg. Brunswick. Greensville. f Campbell. I Charlotte. Eoanoke Basin -i Pittsylvania. I Halifax. l^ Mecklenburg. In the following brief description the counties are arranged in alphabetical order, as before, for convenience of reference. 38 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGHNIA. [IDDLE VIRGINIA BY COUNTIES. ALEXANDRIA was originally a part of Fairfax. Having been ceded to the General Government as a portion of the District of Columbia, and retroceded to Virginia in 1847, it was organized into a county. The area is very small, being only ten miles long and five miles wide, with 18,329 acres, assessed at $1,772,988. The population, inclu- ding Alexandria city, is 17,546. This county lies along the south bank of the Potomac river, with the District of Columbia containing the Federal Capitol, Washington city, and Georgetown, on the opposite bank. The county seat is the very considerable town of Alexan- dria, on the Potomac. The commercial advantages of Alexandria city^and county are unsurpassed, the facilities for shipping and means of access to market being all that could be desired. The river is navigable for the largest vessels with a depth of forty-five feet at the wharves. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal has its terminus at Alexandria. Two turnpikes and several county roads lead into the District of Columbia across three fine bridges. The Virginia Midland, the Wash- ington and Alexandria, the Alexandria and Fredericksburg, and the Washington, Ohio and Western railroads have terminal points in the city of Alexandria, and pass through the county in various directions. The educational advantages of Alexandria are very great, some of the finest private schools in the country being located here ; and the Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is just outside of the city limits. The soil of this county is well suited for market gardens, and the proximity of Al- exandria city and Washington give great advantages in this respect, aiid for dairy farming. Washington is rapidly becoming one of the greatest cities of the country, and lands in the vicinity are fast enhancing in value. AMELIA was formed in 1734 from Prince George. It lies on the south bank of Appo- mattox river, which separates it from Chesterfield, Powhatan and Cumberland counties, and, together with its numerous tributaries, affords ample drainage and extensive bottom lands. The county is thirty miles long and about ten miles in mean breadth, aud contains 223,693 acres of land valued at $907,975. Population 10,317. The upland is gently undulating ; the soil varies from red clay to gray slate and sandy loam and produces good crops of tobacco, corn, wheat, oats, rye, grass, &Q. Tobacco is the main money crop, and its production and curing are carried to great perfection by intelligent and careful planters. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 39 '* Flue-curing " has been practised here for four years past, and it has been found that bright tobacco of the finest quality can be produced in Amelia. Com- mercial fertilizers, especially raw phosphates, are reported to act well and prove very remunerative here; improved agricultural machinery i^ being introduced by enterprising farmers, and this bids fair to become again what it once was — one of the richest counties in the State, in proportion to population. The Richmond & Danville railroad passes through the centre of the county, -and the Norfolk & Western near its southeastern border. The Appomattox river on the northern edge is again opened for navigation, giving access to the markets ■of Petersburg. The mineral wealth of this county is considerable. The following specimens are on exhibition at New Orleans : The following specimens have been loaned by Prof. Wm. M. Fontaine, from his collection at the University of Virginia for the New Orleans Exposition : 1. Potstone, which is found in large quantities. Has been used for stove backs, in place of fire-brick, as it is a good material to resist heat. Was cut by the Indians Into pots. 2. Fragments of an old Indian pot^ cut from the above potstone. 3. Zircon, Feldspar and Columbite, from Mica mines of Amelia. 4. Amazon Stone, which occurs occasionally in the feldspar of the Amelia mica mines. 5. Albite Feldspar, from Amelia Mica mines. 6. Crystals of Albite, Feldspar, Quartz and Mica, from cavities in Amelia Mica mines. 7. Orthoclase Feldspar, from Amelia Mica mines ; has been shipped for manu- facture of porcelain. 8. Albite Feldspar, showing change of colors, from Amelia Mica mines. 9. Beryl Crystal, fragment of a large one, from Amelia Mica mines. 10. Mica, from Amelia Mica mines. 11. Monazite, from same. 12. Albite Feldspar, with Spessarite Garnet, from same. The folfowing from tlie Virginia Department of Agriculture : 13. Mica, from A. Rutherford owner of Amelia Mica mines. 14. Mica. Hali. 15. Kaolin, fine quality, from Amelia Mica mines. 16. Quartz, glassy, from same. 17. Feldspar, from same. 18. Amazon Stone, from same. .. The following rare specimens from the above mines are loaned by Prof. W. M. Fountaine : 19. Columbite Crystals, a large mass. 20. Microlite Crystals, a large mass. 21. Monazite, a lar^e crystaline mass. 22. Monazite, partly altered, a large crystaline mass. 23. Microlite, striated by overlaping plates of mica. 24. Monazite, aggregated crystals. 25. Albite Feldspar, crystals. , 26. Albite Feldspar, Spessarite and Helvite. 27. Allanite, a variety of Orthite. 40 HAND BOOK OF VIRGINIA. APPOMATTOX was formed in 1845, from^Buckingham, Prince Edward, Charlotte and Campbell counties. It is about 26 miles long and 18 miles in width, and contains 210.500 acres of land, valued at $868,720. Population, 10.017. It lies on the south bank of James river, and is well watered by tributaries of that river, by the Appomat- tox, and some of the tributaries of Staunton river. The surface is rolling, and in some parts hilly, but the many streams give a large proportion of bottom land. The soil varies from a stiff red day to gray slate of a light and friable texture. The productions are tobacco, grain and grass. The timber is abundant and of valuable kinds, as oak, hickory, walnut, chestnut,. maple, poplar, dogwood, &c. The means of transportation to market are very good, and are afforded by the Norfolk and Western railroad passing through near the centre, and by the Rich- mond and Alleghany railroad, which skirts its northwestern border. This is a healthy and pleasant climate, where cheap and productive lands and pleasant surroundings furnish good inducements for new settlers. The minerals of Appomattox are varied and valuable, to-wit : gold, iron, cop- per, manganese, steatite, mica, plumbago, asbestos, &c., and are represented in part at the WORLD'S EXPOSITION AT NEW ORLEANS by the foUowmg specimens : 1. Limonite, from Jones & Button's mine (Nuttall), one mile from Walker Ferd Station, Richmond and Alleghany railroad. 2. Margarite, a form of mica, from Geo. P. Harner. 3. Steatite, from same. 4. MagnetiteZiTom same. 5. Limonite, fibrous, from Wm. Drinkard, Stonewall creek, three miles irom. James river. 6. Limonite, from Thomas J. Straton. 7. Gold bearing quartz, from Geo. P. Harner, 8. Specular Iron Ore, from same. 9. Manganese Ore, from J. B, Moon. 10. Specular Iron Ore, from John J. Goff, Chestnut mountain. 11. Limonite Iron Ore, from E. M. Legrand, Chestnut mountain. 12. Limestone, from Mrs. Martha Walker, on James river. The iron ores of Appomattox are almost unlimited in quantity, and are of immense value. BRUNSWICK was formed in 1721, from Surry and Isle of Wifht. It is nearly a square of about 25 miles on a side, and contains 356,892 acres, assessed at $1,150,143. Population, 16,790. The surface of the county is undulating, and the lands are uncommonly well watered, having the Nottoway river on its north border, separating it from Din- widdle and Nottoway counties, and the Meherrin and tributaries through the cen- tral parts ; also by tributaries of the Roanoke in the southern sections. The soil is for the most part a sandy loam, easily worked, and very productive in wheat. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 41^ corn, cotton, peanuts, and tobacco. Gypsum is said to act well on these lands, and they are very responsive to commercial fertilizers. This county ranlis third in the production of cotton — ^2,950 bales. Many fine thoroughbred horses were formerly raised in Brunswick. The climate is mild and healthy. The line of the projected Richmond and North Carolina railroad has been sur- veyed through the heart of Brunswick, and will pass by Lawrenceyille, the county seat, giving quick and easy transportation to market. BUCKINGHAM was formed in 1761 from Albemarle ; is thirty-five miles long and tweuty-four miles wide, and contains 354,163 acres of land, assessed at $1,433,246. Population, 15,227. It lies on the south bank of James river, which forms its boundary on two sides and for a distance of more than fifty miles. The broad bottom lands on this river are of unsurpassed fertility. "Willis river. Slate river, and many smaller tributa- ries of the James water this county, and the Appomattox forms part of the south boundary. The surface is rolling and hilly, with several small mountains, as Willis, Slate river, and Spears mountains. The soil varies from^etiff red clay to a gray slaty texture, much of it very rich, but some poor chestnut ridges of considerable ex- tent are found in parts. The Slate river lands are very fiae, and comprise a con- siderable area. The productions are tobacco, corn, wheat, oats, rye, and grass. There is much fine tobacco produced in this county, and the planters are careful handlers of it. New varieties are being tried, and an eff'ort made to improve the old kinds. The timber found here consists of oak, chestnut, pine, hickory, &c., and is abundant. This county is rich in minerals — iron, gold — of which many mines have been successfully worked for a great many years ; barytes, slate, asbestos, mica and limestone. Slate of superior quality is mined near New Canton more ex- tensively now than ever before, and is in great demand all over the country. To accommodate the demand for transportation of this slate, there has recently been built the Buckingham railroad, a branch from the Richmond and Alleghany rail- road from Bremo Bluff station across the James, on a new and substantial bridge, to the slate quarries. The construction of the railroad and bridg'e here mentioned, and of several bridges at other points, is due to the enlightened policy of the au- thorities of the Richmond Alleghany railroad, who are doing all in their power to develop the country through which it passes. The following (somewhat abridged) was taken from one of the papers in 1880 ; the writer was assessor of lands in the county, and has no interest in the mines. Veins of gold, slate and iron enter the county just above New Canton, on James river, passing through the county. Slate is the leading rein, from a qua,r- ter to a half mile wide, inexhaustible as to quantity and most excellent in its character, and now largely worked. The gold vein is from two to fifteen feet wide on the west, and iron on the east in the greatest abundance. * * * =f: * * >ic After describing and locating eight mines which have been opened and worked,. he adds, "I am anxious to see the great mineral resources of this county developed, which are equal, as I believe, to the fabulous wealth of the Black Hills, or Cali- fornia itself. Then let capitalists and mineralogists and geologists come and examine for themselves." 42 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. The celebrated Everman (Practical Mineralos;.?) says : "We have here (in Virginia, &c.) a belt of gold of unparalleled extent, im- mense width and undoubtedly reaching to the primitive rqck. * * * * Here is a mass of precious metal enclosed in the rock which cannot be exhausted ior ages ; and in this respect the region in question is the most important of all Ifnown deposits, California not excepted." — The Virginias. Buckingham county is represented by the following MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Roofing Slate, from quarry of Edwards & Eoberts, near N'ew Canton. 2. Steatite, from two miles from mouth of Hardware river. 3. Gold, in quartz, from Morrow mine. '^. Iron Ore, from Bent Creek. The following were collected by E. D. Eraser, Esq. : 5. Kaolin, from the land of M. G. Eicon. 6. Quartz, micaceous, from Willis Mountain. 7. Gold, in a molecular state, from land of T. H. Garnett, six miles south from the courthouse. 8. Asbestos, from Willis Mountain. 9. Pyrite, iron pyrites, from Willis Mountain. 10. Qold-bearing quartz, from " Marrow" mine, 11. Magnetite, magnetic iron ore, from land of Geo. H. Cox. 12. Steatite, from land of T. H. Garnett, Willis Mountain. 13. Mineral, from Willis Mountain. 14. Cyanite, from Willis Mountain. 15. Schorl, from Willis Mountain. 16. Copper Ore, from shaft 80 feet deep on Willis Mountain. 17. Schorl, &c., from Willis Mountain. 18. Cyanite, from Willis Mountain. 19. Gneiss, from Willis Mountain, 20. Micaceous Sand Stone, from Willis Mountain. 21. Gneiss with Cyanite, from Willis Mountain. 22. Quartz, from Willis Mountain. 23. Mica, from Willis Mountain ; surface indications abundant. 24. Hematite Iron One, from Willis Mountain, from land of T. H. Garnett. 25. Quartz., crystaline, from near Willis Mountain. 26. Quartz, crystaline, from west of Willis Mountain.. 27. Quartz, from Willis Mountain. 28. Quartz, crystaline, Mrs. T. H. Garnett's, west of Willis Mountain. 29. Mineral, from Willis Mountain. 30. Gneiss, from Woodson Cave, Willis Mountain. 31. Ochroiis Clay, Willis Mountain. 32. Micaceous Eock, from Willis Mountain. 33. Quartz and Schorl, Willis Mountain. 34. Zircon, AVillis Mountain ; shows in great abundance. 35. Garnets, from Willis Mountain. 36. Quartz, crystaline, from Mrs. S, A. Hubard's, three miles east of Willig fountain. 37. Schorl in quartz, from John A. Scruggs', half a mile west from Willis 'Mountain. HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. 43 38. Magnetite^ from land of N. B. Shepard, four miles northeast from Willis Mountain ; in large amount. 39. Magnetite, from land of P. A. Hubard, two and a half miles north from Willis Mountain. 40. Kaolin, from Mrs. S. A. Hubard, three miles east from Willis Mountain. 41. Magnetite, from land of Kichard Davis, twelve miles east from Buclsingham Courthouse. 42. Hematite Iron Ore, from Mrs. S. A. Hubard. 43. Mica in quartz, one-half miles west from Willis Mountain. 44. Pyrite, Iron Pyrites, from land of Mrs. S. A. Hubard, three miles east from Willis Mountain. CAMPBELL was formed in 1781 from Bedford, It is nearly a square of twenty-five miles to a side, and contains 337,216 acres of land, assessed at $1,175,613, exclusive of Lynchburg. Population, including Lynchburg, 36,253. It lies on the south bank of James river, by tributaries of which, and by Otter and Falling rivers and other tributaries of the Staunton, it is well watered. These streams give to it any quantity of water power for manufacturing pur- poses. The James and Staunton rivers, the first emptying into Chesapeake bay, and the latter into the Roanoke, (which empties into the Albrmarle Sound) aftbrd water transportation for a portion of the productions of this county; but much the larger portion goes by railroads. The Virginia Midland R. R. traverses it from North to South ; the Norfolk and Western runs through the northern section from east to west; and the Richmond and Alleghany on its north border, all combining to give this county peculiar advantages and facilities for markets in every direction. The surface is rolling and hilly. The soil is fertile and particularly adapted to the production of the fine, high priced tobacco, as well as grain and grass. Land is valued at from four to twenty dollars per acre, and muchof itis worth a great deal more. There is an abundance of timber of the usual growth of this section, a large part of the area being clothed with the original forest trees. Lynchburg, situated on the banks of James river, in the northern end of the county, is the fourth town in importance in the State, and contained in 1880 a population of 15,959, which has greatly increased since. The three railways which traverse this county cross each other here, making it a fine centre of trade. There are in Lynchburg eight banks and banking houses, four newspapers, four fine hotels, ten churches, many public and private schools, seventy tobacco factories, and in the suburbs two rolling mills, three foundries, two large flour mills, two bark and extract manufactories and numerous other enterprises. The following is from a description furnished by H. T. Leman, former school superintendent : " The formation of Campbell belongs to the azoic period, and is based on granite, syenite and gneiss. Some fine specimens of granite lie in the northeast- em portion of the county, on James river, furnishing the finest building rock; but the larger portion found in the county is syenite, from some of which good millstones are made. Through the middle of the county, running from east to west, and about two miles in width, there is a vein of '" new red sandstone " over- lying the original formation. This is found in laminae from three to six inches thick, smooth surface, and is much used for building chimneys. The surface is 44 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. generally rugged. The ridges running through the county are high, in sevei'al instances reaching the dignity of mountains. The soil of the higher land is a light, thin, gravelly loam, not very productive of itself, but yielding good crops with a little aid from fertilizers. The finer kinds of tobacco, wheat, corn, oats and grass are the remunerative crops. A vein of some eight or ten thousand acres of red or chocolate land, extending northeast and southwest, furnishes a fine soil for wheat — equal to any in the State — and with the large area of alluvial bottom places it among the most productive of those east of the mountains. The minerals consist of several varieties of iron ore, manganese and steatite. Some valuable mines have been worked for a good many years — those lying on Stonewall and Falling creeks furnishing from eighty to eighty-four per cent, of peroxide of iron. Ore is found almost everywhere in the county, but has been more particularly developed on the line of the Virginia Midland railroad, where large deposits of manganese have also been discoverecl. Some of the steatite is of beautiful texture, and makes handsome and durable backs and jambs for fire- places. Timber is abundant and consists of hard yellow pine ; white, black, red and chestnut oaks; poplar, locust, walnut, hickory, black gum, sweet gum, a magnifi- cent tree, growing tall and straight, furnishing a fine lumoer for cabinet work and hubs of wheels. The sour wood grows in great quantities on the ridges, does^ not attain much size and is only used for fire-wood, but twice a year ornaments the forest with its beautiful lily-like flowers, and furnishes the bee with its purest honey. Campbell has the following MINERALS ON EXHIBITION AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Cyanite, from J. J. Hardwicke, Lynch station, Virginia Midland Railroad. 2. Iron Ore, specular and magnetic, from mine near Lynch station. 3. Magnetic Iron Ore, from mines of E. S. Lee, Otter river station, Virginia Midland Railroad. 4. Manganese, from mines of H. Olivier, near same locality as above. 5. Barytes, from "Hewitt" mine, near above locality. 6. Steatite, from Mrs. C. Peerman's quarry, near same locality. 7. Marble, from J. M. Burruss, near same. 8. Manganese, from mine of M. L. Bishop, near Lynch station. 9. Magnetic and Specular Iron Ore, from last mentioned mine. The following were collected by Mr. E, D. Frazer: 10. Iron Ore. magnetic, from " Rosenberger " mine. 11. Iron Ore, specular and magnetic, from B. S. Bernard's, near Lawyer's store^ 12. Iron Ore, hematite, from "Mortimer" mine. 13. Manganese, from E. S. Moorman's, near Lawyer's. 14. Manganese, from " Carson " mine, four miles south from Lawyer's. 15. Quartzite Marble, from Lee mine. 16. Quartzite Marble, a slab, from Moon's quarry, on Lee mine. 17. Barytes, ground, grade number one, from mills of Tanner, Bliss & Co,, Lynchburg, 18. Barytes, ground, grade number two, from same firm — the mineral was mined in Campbell county. HAND-BOOK OP VIRGINIA. 45 CHARLOTTE was formed in 1765 from Lunenburg. This county has 301,417 acres of land, with an assessed value of $1,599,533. The greater part of the county is watered by the Staunton and its tributaries, and some of the branches of the Meherrin have their sources in the eastern edge of Charlotte. There is much productive bottom land, and the soil is generally good, especially suited to fine tobacco as well as to cereals and grass. There was formerly much wealth in this county, and now its fine soil, abundant water-power, fine timber, and healthy climate make it very desirable as a residence. Many settlers from the North have located here and are pleased with the country. The market facilities are good, the Danville railroad passing through the county, and the Mecklenburg branch from Keysville through the east- ern edge ; and the Staunton river is naviaable for batteaux all along the southern and western frontier of the county ; $5,000 per annum is being expended by the general government in extending and improving the navigation of this river, and a steamer will soon be running up to Cole's Ferry and as high as Brookneal. Iron ore, copper, mica, and kaolin have been found in Charlotte. CHESTERFIELD was formed from Henrico in 1748. It is 28 miles long and 18 miles wide. The surface is rolling. The soil is in general light and gray in color, easily improved, and contains 293,142 acres, assessed at $3,216,479. Population, 24,179. The James forms its northern and the Appomattox its southern boundary. There is much very rich alluvial land on these rivers. The county is well watered and intersected by important railway lines. The productions are wheat, corn, oats, hay, tobacco, and vegetables. Marl ex- ists in the lower end of the county. Chesterfield still contains a good amount of timber. The county is receiving a good number of immigrants. Its proximity to the market of Richmond and Pe- tersburg give it great advantages. This county has inexhaustible mines of bituminous coal, natural coke, and ochre, and extensive quarries of superior granite in^active operation. Kaolin and ochre of the finest character have been discovered in this county. Manchester, the principal town, has two cotton mills, several flouring mills, one paper mill, one bucket factory, iron works, the machine shops of the Richmond and Danville railroad, and several other manufactories, and^is connected with Richmond by five bridges across the James. The coalofj"Chesterfield is celebra- ted as a very rich gas coal ; the principal mines are the Midlothian, *Brighthope, Black Heath and Winterpock. The Richmond and^jDanville|railroad and the Richmond and Petersburg railroad cross the James at Manchester on two fine bridges, and pass south through this county, and railwrayi frotn|the coal ihiaes in the western part of the county run eastwardly, intersecting the main lines, and bring their products to the James river, below Manchester, and to 'the Appomat- tox, below Petersburg, at points of shipment ; also to Bermuda Hundred, near the 3 unction of James and Appomattox rivers. ^ *Tlie Brightliope has a railroad from tlie mlaes to James river," twea';y-aae ;miles, crossing Richmond andPeterabarg rai;road at Cliester, coaasctiag witli Riclimoud and ^Petersburg ; and at Osborne, on tie river, large-sized vessels take on tliis coal (or foreign markets. 46 HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. The remains of an iron furnace are found in this county, five or six miles below Richmond, described by Berkeley in his History of Virginia as being worked in 1620. It was broken up by the massacre of Opecancanough in 1622. Ochre of good quality is largely mined on the Appomattox river. CHESTERFIELD MINERALS AT NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Bituminous Coal, from Brighthope Ry. Co.'s mines, from beds 25 ft. thick. 2. Gloss Sand, from Bermuda, near James river, very fine quality. 3. Bituminous Coal, from "Etna" mine, near Coalfield station, R. & D. E. E,. 4. Carbonite, Natural Coke, from "Eureka" coke mine, near same place. 5. Crude Yellow Ochre, from mines of Bermuda Ochre Co. 6. Manufactured Yellow Ochre, from above, considered by manufacturers equal to best French. 7. Iron Ore, hematite, from 3 to 4 thick above beds from which above ochre is obtained makes good metalic paint — probably the ore used in the first iron works built in America. 8. Granite from Old Dominion Granite Co.'s quarries on James river. CUMBERLAND was formed in 1748 from Goochland, It is 32 miles long and about ten broad, with the Appomattox river running on its south, the James on its north boun- dary, and Willis' river through its western part; the Norfolk and Western rail- road runs through a portion of its southern border. The surface is undulating and the soil productive. Population, 10,540. Number of acres of land, 190,749, assessed at $1,039,630. The products are tobacco, wlieat, corn and oats. The cultivated grasses, par- ticularly clover, succeed admirably on improved lands. The soil is very good, with generally a red clay sub-soil, and is capable of being made very productive. The lands on the rivers are very fertile. No county in the State, probably, is more healthy than this, and the inhabitants have every reason to be satisfied with their homes, and persons seeking new homes will find many inducements here. Cartersville, on the James, is the principal village, and much of the produce of the county is shipped from this point by the Richmond and Alleghany railroad, which runs on the north border of this county, on the opposite side of the river. A substantial bridge across the river at Cartersville places the farmers of the northern end of the county in easy reach of the railroad. Coal is found in the county, but it is only fit for furnaces and blacksmith's use. A most remarkable cluster of mineral springs has been discovered in this county within a third of a mile from the town of Farmville. There are lithia, sulphur, chalybeate, and magnesian waters flowing from the earth within a few yards of each other — a wonderful and beneficent freak of Nature. CUMBERLAND MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Iron Ore, lean, ffom Lyon A. Agee. 2. Iron Ore, from Dr. J. M. Blanton, Farmville. 3. Magnetite, from Col. J. C. Wood, near Ca Ira. 4. Lignite, from Dr. J. M. Blanton, Farmville. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. W DINWIDDIE was fortaed in 1752 from Prince George. Ttie surface is in some part, undu- latins:, but mostly level. The soil of the undulating portion is light clay loam, sus- ceptible of jthe highest state of improvement. The Appomattox on the north boundary, and the Nottoway on the south, with their tributaries, give ample drainage to the county, with fertile bottoms. Population, Petersburg included, in 1880, 35,293; number of acres of land, 327,516, assessed at $1,063,103, exclusive of the city. The productions are corn, wheat, tobacco, cotton, oats, peanuts, potatoes, melons and vegetables of almost every variety for the Petersburg and other markets. Commercial manures are largely used. There is marl in the northeastern portion of the county, which is used to some extent, with very beneficial effects. All varieties of clover and grass, flourish well on the enriched lots and on the bottom lands. There is a large area in timber, consisting of oak, hickory, dogwood, walnut, ash, persimmon, elm, poplar and pine, original and second growth. At Mayfield, in this county, there is an immense quantity of granite, said to be of the best quality and susceptible of the finest polish. These quarries have been worked for the last fifty years. Granite of fine qual- ity is also found on the Booth farm, immediately on the line of the Norfolk and Western railroad. Several veins of hematite, and one of magnetic iron ore crop, out in different portions of the county. , Petersburg, in this county, is an important railroad centre and a large cotton and tobacco market, and has many tobaceo factories. This city had a population of 21,664, in 1880, and the number has greatly increased since. The Central Lu- natic Asylum, lor colored lunatics, newly built, is near Petersburg. The Norfolk and Western railroad, from Norfolk to Bristol-Goodson, passes through the city, and has extensive depots and machine shops, and a branch road to City Point, on the James. The Petersburg and Weldon, and the Richmond and Petersburg roads have terminal points with depots and machine shops here. The Richmond and Carolina railroad will pass through Petersburg and the cen_ tre of this county and Brunswick, and intersect the Raleigh and Gaston railroad in North Carolina. Work on this railroad has been commenced. The Appo- mattox river is navigable to Petersburg for steamers, and furnishes valuable water- power for the various manufactories adjacent to the city. FAIRFAX was formed in 1742 from Prince William. It lies on the Potomac river, and ad- joins Alexandria county. The county is watered by the Potomac and the Occo- quaa, and their tributaries. The surface is generally rolling, and the soil is a sandy and clay loam, and in some parts very fertile. The population is 16,037. Number of acres of land, 252,082, assessed at $2,368,201. The productions largely exceed the consumption of the citizens, and consist, principally, of corn, wheat, oats, rye, hay, fruits, dairy products, and vegetables. Its proximity to Washington city, Georgetown, and Alexandria, ensures a ready demand for all the productions of the farm, dairy, and garden. 48 HAND BOOK OF VIROINIA. The land is mostly owned in small farms and is in a high state of cultivation. Many families from the northern and western States have settled in this county since the war. Artificial manures, lime, and gypsum, are in general use. Much of the soil is well-adapted to grass. Bees, sheep, and poultry, are reported to be profitable. There are 30 vineyards, embracing 100 acres. The courthouse is situated near the centre of the county, and is a thriving vil- lage. It was nearly destroyed by the ravages of the late war, but has long since recovered from that disaster. Mount Vernon, the home of Washington, is situated in this county, on the banks of the Potomac river, eight miles below Alexandria. The grounds are in charge of the Mount Vernon Association, and are visited every year by thousands of per- sons from all parts of the world. Soapstone, asbestos, copper, and iron, are found in Fairfax. The Theodora Copper Mine is in this county. The transportation facilities of this county are unsurpassed. It is traversed by three railways, the "Alexandria and Fredericksburg," the "Virginia Midland,'* and the " Washington, Ohio and Western " ; and the Potonac river, which bounds two of its sides, is navigable for large vessels as far as Washington. . On the Potomac are many valuable fisheries, from which shad, herring, and other fich are caught in great numbers. The dairy business is conducted on an extensive scale. The production of milk for the supply of the cities of Washington and Georgetown amounts to over 2,000 gallons daily. There are also several butter and cheese factories. The wheat crop of this county has also increased immensely. Where, a few years since, two threshers with horse-power did all the work, from farm to farm, there are now six steam-power threshers employed. Improved self-binder har- vesters are in use. Great quantifies of ship-timber, and poplar for paper pulp, have been shipped irom the county. Farmers are prosperous, and settlers are adding steadily to the population. FAIRFAX COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Soapstone, from Edward Fitzhugh. 2. Iron Ore, from J. J. Ratchford, Vienna. 3. Potter'' s Clay, from Edward Fitzhugh. ♦ 4. Coal, Jura-Trias. 5. Lignite, Jura-Trias ; Vienna. 6. Mica-schist. 7. Kaolin, Edward Fitzhugh. 8. Steatite, cut into form of Bible, from Sykes property, near great falls of Po- tomac. FLUVANNA lies on the north bank of James river, and on the western edge of the Middle Di- vision. Albemarle bounds it on the west, Louisa on the north and Goochland on the east. The Rivanna liver, flowing from Albemarle and Greene counties, enters Fluvanna near the northwest corner and falls into the James at the southeastern angle of the county, where the thriving town of Columbia is situated. Hardware HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 49 river flows through the southwestern limits of the county and Byrd creek through tlie eastern. These large tributaries of the James, and many smaller streams, abundantly water the county, and greatly enhance its agricultural advantages. Fluvanna contains 179,912 acres of land, assessed at $853,228.* Population, 10,802. The productions of this county are those common to this part of the Middle Division — wheat, corn, oats, rye, grass, and tobacco. For the last-named crop, it has a special reputation, the "■sun-cured" of Fluvanna having been renowned for several generations. The system of flue-curing has recently been introduced very successfully. This was formerly one of the best timbered counties in Virginia, and much good timber yet remains in some sections — pine, oak, poplar, ash, walnut and hickory. The mineral wealth of this county is very considerable. The great gold belt passes through, and much gold has been taken from difierent mines. The "Tel- lurium" lis the oldest gold mine in Virginia, and the ore of thi and other mines is, in places, very rich. Iron ore, magnetic and brown hematite, has been found, and good specimens of copper ore, in the neighborhood of Palmyra, the county seat. The Richmond and Alleghany railroad, passing through the southern border of Fluvanna, gives early and quick communication with Richmond. To the central parts of the county the Rivanna canal and slackwater navigation in the Rivanna rriver alford facilities for shipping produce to Columbia, where it is taken by the ailroad. Altogether, this region offers many attractions to settlers — cheap and productive lands, pleasant and salubrious climate, accessibility to market, and a moral and law-abiding population. FLUVANNA COUNTY MINERAIiS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Gold, in sulphurets of iron and copper, from Wm. F. Kirtley, Belzora mine. 2. Magnetic Iron Ore, from L. R. Payne, of Palmyra. 3. Gold hearing Quartz, from lands of Eugene Payne, thirteen miles north irom Columbia. GOOCHLAND was formed in 1727 from Henrico. It is 34 miles long and about eight miles wide. It lies on the north bank of the James river, in its entire length. The surface is undulating. The soil on the river and creeks is very rich j on the ridges not so good, but is easily improved and then very productive. It produces large crops of tobacco, corn, wheat, oats and hay. As fine timothy meadows can be shown in Goochland as are in the United States. The population is 10,307. Number of acres of land, 180,192, assessed at $1,- 345,167. Good land can be bought for $12 ; on the ridges, from $2 to $5. The Richmond and Alleghany railroad, running through its length, 42 miles by the windings of James river, furnishes transportation for the farm products. The health of the county is excellent. It is drained by several large and many smaller creeks, which empty into the James. *The assessed value of the 179,912 acres of land was in 1880 $1,237,930. The iQgures given above ($853,228) Show a reduction so great and valuation so far below that of the lands of an adjoining county which is apparently no better and which is no more prosperous— ^■. e., (ioochland— that I can hardly refrain from suspecting that a clerical error has crept in.— Commissioner of Agriculture. 4 50 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. In this county are found gold, iron ore, copper and coal. There are seven gold mines and two coal mhies in the county. The soil is a gray or chocolate loam, resting on a tenacious red clay subsoil, and is noted for its large and excellent crops of wheat. Many Northern men have purchased lands and settled in this county, and are well pleased with it. Besides gold, iron and coal, several other minerals are found here, as granite, plumbago and asbestos. The county seat, near the centre of the county, is 30 miles from Richmond, and is a thriving village. GOOCHLAND COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. Furnished by Charles Willard, Superintendent, from eight veins on lands of Tagus Mill and Mining Co. Gold Ores from " Hurse Vein," 16 inch thick, and assays from $28 to $40 per ton. 1. Specimens of outcrop. 2. Specimens from water level, 14 feet deep. From Mary Vein. 3. Specimen of outcrop. 4. Specimen open cut near surface— assays, $14. 5. Specimen from open cut 8^ deep — assays, $10 ; vein 12"^^ thick. From Oak Hill Vein. 6. Specimen from 4^ vein above water level, 7. Specimen from water level. 8. Specimen from below water level — yield $10 ; 6^ to 12^ thick. ^From Oak Hill Tunnel. ^ 9. Sample of hanging wall 18''^ thick. 10. Section of vein next below 9. 11. Section of vein next below 10. ' 12. Section of vein next below 11. ,.J3. Bottom of vein below 12. ^14. Piece of boulder weighing 40 lbs. in a brown gravel vein under 13. The Young Shaft. 15. Laminated rock, from 70^ below surface, from hanging wall of ledge 1,600 wide. 16. Layer of slate 6^^ between 15. 17. From 10^^ quartz vein in 16. The Fisher Vein. 18. Surface croppings. 19. From water level 14^ down. 20. From bottom of vein, vein 20^^ thick, close to above foot wall — assays $14 to $20. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 51 West Vein in Gilmore Mine. 21. From 10^ cut. 22. From 10^ cut. The Main Vein. 23. From croppings on top of hill. 24. From 20^ deep— assay from $24 to $42. 25. From 30'^ deep— assay from $24 to $42. 26. From 40^ deep. 27. From 50^ deep— assay from $40 to $75. 28. \ From 60^ deep. If concentrated and roasted will assay $150 to $200 gold, 29. J and about $9 silver. 30. Sample of choice croppings, found everywhere along the course of veins, 31. Gold in sulphurets of iron and copper, from Wm. F. Kirtley, " Belzora" mine. 32. Gold-bearing quartz ; "Fisher" mine. 33. Talc, mica and plumbago, from line of R. & A. R. R. GREENSVILLE was formed in 1780 from Brunswick. It lies on the North Carolina line, and is one of the cotton and peanut producing counties. The surface is level or gently rolling ; the soil mostly a sandy loam, easily tilled and freely responding to ameliorating culture. The Nottoway river, on its north line, and Meherrin, which flows through its central parts, with their numerous affluents, drain its surface and furnish ample water-power and abundant supplies of fish. The productions are varied and valuable, and include tobacco, corn, wheat, oats, cotton and peanuts. There are some stiff clay soils well-suited to wheat. Lands are cheap, and the people kind and hospitable. The climate and health are all that could be desired. The transportation facilities are very good, and are furnished by the Petersburg and Weldon railroad, which traverses its greatest length near the middle, and by the Seaboard and Roanoke railroad, which is near its southeast comer. Two other railroads have been projected, which will greatly add to the commercial ad- vantages of this and the adjoining counties. The Atlantic, Danville and Western road is already completed from Claremont, the deep-water terminus of this road, on the James river, in Surry county, to Hicksford, the county-seat of Greensville. Population, 8,140; area, 186,290 acres; assessed at $597,526, a fraction over $3 per acre . Many immigrants have settled here since the war, mostly from the Northern States and from Great Britain. The timber of this county is abundant and very valuable, and consists mainly of white oak, ash and pine. There is a tram road, nine miles long, on which steam-cars ai'e run, leadmg from the Petersburg rail- road to a very fine body of white oak timber. Marl is found in this county. 52 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. HALIFAX was formed in 1752 from Lunenburg. It is one of the largest and wealthiest counties in the State. It borders on the North Carolina line, with Pittsylvania on west and Mecklenburg on the east. It lies in the heart of the finest tobacco growing sec- tion of the State, and its production of tobacco, wheat, corn and oats aggregates a very large amount. This county is remarkably well watered, the Staunton river skirting its entire northern and northwestern boundaries, with numerous tributaries penetrating the county, while the Dan, Hyco and Banister rivers penetrate the interior. The soil on these streams is of great fertility, producing large crops of grain year after year without rest or fertilizer. Much wealth and refinement exist here, though the wealthiest families lost very heavily by the late war, as they did in all parts of the State ; but this county was very largely slave- holding. The population is 33,569. Acres of land, 518,514, assessed at $2,907,637. While not generally regarded as strictly a grass country, all the grasses do well on good land. Sheep raising is largely carried on with very handsome profit. The Richmond and Danville railroad traverses this county from northeast t o southwest, by which route the county seat is 115 miles distant from Richmond. The town of South Boston, on the Richmond and Danville road, at one of the points where this road touches the Dan river, is rapidly growing in.importance as a tobacco centre — building up a flourishing trade. The Lynchburg and North Carolina railroad, recently chartered, will traverse the county from north to south ; when built, the county will have ample facilities for market in all its parts. Iron, copper, plumbago, manganese and mica are found in the county ; and valu- ble lithia water is found at " Wolf Trap," on the Richmond and Danville road, and exported to all parts of the country. HAIilFAX COUNTY MINERALS AT NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. From the Virginia Department of Agriculture. 1. Cinder, from ancient furnace near Scottsburg. 2. Magnetite, from John M. Jordan. 3. Corundum, {?) from D. A. Claiborne. 4. Steatite and Clay, from Wolf Trap — H. Blair. 5. IdgJit Sandstone, from same as above. 6. Magnetite and Specular Iron Ore, from J. M. Jordan. LOUISA was formed from Hanover in 1742. It is 30 miles long and about 18 miles wide, and contains 316,193 acres of land, valued at $1,737,680, and a population of 18,845. North Anna river forms its northern boundary, separating it from Spot- sylvania. The South Anna drains its central parts, and these with their tributaries furnish much valuable bottom land and numerous sites for mills with abundant water-power. The surface is gently undulating, and the soil in most parts of an excellent quality. In the western part of this county is a remarkably productive district of land called " Green Springs," supposed to be the bed of an ancient lake. The main crops of the country are corn, wheat, oats and tobacco, the HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 53 last the main money crop, and being well handled, usually brings very good prices. Transportation to market is furnished by the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, which traverses it from east to west, and the Virginia Midland railroad skirting the western end. The county is rich in minerals. Gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, manganese, kaolin, and plumbago, all are found here. The inexhaustible deposits of copper and iron pyrites will one day be immensely valuable. Very soon they will be largely utilized in the manufacture of sulphuric acid with the metal as a by-pro- duct. These rich deposits are found on the edge of the gold belt, near Tolersville, on the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, and a branch road will soon be constructed to the mines. Timber of the usual varieties found in Middle Virginia is abundant in Louisa. LOmSA COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORIiEANS EXPOSITION. The following valuable contributions, six boxes full, are from the "Arminius Copper Mine," east from Tolersville Station, Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, con- tributed by W. H. Adams, engineer and mine-manager : 1. Granular Pyrites, from surface of vein ; contains about 50 per cent, of sul- phur. 2. Ch'anular Pyrites, from principal vein ; sulphur, 49.57 ; iron, 43.62 ; copper, 1.50. 3. Iron Pyrites, containing gold, silver, &c. 4. Iron Pyrites, containing copper, gold, and silver. 5. Iron Pyrites, containing copper. Analysis gives copper, 3. to 12.; iron, 88. to 43.; sulphur, 34. to 42. . 6. Massive Iron Pyrites, containing zinc. 7. Black Oxides of Copper, "fines" ; copper, 4. to 20.; sulphur, 20. to 32.; iron, 20. to 28. 8. Massive Hard-White Iron Pyrites ; sulphur, 51.649; iron, 46.870. 9. Granular White Iron Pyrites \ sulphur, 51.30: iron, 47.60. 10. Pyrrohotite and Ohalcopyrite ; copper, 4.207; iron, 45.; sulphur, 39. 11. White Iron Pyrites ; millions of tons of ore carrying above 30 per cent, of sulphur and rich in copper and iron are here exposed on line of pits for nearly a mile in a northeast and southwest direction — much of it contains from 50 to 52 per cent, of sulphur. 12. Garnet Slate and Garnets in place, from main Pyrites vein in No. 3 shaft. 13. Garnets and Magnetite, crystals in place, from No. 1 shaft, 125^ from surface. 14. Manganiferous Iron Ore, from a prospecting hole. 15. Iron Ore, Hematite, from surface of pyrites veins of "Arminius " and " Sul- phur Mines" Companies properties. These ores have been largely used in Vic- toria furnace. 16. Gold, in sulphurets of iron and copper, from Wm. F. Kirtley, Esq. The following from Prof. Fontaine.^ 17. Gneiss, in large quantities, at HoUiday's mill on North Anna river. 18. Itacolumite, from the "gold belt," near Tolersville, a little east from the pyrites. 19. Specular Iron Ore, from "Green Springs" neighborhood; not seen in place. 54 HAND-BOOK Or VIRGINIA. From the Virginia Department of Agriculture. 20. Bed Hematite Iron Ore, from J. P. Jordan, from old Victoria Furnace. 21. Micaceous Iron Ore, from "Davis" Mine, near Tolersville. 22. Iron Ore, from R. M. Kent, Louisa Courthouse. 23. Gold-Bearing Quartz, from "Walton" mine. 24. Manganese, from J. B. Jenkins, Victoria furnace. 25. Black- Jack Iron Ore, from J. F. Jordan, Victoria furnace. 26. Graphite., from Mr. Powell. 27. Gold-Bearing Quartz, said to contain $2,000 to the ton, from J. B. Jenkins. 28. Magnetic Iron Ore. LUNENBURG was formed in 1746 from Brunswick. It is 30 miles long in its greatest length, and has an average width of about 15 miles. It contains 270,000 acres of land? valued at $700,000, and a population of 11,484. The surface is level, or gently undulating; the soil a grayish slate or of sandy texture, easily tilled, and pro-, ducing geod crops. It lies between Nottoway and Melierrin rivers, the first form- uig most of the northern border, and the latter separating it from Mecklenburg on the south. The numerous tributaries of these rivers permeate the county in all parts and afford many eligible locations for mill sites. The productions are tobacco, wheat, corn, oats, cotton, and grass. This county abounds in good timber of white and other oaks, pine, hickory, wal- nut, and maple. No valuable minerals have been developed in this county, but there are or^ exhibition at the New Orleans Exposition samples of glass sand, quartz and pyrite. The transportation facilities of this county are not very good. The Richmond and Danville railroad passes along the northwest border, and the Richmond and Mecklenburg railroad on the west line. The Richmond and Carolina railroad as projected will pass near the southeast corner, but there is no railroad running through the interior. This is a healthy region and well adapted to fruits and the vine. The society is excellent, and the lands can be bought at a very low price. MECKLENBURG. was formed 1764 from Lunenburg. It is thirty-six miles long and has an average width of about eighteen miles. It contains 417,651 acres, valued at $1,650,000. Population, 24,680. It is watered by Meherrin river, which separates it on the north from Lunenburg, by the Roanoke, which runs from west to east through the southern portions, and by numerous tributaries of these rivers. The Dan nnd Stauton unite in this county and form the Roanoke. Upon these fine rivers there is a very large extent of rich bottom land — few counties in the State have more. The productions are tobacco, corn, wheat, oats and some cotton. About one half of the county is in timber, consisting of all the oaks, poplar, ash, hickory,' beech, birch, pine, gum, dogwood, &c. Fruits succeed well, there being eight to ten thousand acres in apples, peaches, pears, cherries, quinces, plums and apricots and a considerable amount in grapes. The health of this county is excellent and the society good. Many immigrants have adopted this as their home, and there is room and inducements for many HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 55 more. "Chase City," founded by English immigrants, is a flourishing colony, and the people are anxious to secure more of such a desirable class of settlers. The Buffalo Lithia Springs in this county have a world wide reputation as furnish- ing a mineral water of value in the treatment of dyspepsia, rheumatism and diseases of the urinary organs ; and at Chase City a mineral water has been discovered which may prove very valuable. This county has been greatly benefited by the completion of the Eichmond and Mecklenburg railroad from Keysville, on the Eichmond and Danville rail- road to Clarksville, nearly across the western end of the county. The comple- tion of the Eichmond and Carolina railroad will have a like effect in the eastern part ; and the Atlantic, Danville and Western narrow gauge road which has already reached Hicksford^ in Greensville, will pass through Mecklenburg, from east to west. NOTTOWAY was formed in 1788 from Amelia. It is 20 miles long by about 12 miles in width, and contains 196,300 acres of land, valued at 8861,169. Population, 11,319. This was formerly a very wealthy county, and contained a larger proportion of blacks than any other in the State — about five-sevenths of the whole, or two and a-half blacks to one white. Consequently there has been a great shrinkage of value in real estate, and there is an excellent chance to buy fine lands in this and other counties of the "black belt" at a low price. It is watered by Nottoway and Lit- tle Nottoway rivers and by some of the tributaries of the Appomattox. The principal crops are tobacco, wheat, corn, and oats. The tobacco of this county is noted for its excellent quality. The timbers consist mostly of oak, pine, hickory, maple, walnut, beech, poplar, ash, gum, cedar, dogwood. Mica, steatite, kaolin, and granite are found in this county, but have not as yet been developed. Blacks and Whites is the largest village in the county. Beginning at the close of war with one shanty for a storehouse, it now has over twenty stores and shops, one bank, one fertilizer factory, one bark, sumac, and grist-mill, one tobacco fac- tory, two tobacco warehouses, three churches, public school building, &c. It ships more produce on the Norfolk and Western railroad than any station between Petersburg and Lynchburg. Burkeville is a thriving village, located in the western part at the intersection, of the Norfolk and Western, and the Eichmond and Danville railroads. These two railways, entering the county at different points, one on the western and the other on the northern borders, afford convenient transportation to most of its ter- ritory. This, with the other counties of Middle Virginia, constitute probably the healthiest region of the State, and the people are kind and hospitable and ready to welcome new settlers among them. NOTTOWAY COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION, From Collection of Virginia Department of Agriculture. 1. Steatite, from Court House ; J. E. Tuggle. 2. Kaolin, from Blacks and Whites; C. Hadder. 3. Fine Granite, near Burkeville, used when railroads were built. 56 HAND BOOK OF VIRGINIA. PITTSYLVANIA was formed from Halifax in 1767. It is thirty-five miles long and about twenty- six wide, and is the third county in area in the State. It contains 618,267 acres, valued at $3,460,651. Population, including the city of Danville, 53,031. It is bounded on the north by Staunton river and has Banister, Dan and Hyco rivers through the central and southern parts. These rivers and their tributary streams afford ample drainage, water power, and much fertile bottom land. The surface is rolling and hilly, with some low mountains. The soil is light gray, and grav- elly on the hills, while the low lands along the streams vary from stiff red to a light, friable, sandy texture, and are very fertile. Tobacco, corn, wheat, oats, rye and the grasses are the chief farm products ; the tobacco raised in Pittsylva- nia is largely of the bright, high priced kind, and is the main money crop. Danville is one of the chief tobacco marts of the State, and is a growing, city, with many large manufacturing industries, and an important railroad centre. It is located on Dan river, near the southern end of the county, and is the termi- nus of four railroads. All parts of this county have convenient access to market by railroads crossing, its territory. The Eichmond and Danville enters from its eastern border, the Virginia Midland from the north traversing its greatest length, and the Danville and New rivers from the western line, all centre in the town of Danville. The Pitt- sylvania and Franklin railroad from Eocky Mount to Ward's Springs, on the line of the Midland railroad, taps a fine agricultural and mineral region in the north west part of the county. The mineral wealth of this county is very great, and is illustrated in part at the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition by the following speci- mens : From Va. Midland Eailway exhibit. 1. Iron Ore, from Pittsville, contributed by Hood, of Pittsylvania Steel Com- pany. 2. Barytes, from "Bennett" Mine, Pittsville. 3. Barytes, from "Parker" Mines, Pittsville. 4. Barytes, from " Thompson " Mines, two miles from Pittsville. 5. Kaolin, from Railway Company's land, Motley Station. 6. Iron Ore, from Henderson & Bond, one half mile from Motley. 7. Asbestos, from Railway Company's land, Pittsville. 8. Gray Granite, from Breem, one and a half miles from Dry Fork Station, From Virginia Department of Agriculture. 1. Asbestos, from Walker Church. 2. Bed Oxide of Iron and Manganese, from N. W. Cobb, Calland's, 3. Marble, from John L. Hurt. Collected by E. D. Frazer. 4. Manganese, from Mrs. P. Snow, two miles north from Motley Station, Va» Midland railroad ; probably a large deposit. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 57 5. Limonite, Brown Iron Ore, from Bond & Henderson's Mine, one-half mile west from Motley Station, 6. Magnetic Iron Ore, from Pittsville Mine. 7. Barytes, from mine of Pittsylvania Mining and Milling Company. S. Barytes, from mine of Tanner & Bliss, Pittsville. 9. Manganese, from mine near Pittsville. 10. i>a>'?/. Hydro Mica-Schist; Batesville. 46. Greenstone, with quartz and pyrite, from near Powell's. 47. Bed Sandstone Conglomerate, at Dyer's store, Seottsviile. 48. Bed Sandstone, from same as above. 49. Bed Sandstone Conglomerate, from same. 50. Bed Oxide of Iron, from same. 51. Coarse Felsite, from Blue Ridge, at Turk's Gap. 52. Syenite, from Miller School farm. 53. Blueish Sandstone, from E. flank of Carter's Mountain. 54. Syenite, containing hydromica, from near Brownsville. 55. Gneiss, from Morris' mill, near Batesville. 56. Greenstone, from PoweU's mill, near Crozet station, C. and O. R'y. 57. Chfieiss or calico rock, from Ivy station, C. and O. R'y. 58. Felsite, from near North Garden station, Va. Midland R'y. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 69 59. Feldspar Conglomerate, from Blue Ridge, at Greenwood station, C. and O. railway. 60. FeldspatMc Rock, same locality. 61. Fpidosyte, same locality. 62. Epidote and Calcite, from Blue Eidge, at Turk Gap. 63. Quarfzite, feldspathic, from same locality. 64. Hornblende Schist, with epidote, quartz and pjrrite, same locality. 65. Hornblende Slate, from same locality. 66. Quartz, with crystals of epidote ; same. 67. Conglomerate, same locality. 68. CJiert, same locality. . 69. Pudding Stone, containing epidote, feldspar and hornblende ; same locality, 70. Talcose-Schist, containing grains of amethystine quartz ; same locality. 71. Conglomerate, same locality. 72. Greenish Schist, same locality. 73. Quartzite, same locality. 74. .Quartz, showing jointed structure. 75. Eed Soil, from foot of Southwest mountain ; results from decomposition of epidotic rock. 76. 5e(?e(Z Dion^e, from Miller School farm. " 77. Mica-Schist, from Miller School farm. 78. Sandy Soil, from Mechum river bottom lands, Miller School farm. 79 Loam, from hillsides of Miller School farm. 80. Map of Albemarle County, made by pupils of Miller School, showing location of above minerals. AMHERST was formed in 1761, from Albemarle. It lies on the north bank of James river, which forms the boundaries of two of its sides, a distance of over fifty miles. This rich and beautiful county is twenty-two miles long, and has a mean width of nineteen miles, and contains 304,539 acres, valued at $1,889,625. Population, 18,548. The soil of Amherst is mostly a dark red clay and is generally rich and pro- ductive. The principal crops are corn, wheat, oats, tobacco and grass. The tim- ber consists of fine growths of oak, hickory, walnut, chestnut, pine, maple, pop- lar and dogwood. This is a fine fruit county — the apple especially being largely cultivated, and grapes to a considerable extent. Its main market is Lynchburg, with which it is connected by a free bridge. Amherst C. H. is a pleasant little town on the Virginia Midland railroad, which runs through the county. The Richmond and Alleghany R. R. runs along its southern border for some distance, and the Norfolk and .Western runs on its bor- der below Lynchburg for about six miles. The county is susceptible of great de- velopment. The minerals found here are varied and immensely valuable. Great deposits of magnetic and specular iron ores are found here suited for the manufacture of steel by the Bessemer process, and of a purity not excelled by any ores south of Lake Superior. The brown hematite iron ores are also in great abundance, and are cheaply mined, and scarcely less valuable than the specular and magnetic. These ores are found in contact with or in the vicinity of the limestones. There are many mines of these ores worked in the vicinity. Copper, lead, slate and tin are also to be found in Amherst. 70 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. S]pecimens of minerals from Amherst county exhibited at the New Orleans World's Exposition. The following were contributed by Col. Dunlap : 1. Magnetic and Specular Iron Ores, from Maud Vein Mines, near Stapleton, Richmond and Alleghany railroad. 2. Syenite, blue granite, from Bent Creek, near Gladstone station, Eichmond and Alexandria railroad. 3. Roofing Slate, from Snowden Slate Quarry, near Rope Ferry station, Eich- mond and Alleghany railroad. 4 4. Iron Ore, from near Riverville station, Richmond and Alleghany railroad. 5. Steel Iron Ore, of Vein No. 6, near above locality. 6. Steel Iron Ore, of Vein No. 6J, near above locality. 7. Copper Ores, carbonates, malachite, bornite, azurite, red oxide, and coper glance— yielding from 27 to 49 per cent, metalic copper, from Piedmont Copper Mines in Glades. The following are from Prof. Fontaine, of the University of Virginia : 8. Syenite, from Balcony Falls, occurs in large quantities. 9. Syenite, from Piney river, in large quantities. 10. Granulite, from Balcony, would make a handsome building stone. 11. Bornite and Stalactic Copper Ores, from Dr. Charles Slaughter's. 12. Magnetic Iron Ore, from 4 feet ledge of solid ore on Indian creek. BEDFORD was formed in 1753 from Lunenburg. The extreme length from north to south is forty miles, its width about thirty miles. It contains 494,198 acres of land, as- sessed at 63,227,828. Population, 31,205. The surface is uneven and in parts mountainous. The " Peaks of Otter" in this county is one of the loftest mountains in the Southern States, and is much visited for the magnificent views afforded from its elevated crests. The northeast boundary of Bedford is formed by James river, and the southwest by Staunton river, and the interior has ample drainage and water power from the large tributaries ol these two rivers. The soil is a red or chocolate loam, and is generally fertile and easily improved. The productions are those common to this section. Grazing and cattle raising are "prominent industries — the soil being well adapted to grass and clover. Gypsum is used largely, and with fine effect. The county has a special dog law for the protection of sheep, and the law works well. Sheep husbandry is prominent- and pays handsomely. The recent establishment of a woolen mill at Liberty gives a home market for wool, and mutton finds ready sale at the great markets easily reached by rail. Large factories for manufacturing its tobacco are also found at Liberty. Bedford is famous for fine fruit and grapes, and the wine made from them. The apples and other fruits from this county have been annually placed on exhibition at our fairs, and have generally taken premiums. The fpllowing minerals are found in the county : Cyanite, zinc, flint, pyrotite mica-plate, hornblende crystals in quartz, pyrite in quartz, aluminous shales, quartz crystals, hornblende gneiss, mica, limestone, magnetic iron ore, red and brown hematite iron ore. Of the latter the supply is very large. Major Hotch- HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 71 kiss pronounces it " inexhaustible." General Imboden pronounces it to be high- grade, and practically inexhaustible. Prof. Wells, of Roanoke College, says it may be termed " The Iron Mountain of Virginia." The county is watered on its northeast boundary by the James and its tributa, ries, by the Otter river and headwaters in the central part of the county, and the Staunton and its tributaries on its southwestern border. The Blue Ridge forms its northwestern boundary between Botetourt and Roanoke. It has the Norfolk and Western railroad running through its centre, the Rich- mond and Alleghany railroad on its northeast border, the Virginia Midland run- ning in close proximity to its eastern border. Liberty, its county seat, is a flourishing town, situated on the Norfolk and Western railroad, with a population of about 3,500. Bufordsville, at Buford's •Gap, in the Blue Ridge, through which the N. and W. R. R. passes, is a village much patronized by summer visitors. The county is susceptible of great development, and has received quite a large influx of new settlers from England and elsewhere. CULPEPER. Culpeper county is not wholly a Piedmont county. The lower portion runs down into Middle Virginia ; hence its surface is less rugged than some of the other Piedmont counties. Its area is 232,545 acres, assessed at $2,402,297. Of this area 30 per cent, is woodland. This county was the camping-ground of both armies for much of the civil-war period, and was therefore denuded of much of its wood ; but so rapid has been the second growth that the destructive effects of the war are scarcely visible at this time. The soil in the upper portion is red — or chocolate-colored — in the lower portion gray. The county is watered by the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers and their trib- utaries, which afford fine sites for mills, &c. The Virginia Midland railroad traverses the county from northeast to southwest. Culpeper— the county-seat— is on this road. It is a town of 2,100 inhabitants, and enjoys a good trade with the surrounding country. It is one of the most thrifty towns in the^ State. Stevensburg is a village near Brandy station. The minerals of this county are gold-bearing quartz, copper, iron ore, mica, 4&C., &c. There are a number of factories in the county— a; chair factory near Culpeper, plow-beam and barrel-stave factory near Stevensburg ; also factory for spools and shuttle blocks ; another for same near Cedar Run battle-field. In " The Virginias^'' of August, 1882, Major Hotchkiss says: "We would like to have some of ' forest-wise ' people, who are croaking about the destruction of our forests, and predicting that we will have a treeless country in a short time, ' see how rapidly and beautifully Culpeper and other counties along the Va. Mid- land, that were almost deforested during the late war by the great armies that camped and wintered there, are now becoming afforested iu half a generation . We noticed a fe\y days ago fuel and fencing being cut where Meade's army burned up every tree in 1863-4." \ 72 HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. CULPEPEE MINERALS AT TIJE NEW OBIiEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Gold-Bearing Quariz, from "Culpeper " Mine, Major C. Knapp. 2. Gold-Bearing Quartz, from Richardsville, W. B. Love. 3. Gold-Bearing Quartz, from " Ellis " Mine. 4. Gold-Bearing Quartz, from Culpeper Gold-Mine, eighteen miles west from: Fredericksburg. From Va. Midland Railway exhibit. 1. Copper and Iron Ores, from Major E. B. Hill, one mile from Culpeper sta- tion. 2. Iron Ore, from W. S. Wallace, seven miles from Brandy station. FAUQUIER was formed in 1759 from Prince William. Its length is 45 miles ; mean breatdth, 16 miles. The surface is gently rolling, and in some parts hilly. The hill lands have a red clay soil ; the level lands are mainly gray sandstone. The lands are fertile, andjproduce fine crops of corn, wheat, oats, rye and grass. It is watered by the^Rappahannock, Occoquan, and numerous creeks throughout its entire sur- face, f urnishingimany eligible sites for mills and manufacturing purposes. The timber is oak, hickory, chestnut, walnut, poplar, locust, ash, cherry, cedar, syca- more, sassafras, elm, gum, mulberry, dogwood and pine. The population is 23,271. Number of acres of land, 414,402, assessed at $7,698,486. The productions of the county furnish a large surplus for market. This is one of the healthiest and most prosperous counties in the State. The Virginia Midland railroad, the main stem, the Manassas branch, and the Warrenton branch, penetrating this beautiful and fertile county in various directions, give it excellent market facilities. Fauquier has gold, iron ore, marble and asbestos. Mr. J. B. Beverly, Jr., and Mr. J. C. Little, in interesting letters, state that there are found in the county iron ores in the form of specular, limonite, ilmenite, pyrites ; also copper pyrites. Limestone, as marble, near, the " Plains " station. This marble is very compact, close grained, gray and white. Also, barytes of excellent quality. There are several marble quarries in the county ; and gold is also mined in the southern part of the county : it is in the form of sulphuret. The Rappahannock river forms its southern boundary, and seperates it from Culpeper and Rappahannock counties. This is a large and wealthy county, and has among its farmers some of the most successful and prosperous in the State. The cereals and grass, with horses, sheep and cattle, constitute the main products. Cattle fattened upon the blue grass lands of Fauquier, are in great request in the markets of Washington, Baltimore and the great cities further north, and have baen largely shipped to Europe of late years. Warrenton is the chief town and county seat, and is the centre of a refined and intelligent community. It has a population of more than 1500, and has numer- ous churches and schools. Near by is the Warrenton White Sulphur Springs, a popular resort for pleasure and health. Fauquier ranks high as regards quality of soil, beauty of scenery, healthf ulness and general prosperity. In its borders are thirteen railroad stations, a number of which are flourishing towns or villages. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 73 FAUQUIER MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Ir9n Ore^ from Henry Serapers. 2. Syenite, rough block, from Alf. Chappelear. 3. Feldspar or Kaolin, from Wm. E. Gaskins, two miles from Warrenton. 4. C0pper Ore, from "Sealock" mine. FRANKLIN was formed in 1784 from Henry and Bedford. It is 30 miles long and about 20 miles wide. The Roanoko (there called "Staunton") river runs on its northeast border, and the county is intersected by numerous creeks. The surface is rolling, as in the Piedmont counties generally. The soil is very fertile, and produces large crops of tobacco, corn, wheat, hay, and oats. The population is 24,953.. This is a very healthy county. Good land can be bought at $4 to $10 per acre. (This estimate was made several years ago, before the railroad to Rocky Mount opened up the county to the markets of Danville, Lynchburg and other cities.) Franklin contains 435,175 acres, assessed at $1,822,342. This county, as is all of Piedmont, is an excellent fruit region, particularly adapted to apples and grapes ; and it is also a good grass and stock-raising county. The minerals are iron, limestone, mica, asbestos, granite, and soapstone. The Franklin and Pittsylvania railway has been recently completed from Elba, ne&r Ward's Springs, in Pittsylvania county, on the Midland railroad, to Rocky Mount, the county seat, near the centre of the county. This relieves the farmers of Franklin of a long and costly cartage of their produce, and mast greatly enhance the value of property. It has given a good impetus to the development of the valuable iron ores found here, as well as to that of the agricultural resources of this fertile county. FRANKLIN CX)UNTY MINERALS AT NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Asbestos, from Capt. F. J. Chapman. 2. Allanite, from McMannaway Mountain, 6 miles from N. & W. railroad. 3. Magnetic Iron Ore, from Rocky Mount Mines, F. J. Chapman. 4. Magnetic Iron Ore, from Rocky Mount. 5. Magnetite, from " Franklin " mine, 1^ miles northwest from Rocky Mount. 6. Magnetite, from Capt. C. J. Saunders' mine, 11 miles southwest from Rocky Mount. 7. Granite, from W. C. Smithers' quarry, 1 mile northwest from Rocky Mount. GREENE lies northeast of Albemarle ; its northwest boundary the crest of the Blue Ridge which separates it from Rockingham, in the Shenandoah Valley. Its population in 1880 was 5,528. It contains 107,584 acres, assessed at $581,609— about $5 per acre ; about 42 per cent, of this is woodlaad. Much of surface is mountainous or semi-mountainous, but the less broken portions are fertile. It is watered by the Rapidan river and its tributaries, and the headwaters of the Rivanna river. Stock, especially sheep, are profitably raised in this county. The minerals found are syenite, copper, malachite and azurite and iron ore. Having no railroad for transportation of its products, these ores are not developed 74 ' hand-book: of Virginia. as they might be. The Virginia Midland railrcad runs within a few miles of the eastern border of the county. , Stanardsville is the county seat — a small village. With cheap lands and a healthfal and pleasant climate, Greene county offers good inducements to settlers from other parts of the country. Good farms with improvements can now be. bought for $15 per acre, and unimproved lands $1.5,6 to. $8., per acre, but will rapidly rise in price when penetrated by a railroad. HENRY was formed from Pittsylvania in 1776. It is nearly a square of 18 miles, and con- tains 241,700 acres, assessed at $1,047,000. The surface is undulating — in parts billy, and there are some considerable mountains. Smith's river flows through the middle of the county and " Mayo" through the southwest — these, with their nu- merous branches, afford ample water-power. The soil of Henry is very fertile, and the climate salubrious. A correspondent well says : "In this county we have comparatively warm winters and cool sum- mers; and there is scarcely a county in the State freer from malaria than this. Perennial creeks of fine freestone water ai-e found in all parts." This is a fine grass county. Clover, blue grass, timothy, orchard, Randall, tall meadow oat grass, and red-top, all grow remarkably well here, as do all the cereals grown in Virginia. •The tobacco of Henry is celebrated for its fine quality, and the production is rapidly increasing. The grape is at home here, as are the apple, peach, nectarine, almond, (2) apri- cot and fig. "The calycanthus grows wild in the sheltered dales of this picturesque region.'' " Sweet potatoes do well here. From two to three hundred bushels can be raised per acre under good cultivation ; in fine," as our correspondent well says, " God has blessed this county with every advantage of fertile land and salubrious climate, and all that is necessary to succeed is to trust in God, speed the plow, use commendable economy and cultivate the land in a manner commensurate with its great natural advantages." Since the Danville and New River railroad was constructed through Henry, the town of Martinsvile, the county seat, has grown with phenomenal rapidity. Within five years it has increased from a population of three hundred to about two thousand at the present time. It is a live town, having ten tobacco factories and nearly a half million of dollars invested in manufacturing enterprises of various sorts, as iron foundries, machine shops, &c. Iron ore in immense beds, mica, soapstone, chalybeate and alum water are lound in Henry. HENRY COUNTY MINERALS AT NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. From Virginia Department Agriculture : 1. Garnets, common. 2. Quartz crystals, a group of. 3. Garnets, in gneiss. 4. Magnetite, from A. N. Price. 5. Tourmaline, from A. N. Price. * •6. Mica, sheets of . HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 75 7. Quartz Crystals, peculiar group. The following were collected by Mr. E. D. Frazer : 8. Hematite Iron Ore, from "Gravely" property, one mile west from Axton station, Danville and New River railroad. 9. Magnetic Iron Ore, from "E. Davis" property, hear same locality. 10. Magnetic Iron Ore, from "Lucy Davis" property, near same locality. 1-1. Magnetic Iron Ore, from " H. P. Davis " property, near aame locality. 12. Magnetic Iron Ore, from " McDonald" property, near same locality. 13. Mineral, from "Kog^" pjroperty, one mile east from Bull Run, ten miles west from Spencer station, Danville and New River railroad. 14. Mineral, from same locality as above. 15. Steatite, from "Gravely" quarry, 2 miles west from Axton station. 16. Steatite, from " Barker" quarry, 2 miles east from Axton station. LOUDOUN was formed in 1757 from Fairfax. It is the northernmost of the Piedmont coun- ties ; separated from Maryland by the Potomac river, and by the Blue Ridge from Jefferson county, West Virginia, and from Clarke county, Virginia ; Fauquier and Prince William adjoin it on the south and Fairfax on the east. Within these limits are included 322,395 acres of the finest land to be found in any one county in the State, and it is assessed accordingly at an average of $30.60 per acre, which is considerably higher than that of any other county. The surface of Loudoun is varied with mountains, gently sweeping hills and broad valleys, of which the greater part is exceedingly fertile, yielding immense crops of corn, wheat, hay and oats, and supporting great herds of fine cattle and flocks of sheep. Much attention has been paid to improving breeds of horses, cattle and sheep by tfee wealthy and intelligent farmers of Loudoun. The Washington, Ohio and Western railroad, which traverses this county, divid- ing it almost equally, furnishes an outlet for the immense exports of cattle, grain and hay sent from the central portions of Loudoun, and the northern edge of the county is in easy communication with the Washington branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, just across the Potomac. Population, 23,741. Leesburg, a fine old town, is the county seat. It has a population of about 2,000. A good deal of money from abroad has been invested here, but the high price of land has kept out much increase of population by immigration. The mineral wealth of this county is very considerable — iron, copper, silver, ba^ rytes and marble — of which the Ipllowing specimens were exhibited at the World's Exposition at New Orleans : 1. Specular Iron Ore, from near Leesburg, said to be in quantity, from Prof. Fontaine, 2. CJialcopyrite, from near Leesburg, said to be a promising vein, from Prof. Fontaine. The following were contributed by the "Eagle Mining Company," of Lees- Iturg, F. A. Wise, general manager : 1. Carbonate of Copper, from vein 3^ wide, developed to 25^ deep. Assays by Oxford Copper Company of New York, give 51 per cent, of copper and 27 ounces of silver per ton. 76 HAND BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 2. Sulphuret of Copper, from vein 10^^ wide, developed to 50^ deep. Assays by Oxford Copper Company of New York, give 12^ per cent, of copper. 3. Iron Ore, from vein 4^ wide and 50^ deep. Yields 55 per cent, metallic iron by assay of W. P. Lawver, of U. S. Mint. 4. Sulphuret of Copper, from vein developed 50\ Yields 11 per cent, of copper and 1 ounce of silver per ton by assay of W. P. Lawver, of U. S. Mint. 5. Carbonate of Copper, red oxide and glance, from vein 3^ wide, developed to 25^ deep. Yields 50 per cent, metallic copper and 27 ounces silver per ton by as- says. 6. Iron Ore, from vein 2^ to 4^ wide, deyeloped 50\ Yields 55 per cent, metal- lic iron. 7. Oxide of Copper, from carbonate vein, developed 60"^ on 4^ wide vein ; 25^ deep. 8. SulpJiuret of Copper, from vein 8^^ to 15^'' wide, developed 50''. 9. Iron Ore. 10. Barytes, heavy spar, vein undeveloped. 11. Iron Ore, from SO'' level of Eagle Mining Company's shaft. 12. Marble, from quarry of "Virginia Marble Company," three miles east from Middleburg. The deposit has been demonstrated to be of great extent ; the mar- ble has been pronounced of a very superior quality. Contributed by Major B. P. Noland. 13. Marble, from same as above. 14. Marble, from same as above. 17. Copper Ore, James Pinkham, from Va. Dept. Agriculture. MADISON was formed in 1792 from Culpeper. It is about 33 miles long, and contains 212,000 acres of land, assessed at $1,720,200. This is an excellent grass and grain-pro ducing county. Besides being admirably adapted to fruit and grape culture, and fine tobacco, and containing vahiable mineral deposits, as will be seen from the following geological and general sketch of the county by A. G. Grinnan, Esq. — a description so good that it is given unabridged : "The nature of soils is largely controlled by geological formations, and this is well shown in Madison county. "An arm of the large secondary formation of the triassic period, which extends from the Rapidan river, through Culpeper county and other counties to the Po^ tomac river, extends across the southeastern part of the county, crossing the Eobertson river above its mouth, and having a width of one or two miles, where the formation is a red or chocolate colored shale, the super-imposed soil is of ex- cellent quality, producing fine crops of wheat, corn and grass. Where grey sand- stone predominates the soil is of medium fertility, but easily improved. "It has been recently stated by high authority that soils of similar secondary measures in other parts of Virgmia have been found eminently adapted to the growth of high grade tobacco. •' Between this secondary deposit and the Rapidan river the underlying rocks fOj. twelve or more miles are mostly epidote and greenstone, similar to those of the adjacent Southwest mountain range of Orange county, the decomposition o* which furnish potash and lime. The Madison lands adjacent to Orange county appear to be of better quality, owing to some admixture of sand from the adja- HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 77 cent sandstone belt, and furnish in many places soils remarkably well adapted to the culture of grapes, and particularly of the valuable Catawba grape, which it is difficult to raise in many sections. " The portion of the county lying between the secondary deposits and the region adjacent to the foot-hills of the Blue Eidge mountains is underlaid with gneissoid sandstone, decomposing granites and metamorphic strata, all azoic, and furnish- ing in disintegration but little lime and potash or other mineral ingredient of value ; and the soil, excepting upon the streams, is of medium quality, gray or red color, but readily improved. Adjacent to the foot-hills of the Blue Ridge the country rocks show marks of the metamorphic or igneous action accompanying the elevation of the Blue Ridge, and produce fertile soils. The slopes of the moun- tains grow excellent tobacco, potatoes, and rye. The Blue Ridge extends along the entire northwest border of the county, throwing out long spurs, some of which nearly attain the height of the parent Eidge — whose highest point in the county is 3,860 feet above sea level. Other points reach 3,600 and 3,400 feet. Average elevation of the Blue Ridge about 3,000 feet. Its top and more elevated slopes furnish excellent grazing when cleared, where cattle thrive well, owing to lower temperature and freedom from annoyance from insects. " The lower parts of the mountains and the numerous and beautiful valleys and glens are eminently adapted to the growth of grapes, apples, and other fruits, where the elevation exceeds 500 feet above sea, and does not exceed 1,500 feet, for in this range of elevation are places where dew and frost are not often seeiji, and late frost rarely ever injures fruit. No section of Virginia is better adapted to the growth of pippins and other valuable apples. " The value of lands along the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge, not exceeding 1,500 feet elevation, for fruit raising, does not seem to be properly appreciated when we consider that from absence of late frosts in many places, there is almost uniform success with proper attention. " Upon the rivers and creeks in the county are numerous bodies of very rich lands — the largest of thesa is on the Robertson river near Madison Courthouse, where there are about 1,400 acres in one bottom, mostly very fertile — evidently once the bottom of a lake. MINERALS. "A large vein of impure graphite crosses the eastern part of the county from the late George W. Clark's farm to the Bond farm on the Rapidan, northwest of Lib- erty Mills. It makes an excellent fire-proof paint, and very durable crucibles; a vein of yellow ochre accompanies it. Near it runs a large ledge of coarse steatite, which makes hearths and fire-places capable of resisting injury from heat. Occa- sionally bodies of hematite iron ore are developed along the line of these minerals. North of this, gneissoid sandstone furnishes excellent building stone. " On the head waters of the Rapidan and Robertson rivers are large seams of magnetic and specular iron ores. Sulphurets of copper are found in very smaU quantities. The seams of red oxide and native copper appear to be large at some points. They are associated with epidote quartz and greenstone. One vein on Stony Man mountain, worked many years ago, has an apparent width of fifteen feet, ores averaging six or seven per cent, of metal. On the Hawksbill mountain^ a seam which has not been explored, can be traced by outcrop of the ledge for over half a mile. These ores (if native copper can be called an ore) are found in seve- ral other localities, and, with the Shenandoah Valley railroad, now built a few miles to the west of the Blue Ridge, furnishing convenient transportation, it is 78 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. hoped that capitalists will soon develop these mineral deposits, one of which Sil- liman, Shepherd and other noted mineralogists have declared to have great value. " The extreme range of the thermometer during the past twenty-five years is from sixteen degrees below zero in winter up to ninety-seven degrees in the shade in summer. More generally there is merely sufficient cold weather to furnish ice, and the summers are pleasant, with a bracing air. Malarial diseases are rarely ever seen. All the conditions favorable to longevity prevail. " The mean temperature of springs taken in June in the southeastern part of the county is 58^° Fahrenheit, and probably the average of the county would be fifty seven and a half degrees — the springs near the mountains being colder. As the temperature of springs about corresponds with the yearly mean tempera- ture, we may safely put the average for the county at fifty-eight degrees, whieh is the mean for Marseilles, in France, and Madrid, in Spain, and also that of North Carolina." The Virginia Midland railroad passes near the eastern border of the county, and the Chesapeake and Ohio near the southern line, and the Shenandoah Valley, as stated, is near the western border of the county. MADISON COUNTY MINERALS AT NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. From Professor Fontaine. 1. Mica-schist, from near Madison Courthouse ; in large quantities — a good building stone. 2. Diorite. Occurs in heavy masses with the next. 3. Diorite, from an immense dyke, seemingly 1,000 feet wide, in 6 feet of Blue Eidge, on Milan Gap road. 4. Metamorphic Diorite, from ledge 2^ miles west from C. H., on Milan Gap road. 5. Variety of Syenite, that occurs with UnaJdte at Milan Ga-p of Blue Ridge. 6. Varietg of Syenite, that occurs with Unakite at Milan Gap of Blue Ridge. 7. Unakite, occurs in Syenite on top of Blue Ridge at Milan Gap. 8. Unakite — same place as above. 9. Magnetic Iron Ore, from F. H. Hill, C. H., from Virginia Department of Agriculture. NELSON is quite a compact county, lying between the Blue Ridge and James river, and Albemarle and Amherst counties. It is generally hilly and broken , especially in the border next to the Blue Ridge. On the opposite border the lands are undulating and on James river and the other streams they are alluvial and very riclit s. I area is 301,694 acres, valued at $2,057,714; of this 47 per cent, is woodland. The soil is originally good — mostly red loam, or gray, with red clay subsoil. With a good rotation of crops, free use use of grasses and sheep husbandry on the most broken parts, it would afford a fine field for profitable industry. The lands are especially adapted to growing apples and pears. Here, too, are found most eligible locations for vineyards. The county is well watered, having the James washing its whole southern border, besides the Tye, Rockfish and their tributaries. These, with the James, along which are numerous solid masonry dams, formerly used by the old Canal HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. 7^ company, aflford an extraordinary amount of water-power, some of the sites possessing advantages equal to any in the State. Only a few of these are at pres- ent utilized. The minerals of the county are manganese, largely mined at Mid- ■ way Mills and Warminster (from time to time), rutile, copper (green and blue car- bonattes), garnet, ochre, kaolin (in immense beds), iron, hematite, specular and magnetic. The Greenway mines have been largely worked and the ore analyzed 65.14 metallic iron, 0.029 phosphorus. Hematite at " Sleepy Hollow Mines " ana- lyzed 53 per cent, metallic iron. These metallic resources are destined to large developments under more favorable auspices than now exist. The country is penetrated by the Virginia Midland railroad running through its whole width, and the Richmond and Alleghany railroad skirts its entire river border. Lovingston, a small town near the centre, is the county seat. ISTew Market, at the mouth of Tye river, is a small village. This county oifers a finie field for new settlers and investment of capital. The Richmond and Alleghany railroad company offers special inducements to those who buy and settle along its line. NELSON COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Marganese^ from Cabell mine, near Warminster, R. & A. R. R. 2. Limonite, brown iron ore, from Sleepy Hollow mine, two miles from Nor- wood, R. & A. R. R. 3. Trap-rock, from dyke, one mile above Norwood. 4. Mica-schist, from Combined Lock station, R. & A. R. R. 5. Quartz and Feldspar, from same locality as above. 6. Magnetite, magnetic and specular iron ore, from mine near Greenway ; a steel ore that has been shipped to Pittsburg. 7. Tufaceous Quartz, ixova Greenway. 8. Magnetite, magnetic and specular iron ore, Mundy's mine, near Allen's creek. R. & A. R. R. 9. Specular Iron Ore, from Wheatland mine, near Riverville, R. & A. R. R. From Prof. Fontaine. 10. Magnetic Iron Ore, from Moores nearFaber station, Va. Mid. R. R. 11. Manganese Oxide, from Simpson's mine Midway FaUs. 12. Hornblende and Garnet, in quartzose rock near Faber Mills. 13. Butile, occurs in gneiss, often in large masses. 14. Kaolin, from Dr. J. H. Shelton, from Va. Dept. of Ag. 15. Ochrous Clay, from James Miller. 16. Copper Ore, green and blue carbonate, &c., from Rawlings and Armentrout Stafunton. From the Virginia Midland Railway exhibit. I.Iron Ore, from near Faber station. 2. Kaolin, from eignt miles from Arringtoa,sta,tion. so HAND-BOOK OP VIEGINIA. OEANGE was formed in 1734 from Spotsylvania. Its greatest length is 88 miles ; the width varies from 5 to 14 miles. Population, 13,993 ; area, 213,326 acres, valued at $2,283,284. It is abundantly watered by the Eapidan and North Anna rivers and their trib- utaries. The surface in the eastern part is beautifully undulating; the central and west- ern portions have hills and mountains of gentle elevation, covered to their tops with forests of valuable timber, and farms of unsurpassed beauty and productive- ness. The soil is mostly a dark red clay formed from ferruginous and calcareous rocks, and is very fertile ; producing large crops of grain and grass, and some tobacco. As a grass-growing and grazing county, this should yield precedence to no other. The rearing of thoroughbred stock is extensively carried on by careful and in- telligent farmers. The average assessed value of land in this county is $10.70 per acre, but the im- proved farms command prices several times greater than that. The railway facilities are excellent, and are furnished by the Chesapeake and Ohio, Va. Midland, and Orange and Fredericksburg railroads, which are located in such a manner that all parts of the county are convenient to one or another of them. Gordonsville, near where this county corners with Louisa and Albemarle, at the junction of the Chesapeake and Ohio and one branch of the Va. Midland road, is the largest town. Orange, the county-seat, is a small town on the Va. Midland, at the point of junction of the Fredericksburg Narrow-Gauge road. The timber consists of large growths of the various kinds of oak, of hickory pine, chestnut, poplar and sycamore. Iron ores, red and brown hematite, and magnetic iron ores are abundant and rich. Limestone, some of it hydraulic, and marble are found at the base of the Southwest Mountains. Gold-bearing quartz, asbestos and fire-clay are found in Orange. ORANGE COUNTY MINEKAIiS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. From Collection of the Va. Midland Eailway : 1. Iron Ore, from Madison Station, from W. P. Hicks. 2. Iron Ore, from same locality, from Reid & Wallace. 3. Terra Cotta Ulay, from same locality, from Reid & Wallace. 4. Yellow Ochre, Iron Paint, from same locality, from Reid & Wallace. 5. Iron Ore, from "Falkner " land, one mile from Madison Station, from Glass &Co. 6. Iron Ore, from "Taylor" Mine, near Courthouse, from Ben Rawlings. From the Va. Department of Agriculture : 1. Bed Iron Ore, micaceous, from J. C. Harrison, Barboursville. 2. Bed Iron Ore, from H. C. Baker. 3. Brown Iron Ore, from Erasmus Taylor, 4. Slate, from Erasmus Taylor. hand-book: of Virginia. 81 PATRICK. This is the extreme southeastern county of the Piedmont section. It borders on the North Carolina line, being separated from it by the Dan river. Until very recently it was cut off from the world, having no means of communication, except the ordinary dirt road. Its area is 277,219 acres, assessed at $934,944. This low price is due to the cause above alhided to and to the fact that 63 per cent, of the land is woodland. Large tracts have never been settled up. The lands are watered by Smith's river, a large tributary to the Dan, and other streams. A part of this county is hil)y or semi-mountain?, but there is a large plateau, called "The Meadows of Dan," which is well adapted to grass. . The timber of this coancy is very abundant, and of fine quality. The county is also famous for the apples, and the abundance of small fruits which grow wild. The minerals are iron of the finest quality — lead and silver. During the war this iron was worked by the Confederatv3 Government. Very recently the Danville and New River railroad (JST. G-.) has been completed to Taylorsville, the county seat. This is the only village of note in the county. This county offers the greatest inducements to settlers on account of cheap lands and probable rapid growth. Large bodies of land can be bought at low figures. PATRICK COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. From Virginia Department of Agriculture. 1. Hornblende. 2. Magnetic Iron Ore, from Judge Lybrook. 3. Copper Ore, low grade. 4. Steatite. 5. Mica. 6. Limonite. The following were collected by Mr. E. D. Frazer. 7. Magnetic, from *' Floyd mine." 8. Hematite, from " Moris mine." 9. Hematite, '■'Nowlin " mine. 10. Magnetite, from Barksdale furnace property. 11. Magnetite, from same locality. 12. Magnetite, from '"Hairston" mines. Id. Magnetite, from Forley mines. RAPPAHANNOCK. This county lies on the Upper Rappahannock river, which divides it from Fau- quier county. Its surface is high and hilly, but is fine grazing land. Its area is 170,770 acres, of which 31 per cent, is woodland, assessed at $1,749,607, a high average considering that no railroad or public transportation is found in the county. It is well watered by the Rappahannock river and its tributaries. 6 82 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. Washington, its county seat, is near the centre of the county. Besides this there are Flint Hill, Woodville, Sperryville and Amissville. At the latter place there is a large tannery. Many fine cattle and horses are carried to market from this county. Efforts have been made to construct a railroad into this county by a branch road from the Virginia Midland at Warrenton or Culpeper, which will doubless be done before long. Although off the railroad, this fine county offers great inducements to settlers in its fine lands, salubrious climate and beautiful scenery, and the grazier is prac- tically not far from the great markets of the country. HAND-BOOK OP VIEGINIA. 83 SHENANDOAH VALLEY. THE VALLEY is a portion of the great 'Central Appalachiau Valley that extends for hundreds of miles, from Canada to Alabama — a broad belt of rolling country, enclosed be- tween lofty mountain ranges, diversified by hills and valleys, with many winding streams of water — the Blue Eidge on the east and the Kittatinny or Endless mountains on the west. This is a region of limestone rock, shales, slates and clays. The lowest point of the Shenandoah Valley is at Harper's Ferry, in (now) West Virginia. The lowest or most northeastern county in Virginia is Frederick, the highest is Augusta, respectively 242 and 1,863 feet above tidetvater. The length of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia is 1l86 miles. In this space are seven counties. The lowest is Frederick, then Clarke, Shenan- doah, Warren, Page, Eockingham and Augusta. In the latter county are the head springs of the Shenandoah river. A large portion of the Valley was settled by Pennsylvania Germans in the early history of the State. These people brought with them theirjfrugal habits, their conservative systems and modes of farm management, which served to keep it what nature made it to be — one of the most desirable tracts of country in the United States. The Valley is the region of cambrian and lower Silurian rock? — Formations, I, II and III of Eogers or from Potsdam to Hudson river formations of New York inclusive — a country mainly of limestone, slate and shale rock, with a fertile soil and undulating surface. The section across the Valley through Staunton gives some thirty alternating bands of slates and limestones of various kinds, some magnesian, others silicious or rich carbonates; some compact, others flaggy or slaty, &c. Among these are beds of chert, iron ore, umber, &c. This formation extends northward, and forms the rich Cumberland, Lebanon, and other Valleys of Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys of New York and the Champlain VaUey of Vermont. Southwest it becomes the Val- ley of East Tennessee, and extends into Alabama, making a grand Central Valley some 1,500 miles in length, of unsurpassed fertility and productiveness. This formation underlies a large portion of Scotland, especially the southern and cen- tral parts ; much of the area of Wales, and large districts in the west, southwest and northwest of England. The most fertile portions of New York, Ohio, In- diana, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Missouri are also underlaid by this rock. 84 HAND-BOOK OF VIE&INIA. Belonging to the Valley counties (the lines of which extend to the summit of Blue Eidge, and cross, often, several ranges of the mountains on the west) of course we have half of the summit, and all the western slope of the Blue Ridge, already- described. To it also, politically, will belong parts of the Upper Silurian and Devonian system, that are more specially referred to in the account of the Appa- lachian country. These form long ridges that rise up and run for great distances in the Valiey, like the Massanutton and other mountain ranges that divide -the great Valley lengthways into two parallel valleys. The rocks of the Valley generally dip both ways, to the southeast and to the northwest, making an anticlinal. The upturned edge of the rocks strikes or runs norttieast and southwest with the Valley, Fragments of the sub-carboniferous f ormatioa are found along the western margin of the Valley, sometimes containing beds of semi-anthracite coal. MINERALS. ' Iron ore, brown hematites, are found in "pockets " in all portions of the Val- jey. These can supply large quantities of fiue ores. Umber exists in many places. Ochre is worked successfully in Page county. In the mountain ranges that rise up in the Valley are very extensive beds of several varieties of iron ores. Tlie Valley limestone makes an excellent j^ua; for iron. The large deposits of pure kaolin in Augusta county, have been used in the manufacture of " stone china" and "Rockingham " wares, and is now made into pipes, tiles, &c. SOILS. The soils of the Valley are quite numerous ; they are generally called limestone soils, as this is a limestone region. The prevailmg soil is a stiflf, clayey loam-^a d'lrable and fertile soil, well adapted to the growth of grass and grain. In the slaty belts the admixture of the decomposed aluminous rocks makes a lighter and warmer soil. There are also belts of sandy or gravelly soil that are cold and require cultivation and fertilizing to mal:e them productive, but once redeemed they yield very well. Much of the larger portion of the Valley has naturally a good soil, rich in the elements of fertility. The soil, like the rock, runs in belts with the Valley, and the lean ones are the smaller number. The streams, as in all limestone regions, are winding, so there is here a considerable area of bot- tom lands, Washington said of this section that " in soil, climate and productions, in my opinion, it will be considered, if not considered so already, as the Garden of America." Here we find the natural blue-grass lands, the home of the stock-raiser and dairy-man ; the heavy clay lands, fat in fertilizing ingredients, always repaying the labor spent on them in crops of corn or other grain ; the light slaty lands famous for wheat crops ; the poorer ridge lands, where sheep rearing should be followed. TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES. The Valley is well supplied with railway facilities — every county having one or more railroads. 1st. The Valley Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad from Harper's Ferry (West Va.} traverses the whole length of Frederick, passing by Winchester, its chief town, then traverses Shenandoah county, forming a junction at Strasburg „ HAND-BOOK OF VIEGIlSnA. 85 with the Manassas branch of the Virginia Midland railroad, then through Eock- ingham to Staunton, in Augusta, where it crosses the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway running east and west, thence through Augusta to Lexington, in Rockbridge county, its present terminus. Parallel with this line the Shenandoah Valley railroad, from Hagerstown, Mary- land, runs throughout the whole Valley, striking Clarke county near Berryville, thence through Clarke and Warren. At Kiverton it intersects the Manassas branch of the Virginia Midland railway. Thence through Page, Eockingham and Augusta counties. In the latter it intersects the Chesapeake and Ohio rail- way at Waynesboro'. The latter railway traverses Augusta county from east to west, striking Staunton, its county seat arid the largest city of the Valley. It will thus appear that few sections have superior facilities for transportation of persons and property than this Valley. CITIES a:n'd towns. Staunton, Winchester, Harrisonburg, Woodstock and Berryville are the chief cities and towns in this part of the Valley. These wiU be described more par- ticularly uiider the head of the counties in which they lie. THE " VALLEY " COUNTIES, SOUTH OP AUGUSTA. The economic, as well as the scientific geology of the counties of "the Valley" here treated, present remarkable general similarity in the order of arrangement throughout ; but, the departures from absolute uniformity, are, however, in some localities, quite considerable. This series of unusually rich agricultural and mineral counties : Botetourt, Ro- anoke, Montgomery, Pulaski, Wythe, Smyth and Washington, with a small tri- angular piece of Scott county, extend from north of James river to the Tennessee State line. It is bounded southeast by the archsean and primordial rocks of the Blue Ridge and the more westerly limb of its bifurcation ; and on the northwest side are the Upper Silurian and Devonian rocks of the great North mountains, trending generally northeast and s(lbthwest, under such names as Gap and Walk- er's mountains, and for a part of the way the boundary is Clinch mountain, with the same formations. ^ The main central portion of the Valley is composed of Cambrian and Lower Silurian limestones, calcareous and ferriferous shales, &c., to the decomposition of which, in situ, '"■ the Valley " not only owes its great fertility as a grass and grain producing region, but some of its valuable beds of iron ores are thought to be thus derived. Then, this central limestone belt is flanked on the northwest by a not inconsiderable, and sometimes quite valuable, band of the earliest coal rocks, yielding here and there excellent semi-bituminous and semi-anthracite coals, in beds varying between 2 J and 20 feet in thickness— all in " the Valley." The grass that naturally coats the soils, when the timber is removed, is the famous "Ken- tucky Blue-Grass " (poa-pratensis) ; and when the land gets down somewhat, from over-cultivation, this is often replaced by another species of blue-grass (poa-com- pressa), more truly blue in appearance than the more valuable kind first men- tioned. The difierent §ub-divisions of geological formations are found in these counties to read in faulted sections ; beginning on the southeast in the later sub-epochs of 86 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. the archaean age, and pursuing the reading northwest, over a great fault on the northern or northwestern side of the Valley, through a down throw of proto-car- boniferous rocks, to the Devonian and Upper Silurian of the great North moun- tains — in such order and with such modifications as may be shown later on. Those thrusts of pressure, evidently projected from southeast toward north- west, which were exerted in folding and faulting the earth's surface, throughout this region, so acted upon the Blue Ridge as to elevate that range, not only much higher at one time tiian it now is, but really overturned, some degrees beyond the perpendicular, much of its stratiScation ; so that we often see the Huronian rocks, which, theoretically belong nearer the heart, or toward the south slope of the mountain, pressed over with their valuable gold, tin, silver, copper, magnetic and specular iron ores, to the "• Valley " side of the mountain. Thus, in the south east of Botetourt, tin ores may yet be found, as they are now reported to have been discovered on Bent mountain, in Montgomery, and southwest side of Roanoke county. In Montgomery county, on Brush creek, gold has not only been found in that arm of the Blue Ridge, or Pilot mountain, but companies are now preparing to ere«t works for its reduction from the quart2, to which it has been traced. The gold bearing rocks must have been there indentified as being of greater thickness and persistency than was at first believed possible. This is also true of the region of Little River, somewhat farther southwest. It would not be surprising to hear of the discovery of tin and gold both, in the southern sides of Pulaski, Wythe, Smyth and Washington. These valuable Huro- nian strata, which also yield much valuable red iron ore, are succeeded, next, northwardly, by the Potsdam or Primordial rocks, which show the first positively ascertained evidences of organic life, in fossil remains of the Scolithus Linearis and certain ancient fucoids. In these rocks, which extend generally along the northern base of the Blue Ridge, in its straight continuations, are found, besides excellent glass sand, three or more of the most massive, persistent and valuable iron ore deposits ever found in Virginia. The ore is usually a Limonite, often largely mixed with specular ore and oxide of manganese, and found in quite ac- cessible bodies, measuring from 20 feet to 150 feet and more in thickness, be- tween their enclosing walls. From numerous openings on this line of deposits, in these counties, the ores have been largely mined and converted into iron at various furnaces. From both sides of the anticlinal ridge of Potsdam rocks in Botetourt county, lying between the Norfolk and Western and Shenandoah Val- ley railways, a large tonnage is annually removed from the Houston, Munford and other mines, and reduced in the Crozer furnace at Roanoke city. These vast lines of Potsdam ores make large exhibits on the southern side of Eoanoke county ; in;Montgomery county, on Bent mountain, Pilot mountain. Little river, &c.; in Pulaski county, on Laurel creek, at Radford furnace, Calfee's on New river, and at other pi aces ; in Wythe county, on the side of Poplar Camp mountain, on Francis Mill creek, where one deposit is over 100 feet between walls, and at numerous other places in Iron mountain, besides being found largely de- veloped on both [sides of Lick mountain, an anticlinal of Potsdam rocks in the centre of the county ; in Smyth county, at Alexander, Neitch, and Rowlands on spurs of Iron mountain, where it sometimes developes as a red iron ore of high grade, at Grose's and other places in Iron mountain, besides many extensive and valuable deposits in White Rock and Glade mountains in the middle of the county ; in Washington county, on spurs of Iron and Holston mountains, in extensive de- posits, sometimes accompanied with red hematite. 4 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. tt From numerous openings in all the places mentioned, Prof. A. S. McCreath^ chemist, and others have carefully selected and analyzed samples, from which it is inferred that the metallic iron in these Potsdam ores varies from 50 to 56 per cent.; silica, 3 to 10 per cent., and phosphorus, 0.138 and higher. Dr. Froehling, chemist, of Richmond, in those of Lick mountain, finds in seven samples an average of met. iron, 52.210 ; met. manganese, 1.491 ; phosphorus, 0.216 ; some phosphorus assays being as low as 0.039, the highest being 0.508 per cent. Much of the red iron ore found in the Potsdam rocks averages 56 per cent. met. iron and 0.040 phosphorus, particularly that in Smyth county. The manganese ore so far reported as accompanying these iron ore deposits is in veins or deposits of two to eight feet thickness, and much of it is of the standard percentage re- quired by commerce. It has been discovered in every county where Potsdam rocks are found. This great band of Potsdam or primordial rocks presenting its sometimes folded outcrop generally to view, on the western lower flank of the Blue Ridge, is the great floor or bed rock — the corner-stone, so to speak, of the great paleozoic series. Not far above it, in the order of natural superposition, is that equally valuable band of dolomitic limestones, some ledges of which yield the excellent cement of James river, and, farther southwest, the extraordinary deposits of lead and zinc ores, the floor and roof of which are composed of the famous bands of brown iron ores of the New River — Cripple Creek Basin, so much sought after for car wheel purposes. While all the Valley counties may, after exhaustive research, reveal the presence of these zinc and lead ores of No. 11, it is not until you reach Roanoke county that any appreciable thickness of them has been so far reported. Here, 3 miles south of Roanoke city, the analysis of Dr. Gascoyne, State chemist, reveals not only a high per centage of zinc and lead, in one small sample, but $15 in silver to the ton. Another sample sent west for assay returned $25.00 to the ton in silver. Then, again, in Montgomery county, it is found at Langhornes', above Big Spring and near the north flank of Pilot mountain (Blue Ridge, western limb) ; also at Cal- fees, near Little river. In Pulaski some of the rocks at Peppers' Ferr}'^ show it. At Calfees,' four miles below Reed Island creek, and on the opposite of New river, lower down, in a clifi". Then, proceeding southwest, these great measures not only spread out laterally, but thicken vertically, so thkt when you reach Bertha and Falling Cliff Zinc mines of Wythe county the deposit is at least 200 feet from floor to roof, and more than 1,800 feet wide — almost wholly a pure zinc ore, ex- isting as a silico-carbonate, from which a metal is made at the smelting works, now in operation at Pulaski station, N. & W. railroad, yielding the following, by the analysis of Dr. P. de P. Ricketts : Metallic zinc, 99.9629 ; iron, 0.0371 ; lead, none. Then, again, prominently at the old Wythe Lead and Zinc mines, on New river, same county, wtere it exists in beds of 50 feet thickness and over, as blende and galena, below the zone of decomposition. These latter works have been in operation since long before the War of Revolution — probably since about 1756 — supplying lead to the heroes of '76, and nine-tenths of that used by the Confed- erates in the late war. These mines have sold to reducing works, on the sea- board, over 30,000 tons of zinc silicates, carbonates and silico-carbonates of a high order of purity, and now manufacture into shot and pig-lead 1,500 to 2,000 tons of lead annually. Then, again, a few miles farther southwest, same county, near Ivanhoe Furnace and Painters, the same extensive bands of zinc and lead exist, accompanied on one side with barytes. At other places, pursuing this basin of Cripple creek, southwest, these deposits are exposed in Wythe and Smyth coun- •88 HAND-BOOK OF VIBGINIA. ties — as at James', Wythe, and at Alexander, Neitch & Kowland's, in Smyth county, on Comers creek, besides Preston's and others ; and then becoming less in thickness, seem to disappear from the rocks in Washington county to make their appearance again in Tennessee. Nearly along with this great band of rocks, as at Mock's Mills, in Washington and other places, are deposits of handsome onyx-like travertine marble. With the vast deposits of lead and zinc, above described, there are much thicker bands of car- wheel iron ores just above and below them, showing their greatest development, in Pulaski and Wythe counties, so far as explored. In Wythe this whole stratification is over 900 feet thick, from floor to roof (ores and limestone occupying separate spaces in the same stratification) and spreads out over two and a half miles in width in the New river Cripple creek basin, the brown iron ores being accompanied with valuable quantities of magnetic shot ores and red hematites. It is upon this line of inexhaustible ores, extending from below the Clark Bank, in Pulaski, through Rich Hill and the intervening beds of Graham and Eobinson and others, in Wythe county, to the famous Cregger Bank, on Cripple creek an d above that point, that the twenty-one furnaces and forges of that region are built, where, it is now said, that by the use of coke as a fuel, iron can be made at $9.50 per ton, it being necessary to use there less than 500 pounds of limestone to the ton of metal produced. Farther southwest, in Smyth and Washington, these ores also show on south fork of Holston river, losing tliere in thickness, but changing to red hematites and semi-magnetites of a high order. As to a close chemical determination of these ores an average of seventeen sam- ples gave Prof. McCreath, metallic iron, 54.514; phosphorus, 0.106; siliceous mat- ter, 7.094 per cent. Other chemists, such as Dr. Drown, Dr. Froehling, and others, found many averages, some of which may be possibly just within the limits re- quired for Bessemer purposes. In a few instances, as with the assays of McCreath^ the ores of Rich Hill and Ivanhoe were found within the Bessemer standard. The Smyth and Washington county red hematites and semi-magnetites of this zone were found by assay to yield 60 per cent, of metallic iron and 0.049 phosphorus. ^ Next in order, follow the great body of limestones of the " Valley " inter- stratified with sandstones, shales, slates, and thin beds of iron ores — the sand- stones, shales, «S;c., rarely ever assuming large dimensions, when compared with the limestones as a whole. This regularity of these bands is sometimes inter- rupted by the intrusion, from one side or the other, of the Valley's lateral or marginal rocks that belong higher or lower in the geological scale. In Botetourt and Roanoke, in the instances of Purgatory, Mill, Tinkers and Fort Lewis moun- tains, the great limestones of HI are out of sight beneath great cross flexures from the north side of immense bodies of rocks of the upper Silurian, Devonian, and proto-earboniferous periods, chiefly sandstones, slates, heavy bands of iron ores of V to VII (R), and beds of coal of a broken character, as that near Tin- ker's mountain. This is also true, in a measure, of Drapers mountain and the region just north of it, in Pulaski and Wythe counties, where the middle of the Valley is occupied by the rocks of V to Vfl (R), &c., and the region just north along Peak Creek, by proto-carboniferous strata, with really valuable coal veins. While in Wythe and Symth counties, over definite areas, the great Valley lime- stones are, on the contrary, protruded and lost by an up-throw of the great Pots- dam floor with its iron and marganese ores ; — as in the case in Lick mountain in Wythe, and Glade and other mountains in Smyth county. , With these general exceptions, the great Valley limestones are the marked geo- logical features of the "Valley." Occasionally they assume the character of HAXD-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. 89 marble ; again, they are so impregnated with magnesia as to become a source for the manufacture of hydraulic lime. From numerous samples carefully testeal by Prof. Wm. B. Eogers, he concluded that beds of magnesian limestones, suitable for making hydraulic lime or cement, exists in Botetourt, Roanoke, Montgomery, Wythe, Smyth and Washington ; and subsequent inspection proves their existence in all the Valley counties here treated. For cement purposes, the carbonate of magnesia should be found to exist in the stone as compared to carbonate of lime in a proportion of three to two. For a pure and good limestone, suitable for making a good quality of lime, probably the dark blue limestone, of which ther® is so much in all these counties, has no superior. It usually contains about 82 to 85 per cent, of carbonate of lime according to Prof. Rogers, and yields 47 per cent, of lime, when properly burnt. There are many ledges of very dark lime- stone, passing near any of the courthouses, which are situated about the middle of the Valley, which, when polished, have the appearance of black marble of fine texture. In addition to these uses mentioned, the gray and darker limestone ledges of sufficient thickness, of which there are many, are employed universally in build- ing every description of masonry — houses, foundations, bridges, walls, &c. To all these valuable features must be added the many large and constant springs that flow from the limestone strata — many of them of a thermal character of ex- cellent merit. Then, as you enter the line of purely Trenton limestones, usually Just north- west of the middle of the Valley, there is a persistent ledge of chert in all the counties, which at intervals, presents to view large bodies of a semi-magnetic iron ore "of great purity and possible usefulness ; at several points in Botetourt, Roanoke (near Red Sulphur Springs), Montgomery, Wythe, Smyth and Washington (at Gal- lahers & Tilson's), yielding often over 60 per cent, of met. iron and about 0.038 phosphorus. Alorg and near to these rocks are valuable and extensive deposits of barytes, found in large bodies in Smyth and other counties. Beyond this line northwest is a line of No. IV limestones, which yield excellent variegated marbles, and may be found in nearly all the counties where the order of position is not broken by cross flexures. •, In this line are large deposits also of brown iron ores ; and then as you approach the northern margin of the Valley, a fault occurs, which tyt^ipga a downthrow of sub-carboniferous rocks against the rocks just described. „ .,,, In fact, on that side, in all the southwestern counties, there is a much wired margin of sub-carboniferous rocks than had hitherto been accredited to the re- gion. • In this line of rocks, the coal just north of Catawba creek, in Botetourt, is found ; that in Roanoke, on Tinker's creek, and in Brushy, near Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs; in Montgomery county, at Prices mountain on both sides of the anticline, and in Brushy mountain, in deposits over 7 feet thick ; in Pulaski, at Tyler's Belle Hampton mine, at Altooua mines^ in two veins of 21-3 feet thick, and in much of that region in Pulaski, extending from Pulaski station, westwardly along the Norfolk and Western railroad to the Wythe county line, on both sides of the railroad. In Wythe county this coal exists in Little Brushy mountains, its entire length in the county, as at Stony Fork and other places, and comes up near Clark's Summit and Max Meadows in a repetition of the strata in valuable deposits. In Smyth county it is also observed on the north margin of both the great Valley and Holston valley, north of the gypsum beds. Overlying the coal beds, geologically, is a band of gray and red shales and sandstones separated from the coal by valu- 90 HAND BOOK OF VIRGINIA. ble deposits of iron ore, and over the red shales are limestones of some thickness^ in which are very extensive deposits of iron ores. The sandstones of this belt yield a ledge or two, excellent for building purposes ; being also soft in quarry are easily mined, while just under the coal is a band of excellent fire-proof sand- stones, proven good, also, in use, as grindstone grit. Along this general line (about the fault) are some of the great min- eral springs of these counties, such as : Botetourt springs, Eoanoke Red! Sulphur springs, Montgomery Yellow and White Sulphur springs, Chilhowie springs of Smyth, Washington springs near Glade spring and the Seven springs- of Washington county, from which is made the valuable Seven spring iron and alum mass ; Mangel's springs of Washington, and Holston springs of Scott county ; while Alleghany springs of Montgomery county are situated south of the great lead and zinc zone, and Daggers springs of Botetourt are in a line far to the north. Then, the last to be mentioned, but far from the least of the Valley's features^ are the gypsum and salt of the north fork of Holston river, in Smyth and Wash- ington counties. They lie along the north side of the great fault that marks the line of that fork of Holston river, and are really a part of the sub-carboniferous system of rocks. This massive deposit of gypsum, more than 600 feet thick, at Stuart and Bu- chanan's Cove, in Smyth county, shows conspicuously ; also, at the Pearson Beds and at Saltville, in Smyth county, and at Buena Vista, in Washington county. Many explorations and long continued examinations lead to the belief, at last, that these vast gypsum deposits, showing for about 20 miles length, really compose two or more regular strata of the sub-carboniferous rocks, and have a. width, exposed and concealed, of one mile or more from the fault northward. It has been mined to a depth of about 180 feet at Saltville and Buena Vista, and its general composition by analysis is as follows: Lime, 32.50; sulphuric acid, 46.50, and water 20 50, showing traces of magnesia, alumina and iron. The rock at Saltville, possibly 200 feet thick by an unknown length, may have a different origin from that of the gypsum — possibly may be due to deposition in a secure basin, from brines flowing constantly from the salt-bearing groups of rocks known to bie in the sub-carboniferous series. The brines are of an unusual degree of purity ; have been drawn upon for many years by the salt works of Saltville, making over 500,000 bushels of salt annually, without any appreciable diminution of either strength or quantity. Railway communication is now by means of the Norfolk and Western railway — the upper or Buchanan and Pearson plaster deposits having railway communication. Altogether, "the Valley" pre- sents no more wonderful feature ! With unlimited basins of gypsum and salt,, inexhaustible deposits of iron, lead, zinc and coal, inconceivably vast ledges of limestone, whose unequal solubility here and there have resulted in caves of mar- velous beauty ; thermal and medicinal springs of high therapeutical and curative value ; an atmosphere of wonderful purity and power of invigoration, and a soil of great fertility, it may well anticipated that " TAe FaZZey," besides becoming the home of extensive and varied industries, will be a sanitarium more numerously attended in the future, and is now a granary of unlimited natural capacity. Before dismissing "the Valley Division," it may be well to call attention to its great capacity as a fruit producer. Its orchards and gardens show that all fruits common to this latitude not only flourish well, but yield largely, witli less average failures than is common in many other localities. HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. 91 COUiNTIES OF THE GREAT VALLEY. NATURAL SUB-DIVISIONS. COUNTIES, f Frederick. Clarke. 1 Warren. The Shenandoah Valley i Shenandoah, Page. I Rockingham, [Augusta. ™ , n,^. ,-r -,-, /Rockbridge. The James River Valley | Botetourt. The Roanoke Valley JRoanoke. {Montgomery.. Pulaski. Wythe. The Holston or Tennessee Valley | yVashington, 92 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. YALLEY BY COUNTIES. AUGUSTA is chief among the counties of the famous "Valley of Virginia," second in size, ■containing more than a thousand square miles = 666,618 acres, assessed at $8,165,- 143, and first in population, containing 34,645. The surface is uneven and moun" tainous on its east and west boundaries, which are respecti\ely the Blue Ridge and "Great North" mountains, an outlying range of the Appalachian chain. The valleys between these mountains are, extensive and very fertile, embracing the head waters of the Shenandoah river and that part of the " Valley of Vir- ginia " at its greatest width. It is about thirty-five miles long and thirty wide, with an undulating surface abounding in hills, fertile and well watered valleys, with fine water-power. Augusta has a variety of soils, producing wheat, corn, Oats, rye, barley, buck- wheat, potatoes, turnips, beets, &c. ; also the various grasses for hay and pasturage. This county is noted for its fine horses, fine cattle, hogs and sheep, the latter hav- ing greatly increased and improved since the enactment of " dog law" for their protection. This county is notable also for the number and excellence of its flour- ing mills, propelled by the finest water-power. There are many mineral springs of excellent water of their kinds, among them the Stribbling Springs, the Variety, Crawford, the Lone Fountain, Chalybeate, Lithia, &c., consisting of a great variety of waters much thought of by the people and much resorted to by strangers. Many minerals are found in this county, such as iron ore (brown hematite and specular), manganese in large quantities (which is mined), marble, kaolin, with a large "factory awaiting capital to operate it, and coal of an antliracite character.* There are six or more iron furnaces, besides a considerable number of forges, which have been operated in this county on the vast deposits of iron ores, and they are making iron cheaper than it can be made North and West. The various fruits of this section succeed admirably in this county. Timber : oaks of the several kinds, white oak being very abundant and of su- perior quality, hickory, chestnut, walnut, poplar, maple, beech, dog-wood, white- ash, locust, pine (white and yellow), cedar, &c. Tanner's bark may be had in large quantities, and staves, hoop-poles, &c. * Mr. Charles Grattan, Superintendent of Sctools, who has written me a very excellent descrip- tion of Augusta, and from which I have obtained some of the above information, says of this coal : "At Dora, where a shaft has been sunk, coal is talcen out not inferior to the best Pennsyl- ■vania anthracite, is wagoned eighteen miles, and undersells the northern coal. There is no doabt North Mountain is full of it." I regret that want of space prevents me from publishing Mr. Grat- tan 's letter in full. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 93 The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad passes through the county, and is intersected at Staunton by the Valley branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, connecting it with Baltimore in nine hours and with Washington in seven hours. And the macadamized "Valley Pike," an excellent road, gives ready communication to various markets east, west and north. The Shenandoah Valley railroad also passes through the county, crossing the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad at Waynes- boro'. Thus the county is traversed by three great lines of railroad, one from east to west and two from north to south. The capital or county seat of Augusta is Staunton. Here is the point of inter- section of two trunk lines of railroads, viz: The Chesapeake and Ohio and the Valley branch of Baltimore and Ohio railroads. Here are the Western Lunatic Asylum, and the Asylum for the Deaf. Dumb and Blind. Also four prosperous Female Colleges, viz : The Virginia Female Institute, (Episcopal) ; the Wes- leyan Female College, (Methodist) ; the Augusta Female Seminary, (Presbyte- rian) ; and the Staunton Female Seminary, (Lutheran). Here also are an iron foundry, wagon and implement factories, and numerous shops, «S;c. Banks, churches of all leading denominations. An annual Agricultural Fair is held here. There are many small towns and villages in the county. Waynesboro' at junction of the Shenandoah Valley and the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, is well situated. The county is well supplied with churches and schools. If Augusta county had the same density of population as Rhode Island, it would sustain 272,000 people, and it is well able to do so. The people of Augusta are intelligent, industrious, thrifty, sober, economical, and homogeneous, being largely of Scotch-Irish parentage. ' ' ' Through the county stretches a band of magnesian limestone, and it is found near Wier's Cave, west of Waynesboro', northwest of Staunton, near the base of Little North mountain, and numerous other places. Its hydraulic character has been well tested. This cement has recently been found on the farm of John L . Peyton, and is pronounced by competent judges a flrst-class article. This lime- stone, from which Jiydraulic cement is made by burning, constitutes an important part of the formation of the Valley, both from its extent and economical value. It is usually of bluish gray, sometimes blended with yellew or brown, and some- times dark blue, but the best guide to its recognition is the dullness of the surface even when freshly broken, and the absence of fine grain of most limestones. Those in Augusta contain about from 44 to 53 per cent, of carbonate lime, and 33 to 35 per cent, carbonate magnesia, and 2 to 7 of silica. The other constituents are generally alumina and oxide of iron in moderate proportions. A New York marble firm leased the Craigsville marble quarry in this county (encrinal mar- ble, now in much demand), and have worked it largely ; the deposit is believed to be inexhaustible. The marble is represented as being very superior, finishing up in beautiful style, being more durable and smoother than the Tennessee marble, and equal to much of the Italian marble which is used on the finest furniture. A quarry of superior slate has been opened north of Staunton. These slate quarries are largely worked now, and are turning out mantels, hearths, wainscoting, steps, &c. The farmers have a fine home market in the city of Staunton, with its nu- merous schools, manufactories, and the State institutions, which alone disburse $100,000 annually. 94 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. Augusta county was represented at the New Orleans Exposition in her mineral resources by the following specimens : From Professor Fontaine. 1. Brown Hematite Iron Ore^ from Kennedy tract, foot of Blue Kidge. 2. Jointed Sandstone^ from Blue Ridge, near Black Rock spring. 3. Ochre, from Samuel Steele's, near Fishersville, in large amounts. 4. Mica Slate, with clorite spots, from west end of Rockfish Gap tunnel, in con- siderable amounts. 5. Stalactitic Marble, from near Greenville. 6. Quartz Crystals, from near Waynesboro'. 7. Ochre, from Samuel Steele's, in large quantities. 8. Manganese, from Fauver beds, 1| miles from Vesuvius station, Shenandoah Valley railroad. 9. Brown Hematite Iron Ore, from same locality. 10. Ochre, from Samuel Steele's, near Fishersville. 11. Brown Iron Ore, limonite, fibrous, radiated; two lumps of 50 pounds each, from mine bank in Potsdam No. 1, near head of S. river of the James in Blue Ridge. 12. Iron Ores, brown hematite and red shale, from mines of Buffalo Gap furnace. 13. Pig Iron, from Buffalo Gap furnace. 14. Limestone, Lower Helderberg No. VI, from quarry of Buffalo Gap furnace. 15. Iron Ore, from banks in No. VII, Oriskany, that supplies Elizabeth fur- nace at Ferrol station, Chesapeake and Ohio railway. 16. JAmestone, from No. VI, at Elizabeth furnace. 17. Marble, polished slab and blocks, from quarry of Coral Marble Co., in Lower Helderberg No. VI, on Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, near Craigsville. 18. Brown Iron Ore, from old Mossy Creek Mines, in formation No. II. 19. Marble, encrinal, from land of Martin K. Garber, Marble Valley, Big Calf Pasture river. 20. Manganese Ore, pyroiusite, mammillary fopms, from Crimora Mines. , 21. Brown Iron Ore, from Kennedy mine. 22. Kaolin, washed China clay, from beds of Virginia China Clay and Fire Brick Co. 23. Fire Bricks, of high grades, for all purposes, from above company. 24. Iron Ore, from deposit in Valley limestone No. II. 25. Stalactites and Stalagmites, Calcspar, encrusted articles, &c., &e., from Wiers' Ca^e. 26. Tufaceous or Calcareous Marl, recent deposit from waters of Lewis creek, near Staunton, with cast of leaves now growing along the creek. 27. Sand Bock, from No. IX Catskill, from summit of Mount Rogers 4500 feet above tide on line of Chesapeake and Ohio railway. 28. Anthracite Coal, from Dora coal mine, from formation No. X. 39. Slate, " slickeasided," or polished by friction of rocks in a great down throw o€ geological formations; from Dora coal mine. 31. Two large Stalactites and one Stalagmite, from the Fountains Cave. 31. Iron Ore, limonite, cubical, black, 12^^ by 16,^^ from Elizabeth furnace ore beds, in Oriskany No. VII at Ferrol station, Chesapeake and Ohio railway. 32. Argentiferous Galena, (lead and silver) from land of M, K. Garber. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 95 33. Spiegeleisen, from Edgar Thompson Steel Works, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, made from manganese, from Crimore mine on Sliennandoah Valley railroad, in this county. 34. Flaggy Limestone, from No. Ill on Trenton ; from Long Glade. 35. Slate, from " Redbud " quarry in Formation No. Ill, Hudson River. BOTETOURT was formed in 1770 from Augusta. It is 44 miles long, and about 18 miles wide, and contains 372,627 acres, valued at $2,308,702. Population, 14,809. This is one of the finest counties of the James River Valley, and is noted for its fine grass lands and fat cattle. The surface is rolling, and parts of the county are mountainous. The soil is fertile being formed from limestone rocks. The productions are tobacco, wheat, corn, oats and cattle, forming a large ag- gregate of value. This is a fine fruit county, extensive areas being devoted to fruit growing, and much fruit annually canned and evaporated. There are sev- eral large canning establishments in the county. James river flows through its central parts, and, together with its tributaries, give abundant water-power. It is traversed by the Richmond and AUegliany railroad following tlie banks of the James, a distance of forty miles from east to west, and by the Shenandoah Valley railroad from noitheast to southwest ; and the Norfolk and VYestern rail- road crosses the southeast corner. These roads give convenient access to market from ajl parts .of the county, and have been the means of developing some of the finest iron ore deposits in the State, immense in extent, indeed practically inex- haustible. Five miles below Clifton Forge depot, near the railroad, and in a very accessible situation, is a surface deposit of brown hematite o?e, formi^jg §, solid mass 300 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 25 feet high. This ore yields by analysis 55 per cent, of superior iron. Limestone in the same region is abundant and of excellent quality. " The Arcadia Iron Works employ 125 hands ; they use specu- lar ore, yielding 60 to 65 per cent, metallic iron." — Fincastle Herald. ''' The opera- tions of this company have fully proven the existence of four or more continous beds of specular iron ore (red hematite), averaging three feet in thickness, that outcrop in northeast and southwest lines in the western or primordial Blue Ridge for nine miles, from near Buchanan to the northeast, in a three-mile wide belt of mountain chain, parallel with and adjacent to James river. Many thou- sand tons of this ore, proven by analysis and furnace tests to be of good quality, have been mined from the mountain sides, adits, and open cuts. Vast quantities of this specular ore can here be cheaply mined, while from the western side of the same belt, almost on the banks of the James in its eastern bends, brown hematite ore (limonite) can be had in abundance from the broad band of that ore that here, as elsewhere, accompanies and caps the Potsdam. I have never before seen such a development of specular ores in Virginia, and am satisfied that the inducements oflered by their abundance and consequent cheapness in the immediate vicinity of four or five other varieties of ores, that are also abundant, and at a moderate dis- tance from the best coking coals of the great Ohio basin, must go far towards making Botetourt oae of the great iron-producing centres of tlie country. * * * No region can furnish more clieaply than this any or all the varieties of limestone needed for fluxing in blast furnaces ; some of these contain 98.30 per cent, of carbonate of lime, others abound in alumina. Marbles of various kinds abound among these lower Silurian rocks." — The Virginias. 96 HAND BOOK OF VIRGINIA. A fine grained gray marble, solid and massive, is found near Buchanan in a bed fifty yards wide. The Brown hematite (Ilmonite) iron ores have not only a re- markable development in Botetourt county, but they are so disposed in thick, continuous beds, and extended outcrops, that tiiey can be cheaply mined on a large scale. These ores are found in nearly all the mountains of the county. Specular ore has been discovered near Buchanan, one vein fifteen feet thick and analyzing 65 per cent, pure metal. In summiug up an account of his exploration of the ores belonging to the Arcadia Iroa Mining Company, in this county, Pro- fessor J. L. Campbell gives the following as his opinion of the quality, quantity and accessibility of these ores : "As to quality, the chemical analyses and furnace-tests speak most favorably. As to quantity, * * ten generations cannot exhaust the supply. As to accessibility, the beds are very favorably situated for mining, either by open cuts or tunnels. The numerous ravines that cut across the strata give natural openings at which to begin mining operations, and as these ravines all descend towards the river, all the ore can be transported by a down grade to the point of shipment and use. The Arcadia Iron Works were sold January 6, 1880, to a Pennsylvania company for §125,000. The Salisbury Manufacturing Company has recently put its furnace in operation on the Eichmond and Alle- ghany railroad. The Roaring Run furnace property, abouu 10,000 acres of iron land, on the Richmond and Alle'ghany railroad, promises to be one of the leading iron-producing properties in the State. They are raising a large quantity of ore, and expect to erect charcoal furnaces for the manufacture of charcoal iron of high grade." Botetourt has oji exhibition at the New Orleans Exposition the following sam • pies of minerals : 1. Manganese, from H. C. Snyder's land, three miles from Buchanan. 2. Red-Shale Iron Ore, from Clinton, No. V, beds in Purgatory mountain, three quarters of a mile from Buchanan station, Richmond and Alleghany rail- road. This specimen is from a pile of 300 tons, now mined and stocked at one point on an extensive outcrop that has been uncovered at six places, and shows a regular thickness of from 18 to 28 feet. 3. Manganiferous Iron Ore, from same locality as preceding. 4. Bed Speadar Iron Ore, from Arcadia furnace property, 4 miles east of Bu- chanan, from Potsdam No. 1 beds. 5. Manganese, from Houston iron mine, near Houston station, S. V. R. R. ; used for Spiegel at Cambria Works, Johnstown, Pa. 6. Marble, from Silurio-Cambrian beds, No. II, from Thomas', on Catawba creek, 3 miles east from Roanoke Red Sulphur Sorings. 7. Calcite, from line of S. V. R. R., 2 miles east from Buchanan. 8. Fyrite, from Lunsford's, near Bonsack station, N. & W. R. R. 21. Cellular Brown Hematite Iron Ore, from No. Ill, Hudson River (?) shales, from the thick, regularly stratified beds of Old Catawba furnace mines. 22. Massive Brown Hematite Iron Ore, from same mines as above. 23. Light Gray Limestone, No. II, from quarry on S. V. R. R., below Buchanan ; used for flux at Orozer furnace. 24. Blue Limestone, No. II, from near Blue Ridge Springs, N. & W. R. R. ; used for flux at Crozer furnace. 25. Limonite, brown iron ore, from Houston mines, near Houston station, S. V. R. R. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 97 26. Limonite, brown irou ore, from Upland mine of Crozer Steel and Iron Co., near Blue Ridge Springs, N". ^ W. R. R. 28. Marble, from G. Gray. 28. Bed Iron Ore, from G. Gray. '29. Pyrites, from G. Gray. 30. Limestone, from quarry of Indian Rock Lime Works — Edward Dillon, pro- prietor. 31. Unslaked Lime, from above. 32. Slaked Lime, ivom above. 33. Limonite Iron Ore, from Purgatory Mountain mine, near Saltpetre Cave station. R. and A. R. R. 34. Pig Iron, ISTo. I grade, charcoal, from Salisbury furnace, near Salisbury station, R. and A. R. R. 35. Limonite Iron Ore, from Rocky Gully ore bed, Purgatory mountain. 36. Limonite, brown iron ore, from near Eagle Rock station, R. and A. R. R. Analysis by Dr. A. Koenig of run of mine gives 47 per cent, metallic iron, low silica, and only trace of manganese. , 37. Manganiferous Iron Ore, same locality as above. 38. Limestone^ containing 97.5 per cent, carbonate lime ; abounds at same lo- cality. 39. Limestone, samples from Lower Helderberg, No. VI, Prices' Bluif, R. and A. E. R. 40. Limonite Iron Ore, from Oriskany No. VII, mines of Wilton furnace, east slope of Rich-patch mountain. The following is taken from the list of Roanoke county minerals, as they plainly belong to Botetourt : 16. Iron Ores, Limestone and Pig Irons, from Crozer furnnce, Roanoke city, from Mr. Samuel Crozer, president, and Col. D. F. Houston, superintendent, viz: 1. Limestone, from Buchanan, Botetourt countj% on line of S. V. R. R. 2. Limestone, from near Blue Ridge station, Botetourt county, N. & W. R. R. 3. Limonite Iron Ore, from Houston mines, near Houston station, S. V. R. R., Botetourt county. 4. 'Limonite Ore, from Upland mines, near Blue Ridge station, Botetourt county. CLARKE. Clarke county was formed from Frederick in 1836. It is seventeen miles long and about ten wide. The Shenandoah river flows through the eastern part of the county, at the foot of the Blue Ridge. The surface of the main part of the county, lying between the Shehandoah-'and Opequan rivers, is gently undulating, well drained and having a soil of unsur- passed fertility, and peculiarly adapted to the growth of wheat and corn, clover and timothy. Blue grass is-indigeuous, and soon forms, on uncultivated. fields, a sod equal to the far-famed fields of Kentucky. The land east of the Shenandoah river is mountainous, and generally covered with valuable timber of pine, oak and chestnut. V/hea cleared the mountain sides produce blue grass, affording fine pasture for sheep and cattle. Sumac grows in abundance on the mountain fields, and affords a source of considerable income to the inhabitants. It belongs to the limestone formation ; th^ limestone being readily obtained on every farm for building purposes and for burning into lime. Iron ore of rich 7 98 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. character is found in great abundance, and is now being mined and shipped to the furnaces of Pennsylvania. Copper and lead are also found on the mountain sides. Numerous flour mills are located in the county, manufacturing flour ex- tensively for the Baltimore market and for home consumption. Wheat, corn and hay are the special productions for market, with all kinds of fruits of this latitude for home consumption and apples for export. Large numbers of cattle, sheep and hogs are grazed and fed, and sold in Balti- more, Philadelphia and New York markets. The climate is healthy ; the people intelligent and enterprising; the farms well improved with buildings and fencing of the best character ; and the system of cultivation thorough and profitable. Churches of the various Christian denominations are found in the villages and in the country, and public schools in sufficient number to meet the demands of the people. Berryville, the coanty-seat, is a flourishing town of 1,500 inhabitants, beauti- fully situated on the Shenandoah Valley railroad. It contains seven churches, a graded school of high character, one bank, and a number of mercantile establish-, ments. The other villages in the county are Millwood, Boyce and White Post. The Shenandoah Valley railroad, extending from Hagerstown, Md.,, to Roan- oke, Va., passes through the county from north to south. The Valley branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad passes through the northwestern part of the county ; and the Washington and Ohio railroad, when completed, will pass through from east to west. Five Macadamized turnpikes traverse the county. Population in 18S0, 8,975. Farms, 109,343 acres, assessed at a valuation of $2,842,021. Clarke county has the following minerals on exhibition at the New Orleans Exposition : 1. Limonite Iron Ore, from the " Berryville " mines. Mine No. 1, the " Birchel." 2. Limonite Iron Ore, from Mine No. 2, the "Morgan," 3. Limonite Iron Ore, from Mine No. 3, the "Moore." 4. Limonite Iron Ore, from Mine No. 4, the " Wilson." 5. Limonite Iron Ore, from Mine No. 5, the "Griffith." 6. Kaolin, from Carter Shepherd's farm, west of Shenandoah river, at Castle- man's ferry. 7. Iron Ore, from Dr. Foster Burchell's, 3 miles south of Berryville. 8. Iron Ore, from C. H. Castleman's, west of Shenandoah river, at Castleman's ferry. 9. Iron Ore, from J. K. Louthan, 2 miles west of Berryville. 10. Iron Ore, magnetic, from Major T. L. Humphreys. FEEDERICK was formed in 1738 from Orange. It is 25 miles loVig and about 18 miles wide. It is the northernmost county of Virginia since the partition of the State, and one of the finest of the famed Valley of Virginia, and is noted both for its fine lands and good farming. The surface is undulating, and the soil very productive. The eastern portion has a belt of gray slate land from two to six miles wide, and running the entire length of the county on the line of Clarke. HAND-BOOK OP VIEGINIA. 99 This soil produces fine crops of Fgrain and grass. The timber here is pine, oak, hickory and ash. The limestone belt, which is four to eight miles wide, is one of the finest and most productive sections in the State, West of this valley is the *•' Little North mountain " ; between it and the " Big North mountain " is a valley about six miles wide of limestone land. In this val- ley are some valuable lands and fine farms. The timber in the limestone belts consist of finely grown trees of oak, hickory, walnut, ash, locust and elm. Travertine marl exists in the limestone valleys. In the North mountain are extensive deposits of iron ore ot good quality, which has been successfully worked with several furnaces. Coal of anthracite character is also found. West of North mountain the land is generally a gray slate formation, which produces well. Rock Enon Springs, on the west of North mountain, and Jordan White Sulphur Springs, five miles from Winchester, have an extended reputation for the cure of disease, and are liberally patronized. The water of the Jordan Springs is very much like that of Greenbrier White Sulphur, and it is used in the same class of diseases. The chief productions of this county are wheat, corn, rye, buckwheat, oats and the grasses. Fruits succeed weU, the apple particularly. Winchester is the largest town, and lias a population of 4,958 (in 1880). There are several smaller towns, beautifully located on the banks of the valley streams which fiow from the adjacent hills and mountains. Population, 17,654 (including Winchester). Number of acres of land, 268,950 ; assessed at $3,454,408. In this county are some of the best lands of the Shenandoah Valley. Soil, climate and air combine to make this one of the richest and healthiest regions in the world, and it abounds in clear streams of running water. Within the county of Frederick, and at an average distance of eight miles from Winchester, are thirty-seven flour mills, the largest of which is the Baker steam mill, which has a capacity of 175 barrels of flour per day. There are seven woolen mills, eight tanneries, one steam paper mill, one bone dust and fertilizer factory, one sumac and bark mill, two iron foundries, a shoe factory, six glove factories — " the largest of which works from 200 to 300 hands" ; "ten cigar factories, working from 5 to 40 hands each, three box factories, three carriage factories, one wheat-fan factory, several cabinet fac- tories, one agricultural implement factory, several saw and planing mills, and quite a number of minor operations of various kinds." '' The county has no pub- lic debt, and its parish farm is about self-supporting." "It has two banks — the Shenandoah Valley National, capital, $100,000; surplus, $60,000; and the Union (State), capital $50,000." There are three excellent female seminaries — Episco- pal, Methodist, and Presbyterian — and one male academy, located in Winchester, and a flourishing Normal school in Middletown. The new public school building in Winchester is an ornament and credit to the city. The National and Stone- wall cemeteries are within the corporate limits of Winchester. Three weekly newspapers and one monthly literary paper are published within the county. The Valley branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad runs through the county, and is a great through route for travel and traflac from the east and northeast to the South and Southwest. The Washington and Ohio railroad, when extended, will cross this county via Winchester from east to west. 100 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. MONTGOMERY was formed in 1776 from what was then called Fincastle district. It is about 22 "miles on each of its irregular sides, and contains 247,600 acres of land, assessed at $2,670,000. Population, 16,717. The surface is rolling through the centre and southern portions, and mountain- ous in the northern and western parts. The soil is a rich limestone well adapted to grain and tobacco, and all the grasses grown in Virginia ; so that for grazing and stock-raising it is unsurpassed. Montgomery enjoys a delightful and healthy climate, and is a most desirable part of the great Valley of Virginia. Timber is abundant; oak of different varieties, chestnut, walnut, hickory, elm, poplar, &c. ^ It is drained by New river and the headwaters of the Roanoke, which are util- ized to a considerable extent in manufacturing enterprises of various kinds. The Norfolk and Western railroad passes through the centre from northeast to southwest ; a branch road from the Norfolk and Western runs along the west line a short distance on its route to the Pocahontas coal mines, in Tazewell county. The minerals found here are iron ores, gold, galena, zinc, copijer, manganese, coal, slate, millstone, and limestones. Much of this mineral wealth is now being de- veloped and gives employment to capital and labor. There are several mineral springs in the county, as the "Montgomery White Sulphur," the "Alleghany Springs," and the "Yellow Sulphur Springs," near the Norfolk and Western rail- road. Christiansburg, the county seat, is a thriving town of 2,000 inhabitants. The Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College is located at Blacksburg, in the midst of a fine farming country, surrounded by varied and beautiful scenery. This institution is doing an admirable work in educating the young men of this and other sections of the State. MONTGOMERY COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Limonite, from large deposit on the Spindle lands, hear Alleghany Springe, near Norfolk and Western railroad, from F. J. Chapman. 2. Native Gold, from Stone's, from C. R. Boyd. 3. Gold Bearing Quartz, Placer Gold, and Gold Gravels^ Brush creek, from W. H. Harman. 4. Galena, from near Alleghany Springs, from Prof. Fontaine. The following from Major John T. Cowan, Cowan's Mills P. O.: 5. Millstone Grit, suitable and used for millstones, from Brushy mountain. 6. Coal, semi-anthracite, from McCoy's mine on northeast bank of New river. Brushy Mountain. 7. Slate, from Poverty Valley, Tom's creek, eastern slope of Brushy moun- tain. 8. Red Shale Iron Ore, No. V, from Webb Mine in Gap mountain, used in Sink- ing Creek Iron Works. f HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. lOl From Virginia Department of Agriculture. 9. Lead and Zinc Ore, from Geo. W. Anderson. Assays, 32.78 metallic lead, and 24.88 metallic zinc. 10. Mispickel or Arsenical Pyrites, from W. J. Guerrant. PAGE was formed in 1831 from Shenandoah and Rockingham. The whole county is a valley twenty-five miles in length and about eleven miles wide, with the Shenan- doah river running through its entire length, and contains 193,119 acres, valued at $1,608,454. Population, 9,970. The surface of the broad and fertile valley is gently undulating, and rises gradually to the summits of two low mountain ranges which form its east and west borders, the Blue Ridge on the east and Massanutton on the west. The soil is a rich limestone of unsurpassed productiveness, admirably suited to grain and grass. Page county is traversed in its entire length by the Shenandoah Valley rail- raad, which runs through the centre and affords transportation convenient to all parts of the county. Since the construction of this road the development of the county has been very rapid. Valuable timber of many kinds, as oak, pine, locust, chestnut, walnut, ash, and poplar is abundant. The minerals are iron ores in vast quantities, ochre, man- ganese, copper, limestone, some of it magnesian, and travertine marl. Near Luray is a beaettiful cave with an endless succession of extensive cham- bers ornamented with numerous stalactites and stalagmites. This is numbered among the noted caverns of the world, and attracts from all parts of the country thousands of visitors curious to examine its wonders, which surpass those of any other known to man. It is now fitted up with electric lights and all conveniences for exhibition. Luray, the county seat, is a beautiful town, and one of much commercial im- portance, being the emporium of this rich Page Valley, and on the line of the great Shenandoah Valley railroad. PAGE COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW OKLBANS EXPOSITION. The following specimens were contributed by Mr. E. A. Randle, of Luray : 1. Brown Hematite Iron Ore, from "Bonanza" Mine, of Harmer, Randle & Co. 2. Brown Hematite, from "Audenried" Mine, of Va. Ore and Iron Co. of Lu- ray. 3. Brown Hematite, from "Shank" Mine, of A. E. Randle. 4. Brown Hematite, from " Weatherhols " Mine, of A. E. Randle. 5. Brown Hematite, from "Pipe Ore" Mine, of A. E. Randle. 6. Brown Hematite^ from "Williams" Mine, of A. E. Randle. 7. Brown Hematite, from "Murray" Mine, of A. E. Randle. 8. Brown Hematite, from " Piney Mountain " Mine, of Harmer, Randle & Co. 9. Brown Hematite, from "Printz '' Mine, of Harmer, Randle & Co. 10. Brown Hematite, from "Vulcan " Mine, of Maris & Randle. 11. Brown Hematite, from "Honey Run " Mme, of Harmer, Randle & Co. 12. Brown Hematite, from "Housen" Mine, of Harmer, Randle & Co. 102 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 13. Brown Hematite, from " Farmazanta " Mine, of Harmer, Randle & Co. 14. Brown Hematite, from "Dovel" mine of Harmer, Randle & Co. 15. Brown Hematite, from "East Liberty" Mine, of Miles & Randle. ' 16. Hpidote, occui^s in Syenite at Milam Gap on west side of Blue Ridge, Prof. Fontaine. 17. Iron Ore, Limonite, from "Cornelia" Mine, near Rust Siding, S. V. R. R., B. C. Rust, proprietor. 18. Limonite, from "Strickler " Mine, near above, same owner. From Collection of N. & W. and S. V. R. R. Iron Ore, from "Beverly" Mine, one mile southeast of Ingham station, S* V. R. R. Iron Ore, from "Rust" Mine, two miles northwest from Kimball station, S. V. R. R, 19. Limonite, from "Beverly" Mine. 20. Ochre, yellow, crude, from Oxford Ochre Co. 21. Ochre, yellow, ground, from mills of Oxford Ochre Co. PULASKI was formed in 1839 from Wythe and Montgomery. It is 25 miles long and 18 miles wide. The surface in some parts broken and in others level. The soil is very good, and adapted to gpain and grazing. Population, 8,752. Number of acres of land 211,073, assessed at $1,731,411. The county is situated in the famous Southwest Valley, and is noted for its rich hay and grass, and fine stock. Its increased railroad facilities and mineral developments have been greater in the last year or eighteen months than any county in the State. From the Nor- folk and "Western railroad, which is the main line running through the county from east to west, two important branches have been thrown out — one starting from New River Bridge and extending a distance of 84 miles into Tazewell county, opening up the great Pocahontas or Flat Top coal field ; and the other, under con- struction, leaves the main line at Martin's, now Pulaski city, and extends up the New River and Cripple Creek valleys through Wythe and Grayson counties into North Carolina, and the wealth of iron, lead, copper, zinc, and other ores that will be opened up to market is simply marvelous. In addition, within the last year the Belle Hampton Coal and Iron Company have built a narrow-gauge road from near Churchwood, on the New River road, to Tyler's Brush Mountain coal mines, a distance of four and a quarter miles, and is mining and shipping a quantity of stove and grate coal that commands the best price Qf any coal in the State. This company has not been able to supply its demands. They have opened four veins — one 2 feet, one 2^, one 5, and one 3J feet thick. The smaller vein is the most valuable, and the one principally worked. This vein is about 80 per cent, anthracite, and the others are soft and semi-bitu- minous. In 1878 the Altoona Narrow-Gauge road was built from Martin's to their valuable coal fields — a distance of eight miles — and has transported great quan- tities of coal, which has been used principally in smelting zinc ore at the Bertha Zinc Works, and at the salt furnaces of Col. Geo. W. Palmer at Saltville. Col. Palmer now owns the Altoona railroad, the coal banks, and also most of the Ber- tha Zinc Works. The Altoona Coal Company have two veins — one 3^ feet thick HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 103 and the other about 20 feet. These veins are soft and answer well for smelting the zinc, and use in the saJt furnaces. The coal on Brushy mountain, on which are located the Altoona and BellHamp- ton (or Tyler's mines), crops out near the top of the mountain, for a distance of ubout forty miles— through Pulaski county and east and west into Wythe and Montgomery counties— and lays at a pitch of about 35 degrees, and from the fact that the veins are thrown up again, some miles south on the Tract mauntain, in Pulaski, and Prices mountain, in Montgomery — it is believed that the substratum of the whole Valley between is one solid mass of coal. This Valley contains some of the best grazing and grain land in the county. Other openings have been made on the veins of coal mentioned, perhaps the next most important development is by Mr. J. R. Miller, near Martin's station. There are valuable veins of limestone and fine building stone. Both lime and •sandstone, or granite can be gotten, and a fine vein of millstone rock is found on Brushy mountain, near the coal vein . Rock nearly equal to the French burr is got- ten out near the Belle Hampton coal banks. There is also on the same mountain a vein from which valuable grind stones are made, and another that furnishes whet stones only surpassed by the genuine Irish hone. Many different kinds of ores are found in large quantities. The Radford fur- nace has been in operation for many years. The ore is inexhaustible and of the finest quality. A vein of zinc ore 15 feet thick has been found on the lands of D. S. Forney, and near here are the well known "Bertha Zinc Mines," from which a supply of ore yielding 45 per cent, is drawn for the furnace at Martin's, on the Norfolk and Western railroad, that has a capacity of 1,300 tons of spelter a year. . In other places, iron, lead, copper, manganese, &c., are found. One of the finest bodies of mineral lands in the United States is located partly in the extreme southwestern end of the county, beginning near the junction of Big and Little Eeed Island creeks with New River, and extending a great dis- tance up the New River valley, *'Boon Furnace" in this county is situated on a bed of this ore, and is regarded as one of the most profitable furnaces in the United States. It continued in operation all through the suspension, although having to haul its product fifteen miles to reach a shipping point. Valuable lead and zinc deposits occur in juxtaposition to these iron beds throughout their extent. Taken altogether it is unsurpassed by any mineral sec- tion in the world. Great attention is paid by nearly all the leading agriculturists of the county to the breeding of thoroughbred cattle of various breeds, as well as thoroughbred horses, sheep and hogs. The timber embraces all the varieties found in this section — viz : oak, pine, hickory, poplar, cedar, cherry, ash, walnut, maple, locust, sycamore, etc. There are many streams, affording valuable water-power for mills and manu- facturing purposes. At Snowville, a thrifty little village, they have a woolen mill, a foundry, agricultural implement shops, and other machinery, and at New River Bridge a foundry and spoke factory, and other works are in contemplation in different parts of the county. The little station heretofore known as Martin's is now called Pulaski City, and promises to be quite a place when the Cripple Creek road is completed. There are two papers published in the county, and as many churches as can be found anywhere to the population. Schools are in a flourishing condition, and to all settlers a cordial welcome is extended by a people rarely equalled for wealth, intelligence and virtous traits. 104 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. Baltimore butchers concede that the beef from this county is among the best grass beef that comes to that market. The production of corn, wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat, grapes, barley and tobacco is equal to the best counties in the south- west. PULASKI COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Limonite, from Kich Hill Mine of D. S. Forney, Capt. F. J. Chapman. 2. Zinc Ore, from Bertha Mine, Capt. F. J. Chapman. 1. Brown Iron Ore, brilliant, from Kich Hill Mine, Capt. C. R. Boyd. 3. Anthracite Coal, from Belle-Hampton Coal Companj^'s Mine in Brushy Moun- tain. The following from this county are contributed by the N. & W. and S. V. rail- roads : Iron Ore, from Radford Furnace on Maok Creek, one and one-eighth miles south of New river. Iron Ore, from "Johnson" bank of '"Reed Island" Furnace, one and a half miles sonth of Xew river. Iron Ore, from "Honaker" bank, one and a half miles southeast of Pnlaski Station. Iron Ore, from "■Walton" Mine Furnace. ROANOKE was formed in 1838 from Botetourt. It is twenty miles long and about fifteen miles wide, and contains 191,118 acres, assessed at $2,855,350. Population, 11.847. The surface is undulating, and in parts mountainous, all of its boundaries being^ crests of mountain ranges. This is one of the upper counties of the Valley of Vir- ginia, and the streams flowing from it run in various directions, some northeast into the James, while Roanoke river, the chief stream in the county, flows south- east. The soils of this county are generally of excellent quality, and are well adapted to the cereals, grasses, and tobacco. Besides these crops, large herds of fat cattle and sheep are marketed from this county. This is a fine county, the best lands being held at very high figures. The transportation facilities are good, and are furnished by the Norfolk and Western railroad, passing through it from east to west, and by the Shenandoah Valley railroad passing down the valley to Roan- oke, its point of junction with the Norfolk and Western. Salem, the county seat, is prettily located on Roanoke river and the Norfolk and Western railroad. Roanoke, the southern terminus of the Shenandoah Val- ley railroad, is one of the most prosperous towns in the Valley, and is an impor- tant centre of trade and manufacturing industries, with large iron furnaces and tobacco factories. Within three or four years it has grown from a small village to a town of six thousand inhabitants. The minerals of the county are iron ores in great abundance and purity, coal, slate, and limestone. There are several mineral springs, the waters of which are highly recommended. At Botetourt Springs is located Hollins Institute, a female gchool of high grade. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. lO^ ROANOKE COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. From F. J. Chapman. 1. Limonife, cellular, brown iron ore, from Poor mountain mine No. 3. 2. Limonite, massive, brown iron ore, from Poor mountain mine No. 1. 3. Limonite, clay iron ore, from Poor mountain mine No. 4. 4. Limonite, massive black iron ore, from Starkey mine No. 1. 5. Limonite, cellular, brown iron ore, from Starkey mine No. 2. 6. Limonite, cellular, brown iron ore, from Hudson Shales No. Ill from North mountain. 7. Hematite, massive red iron ore, from Catawba mountain, near Brand's. 8. Hematite, massive red iron ore, from middle ridge of Catawba mountain range, near preceding. 9. Semi-Anthracite Coal, from Vespertine, No. X, bed in Catawba mountain, extending over 12 miles. 10. An Old Miner's Sledge, found in Starkey mine No. 4, where it has lain since 1813, when old '" Black Creek " furnace was washed away. Cast directly from the furnace using the Starkey ore. 11. Marl, tufaceous, from McCormick's on Catawba creek, 6 miles southwest from Koanoke Red Sulphur springs. 12. Limonite, from Potsdam Shales No. 1, from Iron Bluff" farm, 3 miles from Rorer Iron company's railroad. 14. Roofing Slate, from Catawba valley. 15. Stalactite, Lime Carbonate, from caverns near Roanoke Red Sulphur springs.. This is from a recently discovered 3 stories-down-cavern in North or Catawba mountain, which has in it rooms over 200 feet long and 100 feet high. 17. Limestone, No. II, from Catawba valley. 18. Limestone, No. Ill, from near Salem. 19. White Sandstone, Oneida, from Catawba mountain, 5 miles west from Salem. 20. Purple Sandstone, Medina, from Catawba mountain, 5 miles west from Salem. 21. Water, of Roanoke Red Sulphur springs, 6 bottles with analysis. 22. Chalybeate Water, from Roanoke Red Sulphur springs. 23 A Ch'een Stone, resembling serpentine, two varieties from quarry of Dr. R. B. Hudson, 4 miles south from Roanoke city ; used extensively for sills, caps, &c., in building, and for steps and curbs ; soft and dresses easily when first quarried but becomes hard and weathers well. 24. Brick Clay, and a raw and burnt brick, from brickyard of J. W. Earmon. ROCKBRIDGE, named from its most striMng feature, the world-renowned "Natural Bridge," was formed from Augusta and Botetourt in 1778. It is 31 miles in length and 22 wide, and contains 408,961 acres, valued at $4,151,259. Population, 20,010. The surface is rolling, and in parts mountainous. The crest of the Blue Ridge forms its southeast boundary ; North mountain and Mill mountain are on the west border, and Little North mountain penetrates the northern part. The region lying between the^e mountain ranges is undulating and hilly, and has excellent soils formed from limestone, and capable of producing fine crops of tobacco, grain, and all the cultivated grasses. 306 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. The elevated mountain sides are, to a large extent, arable, and are fine grazing lands. The timber is abundant, and of valuable kinds, as oak, hickory, chestnut, piue, poplar, walnut, &e. The minerals and mineral waters of Rockbridge are varied and valuable, and consist of iron ore, tin ore,* arsenopyrite containing gold and silver, manganese, barytes, marble, gypsum and limestone, some of it hydraulic. The mineral springs of this county — the "Rockbridge Alum," "Jordan Alum," "Cold Sulphur," " Wilson's White Sulphur," and "Rockbridge Baths," have a wide celebrity, and are much resorted to for health and pleasure. Lexington, the county-seat, is located on North river, near the centre of the county, and is the seat of the Virginia Military Institute and of Washington and Lee University, two eminent institutions of learning. The Natural Bridge in this county is reckoned as one of the world's wonders. North river flows through the centre of the county, and empties into the James near the south border. Transportation by rail is furnished by the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad on the north, the Valley branch of the Baltimore and Ohio from its northeast border to Lexington, where it connects with the Richmond and Alleghany railroad, which runs for some distance through the southern border, and by the Shenandoah Val- ley railroad passing east through the eastern and southern portion. Tourists find in this county some of the grandest scenery of the continent. Be- sides the Natural Bridge above-mentioned, "Balcony Falls," where James river ■cuts its way through the Blue Ridge, and the "Goshen Fass," on North river, have long been celebrated, and now that this region has become accessible, are daily drawing greater crowds. EOOKBBIDGE COUNTY MINERAIjS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Cement^ from James River Cement Works, Balcony Falls station, Richmond and Alleghany railroad, 2. Potsdam Sandstone^ scolithus bed, formation No. 1, mouth of North river of James. 3. Limestone, from bluff below Natural Bridge station, Richmond and Alle- ghany railroad. 4-5. Iron Ores, from No. 7, and Bed Shale, from No, 5, from Guy Run iron lands of E. A. J-'arker. 6. Tufaceous Marl, deposit from Marl river, at Lyle's plow factory, near -Midway. 7. Limonite, brown iron ore from upper shales of potsdam No. 1, at Fulton ore bank. 8. JUmonite, brown iron ore, massive blojk, Donald bed in Doojvvood hollow. * Recently tin bas been found on Irish creek, near Vesuvias station, on S. V. R. R., very rich ia yield and promising valuable results. It is now in process of development, it assays from 29 to 60 pure tin. Magnesian lime for hydraulic cement is found on the Glendale estate, and has for many years been made into cement at Balcony Falls, just below. It is also found on the North river, just above Balcony Falls, immediately on the S. V. R. R. Glenwood furnace, near Glenwood station, is out of blast. It is near very fine iron veins. The " Buena Vista" Iron mines are near the K. & A. R. R., and are exceptioaably rich. No better site for an iron furnace can be found in Virginia than at or near Balcony Palls. The largest iron fur- nace in the State is at Goshen, in this county. Its material is furnished from the mines near the Rockbridge Alum Springs, by means of a branch railway. Its capacity Is from 125 to 150 tons a day. HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. 107 The following fourteen specimens are from the cabinet of Dr. E. A. Gibbs, Lexington : 9. Variagated Pink Marble, 10. Limestone. 11. Coraline Limestone. 12. Gray Limestone., contains 97 per cent, of lime carbonate. 13. Light Gray Limestone, contains 96 to 98 per cent, of lime carbonate. 14. Blue Limestone, marble, from near Natural Bridge. 15. Black Marble, from near Lexington, 16. Black Marble, from near Goshen. 17. Yellow variagated Marble. IS. Brown Marble. ' 19. Stalactitic Marble, found in large masses. 20. Yellow stalactitic, variagated Marble, near Rockbridge Baths. 21. Variagated Marble, from Thompkin's. 22. Black Marble, from Steel's. 23. Bed Shale Iron Ore, from lands of Echols, Bell & Catlett, Staunton. 24. Limonite, from "Fridley " mine of the above firm. The following are from collection of Prof. J. L. Campbell, Lexington : 26. Limonite Iron Ore, fibrous, from Graham's bed on Irish creek. 26. Limonite, massive, from same locality as above. 27. Limonite, massive, from " Echols " mine, near Balcony Falls. 28. Limonite, fibrous, from same, locality. 29. Limonite, massive, from Victoria furnace mines, near Rockbridge Alum Springs. 30. Limonite, from same locality as above. 31. Limonite, fibrous and radiated, from Glen wood mines, Western Blue Ridge. 32. Baryta, from near Lexington. 33. Dufrenite, bydrated phosphate of iron, fibrous divergent ; from Blue Ridge {South mountain), Irish creek region, 12 miles east from Lexhigton. This is the only locality of this mineral, so far as known, in any of the Southern States. 34. Dufrenite, nodular, radiated ; from same locality as above. 35. Dufrenite. incrustation with concentric layers ; from same place as above. 36. Cassiterite, tin ore, massive ; from Irish creek region of Blue Ridge. 37. Tin Ore, cross section of crystaline vein ; from same place as above. 38. Tin Ore, group of crystals in gangue of quartz and yellow mica ; from same as above. 39. Gray Coraline Marble, from near Lexington ; dressed and polished by Mr. John Hileman. 40. Ochre ; from outcrop of cement limestone on James river. 41. Magnetic Iron Ore , occurs in large amounts at Robert Grant's, on Irish mposed of the counties of Floyd, Carroll and Grayson. The other remarkable evidence of this action is shown on the more westernly side of the Appalachians, in a bifurcation of the Cumberland mountain in Lee county, whence its two great arms trend eastwardly and northeastwardly, en- veloping those noble coal areas comprised in a part of Lee county, nearly all of Wise, and the whole of Dickenson and Buchanan counties, and projecting a strip of coal rocks, of well ascertained value, into Tazewell, Russell and Scott coun- ties .... The Blue Ridge plateau, so enveloped as described before, shows only one or two ledges of limestone ; but derives the great fertility, observed in much of its soil, from the decomposition of heavy bands of aluminous silicates of potash, lime, iron, &c.; while the nearly similarly shaped plateau of the Cum- berland owes whatever of fertility its soils may possess, to the wearing of sand- stones, slates, &c, holding organic matter of fossils with some lime variously combined, and, in a few localities, thin beds of limestones, intercalated between the much heavier strata of sandstones and slates. The great mountains bounding, and often dividing the extensive valleys longi- tudinally have a general elevation, above the valleys, of 1,000 to 1,600 feet, while the valleys are from 1,000 to 2,800 feet above sea-level. On the southeast side of this extensive region is the Blue Ridge, forming, in its straighter alignment and prolongation, the southeast boundary of the great Val- ley of Virginia, throughout its extent. Passing over numerous broken ridges, in the Valley itself, the great IsTorth mountains, under various names, such as The Gap, Walker's, and Clinch moun- tains, form the northwest boundary of the Great Valley, toward the southwest end, also forming the southeast boundary of Appalachia in the main ; though the northeastward continuation of the Clinch range, after reaching Burk's Garden and passing that lovely mountain basin, going northeast, divides Appalachia nearly in two — as is the case in Garden, Round Mountain, asd their south-flank- ing ridge (Big Brushy), Wolf Creek, Pearis, Angel's Rest, Butte, and Salt-Pond mountains, upon which, at an elevation of 4!,'r00 feet above sea-level, is the famous Mountain Lake, the origin of which dates back a little more than one hundred years. Then, north of this a short distance, a part of Appalachia is bounded northwest by Peter's and East River mountains— the boundary line, at the east end of Taze- 126 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA, well county, jumping across from East River mountain to Flat Top (near Poeahon- tas\ which, with its continuations— Sandy Ridge and Stone mountains, &c., com- posing the eastern bifurcation of the Cumberland mountain — form the northwest boundary of Appalachia proper, toward the southwest. Then, Trans-Appalachia holds on its northwest side, next Kentucky, the last of Virginia's great mountains — the Cumberland. This importaat section of Virginia, so formed into such noble alternations of mountain and valley, hill and dale, of pasture and woodland, with its magnificent and inexhaustible repositories of mineral wealth, present a topography, systems of drainage and resulting atmospheric conditions, of superior excellence, which, together with its position on favorable parallels of latitude, combine to render it equal if not superior to any area of like size in the world. The different systems of drainage so established may be enumerated as follows : 1. That of James river, flowing east into the Atlantic ocean ; its tributaries wa- tering this territory being Otter creek, Roaring Run, Stone river. Purgatory, Looneys, Catawba, Craigs, Johns, Longs, Entry and Sinking creeks ; Jackson's river. Cow Pasture river, Wilson's, Mill, Potts, Dunlaps, and Indian Draft creeks, and many minor tributaries. These chiefly drain the counties of Bath, Highland, Botetourt, Alleghany and Craig, and a small part of Roanoke of this territory. 2. That of Roanoke river, flowing southeast through the Staunton and Dan river into the Atlantic ocean. Its tributaries, with which this paper is concerned, are Back creek. Wolf, Glade, Tinkers, Mudlick, Peters, Cravens, Masons, Mill creeks, and others ; South Fork, North Fork, and their tributaries draining a small part of Botetourt, the greater part of Roanoke county, more than half of Montgomery, and a small area of Floyd county. 3. That of New river, which flows northward and northwest, forming the Great Kanawha, and delivers its waters through the Ohio and Mississippi rivers into the Gulf of Mexico. Its tributaries watering this territory are : East river. Wolf creek. Big and Little Stony, Doe and Sinking creeks, Mill and Walkers creeks, Morris Run, Back, Toms, Watts, Stroubles, Crab, Plum, Peak and Mack's creeks. Little river and its tributaries ; Big and Little Reed Island creeks ; Pine, Reed, Poplar-Camp and Cripple creeks ; Crooked, Chestnut and Brush creeks ; Upper Little river and tributaries ; Elk, Peachbottom, Bridle, Saddle, Wilsons, Grassy, Helton, Big and Little Horse creeks, and many minor tributaries. All of which drain, in whole or in nart, the following counties : Giles, Bland, southeast side of Tazewell, west end of Craig, much of Montgomery, Pulaski, nearly all of Floyd (except some water gaps in Blue Ridge by the headwaters of the tributaries of Dan river), Wythe, a small area of Smyth, Grayson, and all of Carroll except that part which overlaps the Blue Ridge and is drained by the headwaters of Ararat, a tributary of Dan river. 4. The drainage by the system of the Tennessee river, subdivided into : (a) that of the south, middle and north forks of Holston river and their tributaries ; (b) Clinch river and tributaries ; and (c) Powells river and tributaries, all of which, when united in the Tennessee river, flow westernly, thence through the Ohio and Mississippi rivers into the Gulf of Mexico. These drain, in whole or in part, the counties of Smyth, Washington, Tazewell, Russell, Scott and Lee, and a large area [of Wise county. 5. The Louisa, Russell and Pound Forks of Sandy river and their tributaries. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 127 draining the counties of Buchanan, Dickenson and a large part of Wise county, and flowing northwardly into the Ohio river. These five extensive drainage systems, deriving their erosive power no less from their constancy than their great flood volumes, have, in the course of time, greatly modified the topography of this region. But, as in the case of Johns creek, a tributary of James river, whose head springs are quite 4,300 feet above the sea, near Mountain lake ; tributaries of New river rising on White Top and Balsam mountains, fully 5,400 feet above tide ; headwaters of Holston river, rising at Bear Town, near Burk's Garden, 4,700 feet above tide ; and of Powell's river at Stone mountain, 4,000 feet above the sea, we have left to us, by these streams, and, also, unaffected by the agencies of ice and snow, these splendid contrasts in the elevations and depressions of this section's topography, which secure to the region not only a healthful and invigorating summer climate, that is fast tending to make it the sanitarium of the south ; but adds no less to the beauty of the scenery, than security against any lengthened failure of rainfall. Note — In the foregoing general description of " Appalachia " it is not clearly stated that in this division is included all of Virginia west of the great Valley, the sub-division defined on the small map as "Trans- Appalachia," being treated as a part of the Grand Division. The great Appalachian chain, which is regarded as the dominant feature of the mountain system composing this region, gives its name thereto, and the term has not a very well-defined application, but it is suffi- cient for the present purpose to state that it comprises the thirteen counties west and north of the Valley Division. To avoid confusion, attention is again called to the fact that county lines do not correspond accurately with the geological divisions of the State. It will be ob- served (see small map) that a strip of Appalachia extends along the whole tier of the Valley counties, taking in the western edge of Augusta, Rockingham, Shenan- doah and Frederick, but by far the greater part of these counties being in the Valley, the edge projected into Appalachia is not considered separately. And only the southern section of the "Blue Ridge," where it broadens out into the " plateau " embracing the three counties of Floyd, Carroll and Grayson is taken account of separately, the long narrow "ridge" north of Floyd being divided between the Valley and Piedmont. As was natural, the writer of the last papers has regarded his subject with the eye of a geologist and mineralogist rather than with that of a farmer, and per- haps has not brought out the magnificent agricultural capabilities of this favored region as prominently as might be desired and deserved. In truth, the mineral wealth of the country described is so vast that it could hardly fail to engross the attention of a specialist in that line to the exclusion of other subjects of consid- eration. At a future time I hope that these other parts of the picture will be filled in by a hand as eager and as full of the subject as the writer of the last paper is of his specialty. — Com. of Agriculture. 128 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. COUNTIES OF APPALACHIA. Natural Sub-Divisions. Counties. f Highland. Sources of James 1 Alleo-hany. ' (.Craig. New River Country \ Bland. f Tazewell. Clinch River Country., i Scott. (.Lee. {Buchanan. "Wise. Dickenson. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 129 APPALACHIA BY COUNTIES. ALLEGHANY was formed in 1822 from Bath, Botetourt andfMonroe. It is twenty-six miles long and has a mean breadth of twenty miles, with an area of 463,500 acres, assessed at $958,000. Population, 5,586. The surface is mostly broken and mountainous, but there are some considerable valley lands of the finest limestone soils, producing excellent crops of tobacco, grain, fruits and grass. The main business of the farmers is grazing and rearing cattle, horses, sheep and swine. The mountains are clothed with immense forests of valuable timber, and are filled with iron ores of great purity and value. These ores have been largely developed and worked in the various furnaces in the county, of which "Clifton Forge," "Low Moor" and "Longdale" are the prin- cipal. Pig iron is turned out by these furnaces in great amounts and at low cost. The country is watered by Jackson and Cow Pasture rivers, which unite near the eastern border and form the James. The Chesapeake and Ohio railway tra- verses this county centrally, passing through Covington, the county seat. The Eichmond and Alleghany railroad connects at Clifton Forge with the Chesapeake and Ohio railway, and with its easy grades affords much relief to the heavy haul- ing of the great amounts of metal from this region. This is a healthy region and the summer climate|i3 delightful. The mountain lands are cheap, and, no doubt, capable of being utilized to a much greater ex- tent than now in the stock raising business. Covington, the county town, is a place of commercial importance, very favor- ably situated for trade. Low Moor, eight miles lower down on the Chesapeake and Ohio railway, is rapidly growing into a manufacturing town, the great iron works here being the nucleus. ALLEGHANY COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Fossil Iron Ore, from Clinton No. V, beds in Clifton Forge Pass, Eichmond and Alleghany railroad. From Low Moore Iron Company. 2. Limonite Iron Ore, lump, from company's mine*in No.gVII, Oriskany. 3. Limonite Iron Ore, washed, from'same. 4. Limestone, No. VI Lower Helderberg; from quarry No. 1, used for flux. 9 vl30 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 5. Coke, made at Low Moor furnace, in company's ovens, and used in that fur- nace. 6. Coal, from No. XII or lower coal measures ; from New River field of West Virginia on C. and O. R. R , from which above coke was made. 7. Sample of Coke Pig Irons made at Low Moor furnace from above ores : No. 1, foundry pig; No. 2, foundry pig; No. 1, mill pig; No. 2, mill pig; No. 3, close mill pig ; No. 4, silvery pig ; No. 5, mottled pig ; No. 6, white pig ; No. 7, part of "Salamander " blown from furnace " well " with " Atlas " powder after blast No. 2 of Low Moor furnace. 18. Limomte Iron Ore, from Iron Mountain mines, on Pounding Mill run. 19. Stalactites and Stalagmites and other cave rocks from a cave in Lower Hel- derburg, No. VI limestone, near Low Moor station, C. and O. R. R. 20 to 23. Five boxes Pig Iron, grades from No. I to mottled, inclusive, with the characteristic cinder for each grade ; from the Longdale furnaces. 24. Box of Lower Helderberg No. VI limestone, used for flux in Longdale fur- naces. 25. Box of Coke, used in Longdale furnaces, from the Sewell coal, bed and ovens of Longdale Company, at Sewell, W. Va., from New river or No. XII^ Lower measures coal. 26. Box or lump ore, brown hematite, from Oriskany, or No. VII, from mines of Longdale Company, in Brushy mountain, near head of Simpson's creek- 27. Unwashed ore, or pay dirt, of above mines. 28. Washed ore of above mines. 29. Refuse from washer in washing above ores. 30 and 31. Clay and flint from top and bottom, respectively, of above iron mines. 32. Lump of Cadmia, from deposition from fumes in throats of Longdale blast furnaces. 33. Limonite, brown iron ore, lump weighing 625 pounds and box, from west side Peter's mountain, on Dunlap creek, two and a half miles south from Trice switch of C. and 0. R. R., from mine of Keyser & McAllister, of Backbone, Va., from which some 25 tons are daily shipped to Etna Iron Works, Irohton, Ohio. 34. Limonite, brown iron ore, from fine deposit in No. VII Oriskany, at lower end of Clifton Forge pass, R. and A. R. R, 35. Limonite, brown iron ore, No. VII or Oriskany, from cuts 1, 2, 3 and 4, and washed ore, ;from tlie "Stack" mine, near Backbone station, 0. and O. R. R. 36. Limonite, brown iron ore, "lump" and "pipe," from Rumsey mine. 37. Hematite, Specular or Magnetic Iron Ore, from Rumsey mine. BATH was formed in 1790 from parts of Augusta, Greenbrier and Botetourt, and is now one of the border counties. It has an area of 932 square miles or 617,402 acres, assessed at $803,715. This shows a very low valuation ; but the large proportion of waste mountain land explains this. Some of the valleys are exceedingly fer- tile and beautiful — the soil formed from disintegrated limestone — producing grain and grass luxuriantly ; even in the mountains there is good grazing ; so that this is a most excellent stock-raising county, beautifully watered by clear mountain streams, fiowing into the Jackson and Cow Pasture rivers, which meander through this county and unite some miles below, near the borders of Alleghany and Botetourt. HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. 131 The poptilation of this county is small, only 4,525, or about 5 to the square mile ; but the people are independent and prosperous, having a healthful and beautiful pastoral country. The Cbesiipeake and Ohio railroad passes through the southeastern part of the county, giving an outlet for the abundant products, and access to the many at- tractive watering places of this county. Nature has been prodigal to Bath in re- spect to mineral springs. The Warm Sulphur, the Hot, the Healing, have long been celebrated — the " Warm Sulphur "for near a century. Here is the county seat "Warm Springs," an attractive village in the rich " Warm Springs Valley " In the southeastern part of the county, near the railroad, we have another group the Bath Alum, Millboro, Wallawhatoola. To these resort < multitudes of sum- mer visitors are attracted by the health-giving waters, pure air, idvely scenery, fine fishing and shooting, and excellent fare of this favored region. There is much iron ore in this county, some of it has been worked successfully for many years. Fine timber abounds in Bath, oak, walnut, pine, poplar, chestnut, sugar maple, hickory, &c. BA.TH COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. From Virginia Department Agriculture. 1. Limonite Iron Ore, No. VH, Oriskany, from Joseph Baxter, Esf., Bath Alum Springs. 2. Manganese Ore, from Col. Wm. McClintic. 3. Eed and Brown Iron Ores, from J. C. Harvey, Esq. 4. Kaolin, 5. Ochre, deep red, from deposit on land of Mrs. M. M. Bratton on Mill Creek, near C. & O E. R. Contributed by Rev. Samuel Brown, Millboro.' BLAND. Bland county was formed in 1861 from Wythe, Tazewell and Giles. Seddon is the county seat, and is located in the Walker's creek valley, near the centre of the county, with turnpikes diverging east, west, north and south. Several mountain ranges traverse the county from northeast to southwest, making beau- tiful and fertile valleys, with rolling hills between, threaded by streams as clear and sparkling as the dews of heaven. These mountains are filled with chromic, hematite, magnetic, paint and specular iron ores, lead, kaolin, ochre, barytes, copper and slate ; are covered with a heavy forest of oaks, chestnut, hickory, ash, walnut, poplar, cucumber, lynn, locust, pine, maple, both hard and soft. There is no outlet for this untold wealth that is mountain-bound and locked up where nature formed it. Several railroad lines have been projected, and there are good hopes of some of them being built in the near future. There are several mineral springs in the county, the most noted of which are Sharon springs and Kimberling springs. The former are seven miles west of Bland courthouse, on the turnpike leading from Wytheville to Jefferson ville. These springs are recommended in scrofulous diseases. At these springs there is a vein of coal eleven feet and 4 inches thick, and said to be of the finest quality. Kimberling springs are seven miles north of Bland courthouse, ensconced right in the bosom of the mountains, with all the charms that belong to natnre in her silent and dreamy mood. 132 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. Bland is a grazing county, and her capacity for grazing is being increased every year. She is not far behind the foremost counties in the State in sending off her fine fat bullocks to the eastern markets. The sheep industry is profitable, and is increasing every year, and would increase more rapidly if the cultivation of the miserable dog was abandoned. Horses, mules and hogs of good blood are raised for home use, besides a great many for market. Population, 5,004. Number of acres of land, 212,272, assessed at $449,603. The waters of the eastern portion of the county flow east and empty into New river, while those in the western portion flow west and empty into the Hol- ston river ; Sharon springs being the head waters of the Holston river, and are 2,849 feet abeve the level of the sea. Wheat, corn, ©ats, rye and buckwheat are cultivated to perfection; some tobacco raised, though not much. Nearly all the domestic grasses are raised. Blue grass, poa pratensis, comes of its own accord, being a native of the soil, and is the king of grasses. Apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries and grapes do well when properly attended to. Many varieties of grapes grow wild, some of which make a fine quality of wine. The county is well watered with the finest of springs, of both lime and free- stone water, and several large creeks, affording plenty of water and the finest sites for all kinds of machinery, with plenty of sand stone, and blue and gray limestone for building purposes. The finances of the county have been well managed, and the county is out of debt. The people are sober, industrious, and thriving, possessed with as much energy as the people of any county in the Commonwealth ; and be it said to the honor of her citizens, that there is not a bar room in the county, and has not been for years. Her people always extend a welcome hand to all who are seeking homes, or permanent investments, to come into her borders and help build up, and de- velop her latent wealth hid in the earth, and set the waters to humming to the music of the spindle, and the loom, and the locomotive. Good churches are found in almost every neighborhood, with as much tolera- tion and as little bigotry as can be found among Christian people elsewhere. BLAND COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. From Captain C. E. Boyd. 1. Brown Iron Ore, large deposit in No. Ill; lands of S. H. Newberry. 2. Specular Iron Ore, fine quality, from base of No. IH; lands of Newberry and others. S. Brown Iron Ore, cubical pseudomorph after pyrites; land of Harman New- berry. 4. Iron Ores, from No. X, from south foot of Brushy mountain, near Sharon Springs ; lands of Newberry and others. 5. Coal, from No. X, proto-carboniferous, near Sharon Springs ; lands of New- berry and others. 6. Bed and Brown Iron Ores, from No. VIII, slates, from Bound mountain, Hunting Camp, and Wolf creeks. 7. Brown Iron Ore, compact, from rocks overlying No. VII, Oriskany ; good for basic process and for cutting into settings. HAND-BOOK OP VIRGINIA. 133 8. Fossil, Petraia Comiculum, from No. III. 9. Bed and Brown Iron Ores, splendent from underlying rocks of VII, Round mountain ; large deposits ; 56 per cent, of metallic iron ; 0.08 phosphorus ; lands of Peery and Boyd. 10. Marble, nearly white, from land of Sam. H. Newberry. 11. Mineral Water, from Sharon Alum and Calybeate Spring. 12. Manganese, silicide of, from Round mountain, lands of Peery and Boyd. 13. Brown Iron Ore, fibrous^ from large beds in Round Mountoin ; lands of Peery and Boyd. 14. Fossil Iron Ore, from 20-foot bed of No. V, Round and Garden mountain; lands of Peery and Boyd. The following from the cabinet of the Virginia Department of Agriculture : 15. Chert, in limestone in form of moccason. 16. Ochre and Iron Ore, from Iron mountain. 17. Iron Ore, red, from Iron mountain. 18. Tufaceous Marl. 19. Lead and Zinc Ores. 20. Manganese. 21. Barytes, on limestone. 22. Feldspar. BUCHANAN was formed in 1858 from Russell and Tazewell It contains 490,848 acres, assessed at $367,134. Population, 5,694. It lies on the western slope of the Alleghany moun- tains and has two of its sides the dividing lines separating Virginia from West Virginia and Kentucky. Much of the surface is rugged and mountainous, but the soil is fertile and well adapted to grass, and its great elevation gives it a moist, cool climate, well suited to grazing and cattle raising. The valleys, especially, are fertile and produce excellent crops of all the cereals. The lands are very low priced, and are held in immense tracts by speculators and persons interested in mining. Minerals exist in vast quantities, and consist mainly in iron ores, coal, and salt undeveloped and waiting for the coming of railroads. With good transportation there would soon be exploited in this county the immense resources of minerals and of timber now lying undeveloped. The cattle business could be cheaply prosecuted on a large scale if the requisite capital was invested in this fine grazing country. This region, for which Nature has done so much, is now attracting attention and cannot long remain cut off from the outer world. An inviting field is offered here for settlers as the lands can now be boQght for a tithe of the value they wiU have when railroads penetrate these rich valleys. CRAIG was formed in 1850 from Botetourt, Roanoke, Giles and Monroe, West Virginia. Area, 248,482 acres, assessed at $564,432 ; population, 5,894. The surface, like all this section of the State, is rugged and mountainous. The soil is fertile and pecu- liarly adapted to the growth of rich grasses. Accordingly we find here a pastoral life among the people, and much fine stock. A large proportion of the surface is in original forest of superior timber, as white oak, ash, hickory, maple and other valuable woods. The timber of this section of the country is noted for its 134 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA hardness and great strength. The county is watered by Craig's creek, which flows northeast and empties into James river at Sheets in the neighboring county of Botetourt, and by Sinking creek, which flows southeast and empties into New river, in Giles. New river flows north into the Kanawha, a tributary of the Ohio. Thus the waters from a part of this county run to the Atlantic ocean through the James, and from another part, across the water-shed, make their way through the Ohio and Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. The minerals consist mainly of iron, manganese and slate. Indications of silver have been found here. Cheap homes and a salubrious and pleasant climate add to the attractions of this section for settlers. Craig is now somewhat isolated in respect to railroad facilities ; but the day is probably not distant when a railway will be constructed along the valley of Craig's creek into the rich coal district of West Virginia. There is probably im- mense mineral wealth in the mountains of Craig adjacent to the track which na- ture has marked out for the road. CRAIG COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Slate^ from Craig's creek, of superior quality and in great quantities. 2. Manganese 7 miles west from New Castle and 2 from preceding. 3. Manganiferous Iron Ore, from Kyles on Johns creek, 6 miles northwest from New Castle. 4. Slate, 4 specimens from " Custer" quarry on Craig creek, 6 miles southeast from New Castle. 5. Iron Ore, from John Goode, 4 miles southeast from New Castle. 6. Manganese, 4 large specimens, from " Damewood " mine, from near same locality. 7. Manganese, 2 specimens from J. E. Custer's, 6 miles from New Castle. 8. Slate, fjom Jones quarry on Craig creek, 5 miles southwest from New Castle. DICKENSON was formed in 1880 from Russell, Wise and Buchanan. It is nearly a parellelo- gram with two sides of twenty-one miles and the other two of fifteen miles in extent, and contains about 387,000 acres, assessed at $99,121. No census of the population was taken in 1880, but it is supposed to be about 4,000. It is bounded on the northwest by the Cumberland range of mountains which separate it from Kentucky, and on the southeast by the great Ae mountains. The surface on these borders is very rugged, but in the central parts it has many fine valleys, and much fertile land. The products are wheat, corn, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, tobacco, fiax, melons and grass. Vegetables and fruit are raised in great abun- dance and of good quality. This is one of the counties of Trans- Appalachia and is in the great grazing region of the southwestern part of Virginia. The lands vary in texture with the character of the prevailing rocks, but the greater part of them are good grass lands. Timber of the most valuable kinds is found here in great abundance — three-fourths of the area being in original forest of oak, hickory, poplar, elm, ash, maple, wild cherry, walnut, pine, &c. The average assessed price of land being little more than 25 cents per acre, this region should aflbrd grand inducements for men with capital to engage in the stock raising business. This county is without railroads. It is watered by the head streams of the Eus- HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 135 sell's fork of Big Sandy river flowing north into the Ohio river. The minerals of this county have not been developed, but iron ores and coal (bituminous, splint and cannel) are known to be abundant. DICKENSON COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORIiEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Coal, from Cana creek, contributed by Elijah Rasnick, Sr. GILES was formed in 1806 from Montgomery, Tazewell and Monroe, and is now one of the frontier counties of the State, adjoining Mercer and Monroe, in West Virginia. Tiae eastern and western portions of the county are mountainous, both the bounda- ries being formed by ranges of the Alleghany mountaias. Some portions of the county are very fertile, producing fine crops of cereals and grasses. This county is a fine grazing region, and produces some of the finest fat cattle that are sent to the eastern markets. There are several mineral springs in this county, places of pop- ular resort during the heated term, the most noted being the " New River White" and "Hunter's Alum." That wonderful freak of Nature, the so-called "Salt Pond," in the mountains of tliat name, attracts many visitors. Giles is watered by New river and its tributaries. The population is 8,794; number of acres of land 229,055, assessed at $970,558. It abounds in fine growths of the usual timber of this region — walnut, wild cherry, sugar and other maple, oak, &c., and vast beds of iron ores, copper and coal. In Giles there is found red marble, near Chapman's ferry, and near the base of Angel's Rest mountain. Hydraulic limestone, near Chapman's ferry, contains of <5arbonate lime 43 per cent., and of carbonate magnesia, about 35 percent. ; silica, 17.30, and 2 per cent, alumina and oxide iron. That a little below Chapman's ferry has 53 per cent, of carbonate lime, and 43 per cent, of magnesia, and 2 per cent, silica, and 0.50 alumina and oxide iron. These are highly hydraulic. The branch road of the Norfolk and Western railroad from Central station, on the borders of Montgomery and Pulaski, passes nearly due 'north through the northeast end of Pulaski, and through the centre of Giles to the West Virginia line, and through Mercer county. West Virginia, in a southwest course to Graham and Pocahontas, in Tazewell, and is to be extended into the central parts of the last county, where it will tap one of the finest mineral and timber regions in the world. Before this road was made the county of Giles labored under great dis- advantages, but will now feel the effects of being brought in easy reach of the markets of the world, and will reap rich fruits from her valuable mineral and forest wealth so long shut up among her hills and valleys. There is here a great open- ing for immigration, which will not long neglect a region so inviting. GILES COUNTY MINERALS AT NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Fossil, rhusophycus bilobatus, from No. 1, on Little Stony creek ; Capt. C. R. Boyd. 2. Marble, from Charles H. Snidow, Kimball ton. 3. Bed Iron Ore, from regular stratified bed showing abundance of it; C. W, McClaugherty . 4. Clay and a mug made from it, of fine quality for refractory purpose; C. W, McClaugherty. 5. Bed Iron Ore, from D. F. Hale, Narrows ; metallic iroit 68.44 per cent. 6. Spotted Marble, from J. H. Hoge. 136 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. HIGHLAND was formed'in 1847 from Pendleton and Bath. It is thirty miles long and about twenty-five miles broad, and contains 239,700 acres, assessed at $804,000. Popu- lation, 5,170. This is|an elevated mountain region. The soil is mostly limestone, and pro- duces good crops of corn, wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat and grass. The Kentuclcy blue grass springs spontaneously wherever the timber is removed, and furnishes the finest pasturage, not inferior to that of the best lands of Kentucky. Grazing and the rearing of horses, cattle, sheep and swine constitute the main reliance of the owners of the soil. There is no place where a living is more easily made, and where the people enjoy more of ease and leisure. The climate is healthy and in- vigorating, and the people are kind and hospitable. Valuable timber, especially walnut and wild cherry of the very best quality for cabinet makers' use, is abundant, and when this section shall be endowed with railroad facilities it will constitute a large item of wealth. Iron ore, coal and marble are known to exist in abundance in this county, and probably other valu- able minerals will be found when its access to market shall justify more extended explorations. Monterey, the county seat, and McDowell are the principal villages, and are busy and growing places, notably the former. This county is drained by the head waters of Cow Pasture and Jackson rivers- emptying into the James, and by some of the head streams of the South Branch of Potomac river, which interlace in this elevated water shed of the two river sys- tems, and mark out the track of the great line of railroad which has been pro- jected and will at some day not distant connect Pittsburg with the inexhaustible deposits of iron ore in Alleghany, Botetourt and the adjoining counties, and will quadruple the value of the land of Highland. LEE was formed from Russell in 1792. It lies in the southwest corner of the Statev bordering on Tennessee and Kentucky. Its greatest length is 65 miles ; meart breadth, 10 miles. It contains 365,240 acres, valued at $1,188,265, Population, 15,114. Three-fifths of the the surface is mountainous or hilly, but the mountains are rich to the top, and a large proportion of the soil of the entire county is very fertile. The timber consists of oak (an immense quantity of white oak), poplar, pine, maple, buckeye, birch, beech, ash, cucumber, mulberry, locust, hickory, chestnut, much black walnut, and wild cherry, with vast forests of red cedar, near Powell's river, of the best quality for the manufacture of cedar ware. The pro- ductions are corn, wheat, buckwheat, oats, rye and tobacco. The cultivation of tobacco is on the increase. A great variety of vegetables and fruits is produced. It is well watered by Powell's river, which is navigable for flat boats, and giving an outlet for the products of the county. The county is rich in minerals. Poor Valley ridge, which runs parallel to Cumberland mountains through the whole length of the county, has a rich vein of iron ore (dyestone — red hematite) extend- ing throughout the entire length. The Cumberland mountains contain inexhaus- tible supplies of the best bituminous coal, a part of which is in this county. There are strong indications of zinc, lead and other valuable minerals. Salt has beea made at two points in this county, but there are no works now in operation. HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. 137 About one-half of the area of the county is cleared land, one-tenth of which is in wheat, the remainder in oats, rye, corn, tobacco and grass. This is a fine grass county, and is famous for fine cattle, horses, &c. It has at least 2,500 acres in orchards of every variety of fruit. LEE COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. Collected by Gen. Imboden. 1. Coal, from " Imboden " vein 10^ thick from Crab orchard, 10 miles west from Big Stone Gap, 2. Fossil Iron Ore, Clinton No. V, 2 blocks from Rufus A. Ayers, on north fork Clinch river. The following are from the Virginia Department of Agriculture : 3. Fossil Iron Ore, Clinton, No. V. 4. Fossil Iron Ore, Clinton. 5. Limonite, brown iron ore. RUSSELL was formed in 1786 from Washington. It. containt 318,000 acres, valued at $696,869. Population, 13,914. The surface is much broken, as the county lies among mountain ranges, and much of tlie laud is not arable, but there are very fine lands in the valleys. Graz- ing and stock raising is one of the principal industries of the people of Russell, They produce also ample supplies of grain, &c., for man and beast, and are mak- ing tobacco of very fine quality. This is an elevated mountain region, noted for its healthy and bracing climate, and offers, with its cheap grass lands, kept fertile by decomposition of fossil lime- stones and feldspathic rocks, fiae locations for persons desiring to go into the cattle business. The number of fat cattle annually sold amounts to 10,500. It is drained by Clinch river and tributaries, which afford immense amounts of water-power, and are well stocked with game fishes. Moccasin creek, a tributary of the Holston, waters a considerable portion of its southern part. The timber of this county is of the most valuable kinds, of large size, and in great abundance. The minerals are iron ores, coal, lead, zinc, barytas, salt, sand- stone, limestone and marble, and are found in great abundance, of good quality and easily mined. This county will be greatly benefited by railroads, which are expected to be constructed in the near future. Three lines of railway are now chartered, which will give to Russell nearly all the facilities it will require. The Richmond and Southwest railway will run thirty miles through the Clinch river section. The Saltville and Coal Mine railroad will cross the county diagonally from southeast to northwest, crossing the iron, marble, coal and timber belts. The Virginia, Ken- tucky and Ohio railroad has a branch road provided for in its charter which might pursue the line of Clinch river, on its way to Pound Gap. RUSSELL COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 1. Splint Coal, from Lewis Creek; from Captain C. R, Boyd. 2. Coal, from Ghana creek ; contributed by Elijah Rasnick, Sr., of Pat's Store 138 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. The following were contributed by Major W. K. Armistead, of Abingdon : 3. Marble, variagated, from base of Clinch mountain. 4. Bituminous Coal, from Dump's creek. 5. Coke, from Dump's creek coal. 6. Splint Coal, from Dump's creek. SCOTT was formed in 1814 from Lee, Washington and Russell. The surface is moun- tainous and rolling, and the soil very good. Copper and Clinch rivers traverse the centre, and the North Fork of Holston the southern part. Population, 17,235 ; number of acres of land 334,559, assessed at $702,584. The productions corn (in very large quantity), wheat, oats, rye, grass, and to- bacco. Price of land improved, from $5 to $50 per acre ; unimproved, from $1 to $5 per acre. This county has great capabilities, and with railroads would ship largely both of the products of the farm and of tlie mines. Two-thirds of the surface is in timber, consisting of the oaks, poplar, walnut, ash, lynn, beech, syca- more, elm, and box elder. There are 2,000 acres in orchards of apples, peaches, pears, cherries, grapes, &c. There are SO schools in the cou-ity, of which 70 are public, and are in a flourishing condition. There are 75 churches, 35 of which are Methodist, 20 Mission, 10 Hard-shell Baptist, and 10 Free-will Baptist. About 300 immigrants have settled in this county in the last few years. The health and climate are good. This county is a grass county, and raises good stock. It is in the south end of the Valley, acknowledged a fine country. This county is very rich in minerals, having abundance of iron ores, coal, cop- per, manganese, marble, and limestone. It has many fine locations for mills and manufacturing establishments on the water courses, with ample power to run any amount of machinery. A railroad through this section would develop great re- sources.* There are many mineral springs in this county, both sulphur and chalybeate. In this county is found in great abundance a reddish, fossiliferous mottled marble, in which the colors are pleasingly blended with grayish white. The dun-colored and other varieties are also found of fine quality. A correspondent says there is min- eral wealth enough in this county to pay the national debt. SCOTT COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. The following were collected by Gen. Imboden : 1. Coal, from 6^ to 7^ bed, head of Stony creek. 2. Fossil Iron Ore, Clinton, from land of W. W. James, near head of Stony <;reek. 3. Iron Ore, brown hematite, from same locality as above. 4. Tennessee Marble, brown, block 16xll^^x7|^\ dressed, polished, &c., from near Estilleville, from land of Estilleville Marble Co. Estilleville is located on * Hitherto there has been no outlet for this— no means of exploiting it ; but now there is a nar- row-gauge railroad in course of construction from Bristol, Tenn., to Mineral city, 66 miles dis- tant, tapping some of the richest coal and iron deposits in the United Slates. Along the whole line is an immense quantity of the finest timber— walnut, wild cherry, poplar, ash, white oak, and pine. The beautiful marble mentioned above is on the line of this road. HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 139 this marble, and with it the streets are macadamized and the foundation walls of the houses are built. • • 5. Dark Brown Tennessee Marble, a polished block, from "Bounds" tract of the Estilleville Marble Co., 4 miles west from Estilleville. 6. Dappled Gray Marble, a polished block, from land of same Co., 3 miles southwest from Estilleville. 7. Cherry Spot Marble, a dressed block, from same locality, &c., as above. 8. Pebble Marble, a polished block, from '^Bounds" tract, same Co. These specimens of marble are exceedingly beautiful ; the quarries from which they came a o a B l-S "ci > !» _ i=l ^ a s >; ^ 03 M ■«# rrl i2 (U Df Fl men chin o 5 ~ OJ OS aJ 'S 1^ a S* ^ « lO" ■3 a ^ « a'*" !»■ ga M *-™-.a t- o lOf din enc bill O P CO* sBr-5 a^ •2 O rt o3 a 03 >_ •3 CO <» ^ ■« £ sa b o" g ^ o -si od" • 05 tH t- S ^ ^ io_ K a oo' < cs ^ fe 15 HAND-BOOK OP VIRGINIA. 149 TA.BLE No. 10. Farm Areas and Farm Values^ 1880 — By Counties. COUNTIES. Total Accomac Albemarle Alexandria,... Alleghany Amelia... Amherst Appomattox.. Augusta Bath Bedford Bland . . Botetourt Brunswick.... Buchanan Buckingham.. Campbell Caroline* Carroll Charles City.. Charlotte Chesterfield... Clarke Craig Culpeper Cumberland.. . Numb'r 118,517 2,145 2,099 326 344 1,038 1,6T9 999 2,357 397 2,777 584 997 1,453 926 1,668 1,407 1,654 1,685 564 1,068 1,753 473 493 1,186 707 Acres. 8,510,113 84,160 244,395 9,028 30,191 87,308 102,928 63,164 246,548 38,617 193,591 45,364 93,019 98,444 22,330 85,740 93,240 137,005 114,686 36,191 88,669 76,894 81,095 32,624 126,049 61,338 rail a a S. d Dollars. 216,028,107 3,597,251 6,015,736 903,980 636,413 1,140,301 2,540,453 1,132,889 10,032,679 1,184,908 4,438,845 1,095,911 2,388,845 1,090,073 327,794 1,406,019 2,147,709 2,080,861 1,566,061 700,443 1,932,112 2,640,550 2,730,358 815,247 2,559,351 1,073,324 a. a aj-s B a 03 OS > Dollars. 5,495,114 82,154 124,260 14,175 15,237 30,465 52,521 35,349 232,840 22,058 118,047 21,579 66,336 34,989 8,671 40,576 71 ,214 129,671 35,533 24,148 46,314 64,917 82,113 22,639 66,443 26,687 OS 1-5 > Dollars. 25,953,315 545,218 37,281 99,531 131,681 279,889 135,408 930,516 154,734 536,975 163,940 240,002 221,645 144,722 213,345 275,753 249,927 272,228 83,891 216,768 209,319 305,945 119,463 339,489 139,694 £> a « 50 Dollars. 1,697,180 23,924 38,491 4,923 3,638 5,752 20,838 10,232 67,716 12,108 33,734 11,108 18,438 13,006 6,111 9,701 27,652 14,198 17,369 8,055 14,088 20,816 22,328 5,066 43,018 7,669 CO 00 Dollars. 2,137,283 38,452 80,653 9,086 602 12,932 9,085 14,172 82,150 385 16,992 2,830 7,379 23,286 11,855 30,383 12,223 791 1,471 30,046 9,861 60,422 393 45,947 19,474 — OP- 'S o?5 2 o o asf t3 ?-<•© H Dollars. 45,726,221 683,962 888,983 187,918 113,415 610,995 629,522 323,578 1,877,695 137,549 1,126,671 140,547 414,868 488,744 151,211 361,525 709,786 498,265 309,906 158,382 631,333 488,193 486,515 162,387 452,399 364,223 150 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. TABLE No. 10— Continued. COUNTIES. Dmwiddle .... Elizabeth City Essex Fairfax Fauquier Floyd Fluvanna Franklin...... Frederick Giles Gloucester Goochland.... Grayson; Greene Greensville.. . . Halifax Hanover Henrico Henry Highland Ise of Wight.. James City King& Queen King George. . KingWm Lancaster Lee... Loudoun Louisa Lunenburg.... Madison Matthews Numb'r 1,621 443 1,063 1,572 1,740 1,541 851 8,415 1,437 716 783 1,041 1,477 565 881 2,463 1,648 1,130 1,396 480 1,263 434 1,208 786 735 653 1,636 1,841 1,813 1,126 816 902 S Acres. 92,197 16,332 82,164 95,784 295,305 104,380 56,267 115,592 151,563 64,492 49,541 58,142 108,815 45,459 43,202 198,538 125,047 67,500 61,828 60,765 55,509 19,492 93,898 64,378 48,618 25,649 100,775 232,391 106,642 43,639 91,186 24,103 .9 M Bo3 > Dollars. 1,443,746 586,932 1,264,291 4,864,291 7,358,196 2,110,364 1,122,003 2,507,291 4,243,413 1,764,299 1,336,405 1,479,754 1,887,974 630,018 773,041 4,009,930 2,243,211 3,788,796 1,362,882 2,077,585 1,368,137 370,464 1,266,089 1,157,752 1,387,349 671,527 2,314,061 9,531,254 2,084,530 1,004,391 1,908,755 999,030 S.S > Dollars. 48,939 23,168 31,871 143,186 128,914 57,218 33,576 71,563 101,889 35,272 89,908 37,091 45,277 21,704 92,669 102,013 67,205 86,627 36,436 25,859 33,906 13,802 22,447 28,491 35,331 19,334 56,354 183,227 63,855 29,687 64,259 16,503 Dollars. 175,486 50,683 180,529 431 ,760 1,107,689 314,420 161,627 367,681 434,341 230,219 146,491 150,212 357,985 92,273 124,912 549,127 264,057 216,478 199,148 308,934 157,861 63,2S2 148,373 135,153 123,622 77,684 365,803 1,099,900 264,065 149,815 253,907 102,434 Moo Dollars. 14,448 4,637 14,490 23,021 49,699 25,470 9,344 26,960 28,824 12,314 13,126 13,215 19,902 8,792 9,070 28,512 19,508 10,642 12,783 9,157 16,557 6,234 6,400 14,109 17,760 2,888 24,562 49,838 17,949 13,731 18,136 4,588 O 05 to 00 o Dollars. 16,851 4,570 5,641 57,018 115,065 513 13,503 13,119 43,444 2,333 8,201 7,056 2,334 1,834 34,207 78,805 20,527 17,908 20,284 119 16,138 3,937 3,622 9,880 11,738 10,805 394 133,349 25,521 11,298 14,384 2,373 a flp ■M ■ — 'z:: O m a Dollars. 468,963 141,858 342,573 . 966,908 1,020,980 561,935 209,359 830,548 702,002 229,618 230,213 272,639 328,142 166,473 375,818 1,419,922 576,287 467,943 643,424 116,725 519,139 78,733 262,65(f 242,372 279,452 100,245 426,146 1,466,627 418,833 345,668 395,352 195,350 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. TABLE No. 10— Continued. 151 COUNTIES. Mecklenburg . Middlesex — Montgomery .. Nansemond... Nelson New Kent Norlolls Northampton. Northumber 'd Nottoway.... Orange Page Patrick Pittsylvania Powiatan ... Pr. Edward. Pr. George.. Princess Anne Pr. WUliam... Pulaski Kappahanno'k Kichmond .. Roanoke Rockbridge. Rockingbam Russell , Scott , Sbenandoab... Smyth.., Southampton- Spotsylvania. Stafford 1 a 03 ■a <» >• 2 a 3 a > 5 a (V i ft a a^ a aj aa o3 o ^a a a a a ©. i4 O o > 00 «*-! r-T B 3 > n cu t4 •a a .« O) a ^ a r^ X a — D ■a £ a fit .2 •H OOJ Sag 3.Sg >« Numb'r Acres. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. 1,T02 183,300 2,086,683 65,508 300,317 26,575 19,010 709,344 784 33,206 742,286 17,881 81,540 5,259 6,857 88,930 1,463 98,830 3,699,023 58,042 306,139 17,588 1,812 451,405 1,351 65,241 1,597,239 53,543 214,821 19,526 41,720 768,371 1,S00 89,391 1,873,866 46,352 228,150 15,063 4,165 438,397 436 37,484 533,237 24,340 82,380 15,329 1,772 159,477 1,569 63,239 2,909,784 89,612 366,830 12,060 168,367 1,393,693 T81 47,227 1,331,950 26,767 132,091 14,032 24,807 289,281 8T3 47,259 1,237,468 35,957 124,789 7,448 22,466 176,383 955 66,723 1,111,755 33,543 137,014 7,378 10,688 332,208 1,026 93,194 2,021,106 59,813 224,470 11,329 23,251 313,858 988 56,848 1,943,833 52,836 206,367 11,761 18,940 277,812 1,899 52,157 1,062,722 18,805 200,404 7,346 2,509 349,671 3,502 295,465 4,895,813 130,285 520,567 51,518 113,192 2,120,106 688 58,576 1,156,119 23,857 135,706 8,869 6,705 256,615 1,053 68,827 1,457,130 31,532 143,371 13,289 24,005 427,090 807 60,131 1,082,611 36,798 114,680 6,188 7,633 391,392 917 50,648 1,381,106 35,601 153,583 7,966 16,788 346,270 1,085 74,494 2,169,887 64,138 283,495 19,78« 31,554 440,100 659 93,127 3,259,436 45,665 318,046 24,713 5,628 327,272 741 101,464 1,990,868 45,629 462,362 19,276 14,426 385,409 837 40,822 785,831 17,083 103,012 5,580 11,841 161,071 760 82,998 3,597,247 133,656 227,325 21,640 6,629 445,112 1,341 164,430 3,941,907 86,064 430,351 24,788 22,814 583,934 2,567 205,619 8,221,998 210,435 743,216 66,178 83,573 1,140,767 1,850 108,719 2,978,976 43,177 542,804 17,737 2,568 556,275 2,458 114,693 2,020,947 49,397 372,623 16,823 689 408,596 1,806 131,497 5,101,538 154,199 519,918 36,173 73,814 860,323 800 94,864 2,705,137 51,601 358,860 17,809 4,298 327,029 1,648 108,290 1,682,158 52,875 242,005 22,282 71,955 976,430 1,070 52,749 1,409,330 42,248 172,989 8,397 18,117 245,306 948 45,963 1,113,910 38,200 154,569 10,954 . 10,415 207,271 152 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA TABLE No. 10— Continued. Mm B bo Hi 2 a p< St 1 II 1 i 1. o3 O"*-" •a |§ a Si o 3 X! a ^5 53 a> a 2 a ©•=' COUNTIES. 1- fa o as ' -sa Is 1 1-1 _ tH 1 a 11 Ol'O ^ > H Numb'r Acres. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. jBurry 76T 48,086 810,834 37,720 118,564 7,357 7,334 398,124 Sussex 922 71,638 964,396 36,237 143,198 10,052 26,563 453,809 Tazewell 1,322 89,057 2,756,709 47,322 466,779 15,536 2,633 304,989 Warren 579 66,855 1,585,382 39,819 226,961 13,247 20,380 337,291 Warwick 265 6,610 286,255 6,327 45,077 1,422 1,904 35,866 Washington . . 1,583 136,244 3,541,146 68,468 419,993 28,113 4,902 577,852 Westmorela'd. 703 63,000 964,045 25,365 115,441 10,958 15,275 197,971 Wise 1,145 40,602 738,862 14,543 155,798 13,106 159 151,345 Wythe 917 122,340 3,710,778 62,239 ' 453,825 16.495 6,893 438,404 York 906 29,403 471,269 19,809 77,488 4,509 2,900 124,415 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 153 ^ - e; o eq V DO 3- t3 2 aj m (M ?; « P5 00 H t-T 3 P5 "- < Pi H ^ 1— & X (>> c? 1^ m <1 O ^ 03 S "i. H OS P5 »h" O <1 ■g CO o w" ■3 1 e4 en in 5 P3 to « < to 03 a 00__ 00" o 1 ^ a< 05 S 00 Ph OJ o § CO t^ 1^ «3 M in <) H < ,. o aa -* D •^ < i o aj pq i m § en 05 00 O o o 1 cq 03 O :0 <1 1§ <1 1— t t- q m (M » £ CO tn < to >» a> t-^ 3 3 Pi CO Oh o as 1 a ^ ^ 05 aj < CO i (N < ^ ^ o C3 1 s pq ■^ <5 «o~ >! 3 in <1 h-T W EH § to c« "3 (M J3 (M ^ 3 3" ft . ►^ a "«) &< S M o > o § 1 C(5 to oT to__ pa 00 ^ o 154 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. TABLE Principal Vegetable Pro COUNTIES. Total... Accomac Albemarle Alexandria, Alleghany Amelia Amherst....... Appomattox... Augusta Bath Bedford Bland Botetourt Brunswick Buchanan Buckingham... Campbell Caroline; Carroll Charles City... Charlotte Chesterfield.... Clarke Graig. Culpeper Cumberland . . . Dnwiddie Elizabeth City. Essex Fairfax Fauquier Floyd CERB AL8. Barley. Buckwheat. Indian Corn. 182 14,223 55 20 121 9 94 196 220 309 123 69 16 13 9 2,008 7 T8 28 326 25 357 150 2,481 n 136.004 649 275 895 25 999 1,791 1,963 660 2,201 1,037 447 93 134 62 14,544 65 720 202 2,526 189 103 4,630 1,312 17,898 < 1,768,127 42,331 35,234 1,584 4,548 16,112 22,322 10,542 31,324 4,427 29,595 5,344 13,379 24,117 14,871 20,592 19,704 41,385 16,229 9,614 19,438 20,817 12,348 4,499 21,169 10,985 22,720 5,972 23,429 16,660 38,277 13,449 29,119,761 508,339 714,715 35,017 95,011 176,685 404,630 149,487 727,235 90,845 591,627 104,243 282,313 272,208 162,058 269,081 316,606 486,453 241,912 119,791 311,579 245,654 363,436 85,376 415,434 148,019 214,160 71,160 312,401 381,702 875,370 226,574 Oats. 863,443 6,947 17,483 186 2,726 8,487 12,785 8,226 8,570 1,437 22,439 1,954 7,858 10,631 2,132 11,297 18,188 2,966 7,140 2,667 10,829 10,708 922 2,135 4,786 6,029 7,907 462 1,579 3,414 5,383 9,521 33,181 38,334 139,451 2,767 34,981 74,598 112,661 50,438 122,337 20,927 223,827 28,753 92,107 65,619 29,109 73,863 120,034 17,582 74,509 30,400 77,799 79,697 16,738 27,102 41,744 37,673 45,285 5,553 13,002 50,771 60,382 130,370 Eye. < :8,746 60 285 159 170 6 1,955 320 202 479 110 12 553 68 79 618 6,155 13 54 83 133 656 170 38 39 462 699 779 3,247 pa 324,431 411 1,671 1,589 232 1,276 18 16,000 2,196 1,810 3,433 762 90 3,263 477 412 2,965 23,138 107 617 499 1,034 4,598 826 25S 187 2,336 6,172 4,293 20,378 HAND-BOOK OF VISGINIA. 155 No. 12. ductions for 1880. Wheat. 901, 1T7 1,834 25,806 366 3,750 5,996 12,308 5,685 44,966 3,462 23,92T 4,239 18,T63 5,575 1,246 8,935 9,830 11,654 5,565 4,384 6,997 6,092 18,182 4,042 15,882 5,926 5,310 1,994 9,559 9,238 24,555 8,944 7,826,174 17,219 186,093 5,084 28,832 51,919 94,940 37,974 522,341 26,557 158,308 25,572 105,537 50,874 7,816 57,108 58,987 77,306 4,599 51,043 65,301 57,577 265,549 21,837 106,551 41,317 45,255 18,261 70,230 106,533 263,953 46,263 Value of Orchard tProducts. 1,609,663 20,511 53,239 7,685 L 3,996 11,287 26,487 12,074 56,053 5,969 50,155 5,916 19,731 5,150 9,515 9,552 26,250 21,641 13,914 138 12,932 15,630 21,045 4,846 17,997 565 13,202 4,092 12,483 64,589 35,638 28,582 Hay. 287,255 1,584 8,741 1,329 1,210 697 1,953 682 29,931 2,894 6,744 2,673 5,350 277 50 824 1,953 970 7,073 642 919 1,625 4,674 1,512 6,229 540 856 118 384 9,761 8,897 6,821 Hops, 1,599 Cotton. 45,040 19,595 6,800 6,500 2,950 2,500 Potatoes. Irish. 2,016,766 217,574 23,272 11,688 2,758 3,085 17,615 8,631 33,923 6,751 34,172 3,958 12,923 5,229 7,39S 5,555 12,032 20,519 20,424 282 8,665 11,916 9,724 2,919 6,728 491 8,463 40,223 8,529 71,755 25,595 11,684 Sweet. 1,901,521 491,790 7,981 11,525 46 5,090 11,056 9,988 1,680 186 27,215 20 769 20,130 6,701 10,034 11,636 23,355 6,257 795 8,658 23,578 786 495 2,698 404 17,535 24,723 20,863 13,014 3,131 1,490 Tobacco. 140,791 3,216 11 3,524 4,610 3,198 4 8 9,174 10 1,187 2,736 10 3,973 6,446 1,264 83 5,922 804 10 58 6 2,979 2,752 13 4 17 327 79,985.868 2,466,972 6,862 1,726,317 3,111,801 1,965,937 1,827 5,815 5,315,560 4,164 742,953 1,538,161 2,186 2,136,529 3,927,333 991,437 29,375 3,226,448 523,696 9,555 38,540 2,470 1,814,674 1,540,395 5,015 5,370 6,077 842,250 156 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. TABLE No. 12— -COUNTIES. Muvanna FranMin Frederick Giles Gloucester Goochland Grayson Greene -Greensville Halifax Hanover Henrico Henry Highland Isle of Wight James City King and Queen. King George King William Lancaster Lee Loudoun Louisa Lunenburg Madison Matthews MecKlenburg Middlesex Montgomery Nansemond Nelson- New Kent Norfolk Northampton Northumberland. CEREALS. Barley. Buckwheat. 40 5 165 9T7 280 17 942 40 79 232 109 380 970 36 182 25 1,373 9,561 2,542 71 7,035 390 170 8,720 714 2,338 79 7,027 410 2,466 Indian Corn, 11,351 24,097 17,711 9,342 14,133 13,876 14,273 6,660 12,745 43,725 30,630 17,229 14,768 2,772 18,038 6,231 21,232 20,818 16,944 6,723 30,267 36,464 23,807 14,595 14,614 10,023 34,268 9,625 15,697 25,750 18,240 9,391 31,171 22,992 13,965 pq 206,094 450,021 444,295 236,291 177,610 207,856 253,802 153,954 145,674 651,766 356,283 301,661 247,582 55,190 228,998 66,774 252,546 296,075 218,184 78,248 628,753 1,113,204 303,863 179,087 399,100 146,184 462,512 93,433 332,709 280,854 34fi,085 121,910 403,849 208,453 184,976 Oats. 5,7S4 16,524 3,019 2,222 2,600 6,649 4,711 2,238 1,857 22,087 11,847 8,024 8,877 747 1,568 1,061 1,334 855 2,434 395 8,426 2,754 11,329 8,273 2,880 795 15,811 568 5,576 2,147 7,308 3,384 1,459 7,140 63S n 36,185 180,756 45,572 31,435 20,202 58,443 68,920 22,109 18,525 194,433 86,381 87,303 83.488 11,065 16.447 7,311 10,526 4,586 13,206 2,815 82,805 38,510 59,254 61,701 25,326 7,281 185,345 3,211 79,121 29,647 65,189 29,090 18,443 48,415 5,589 Rye. 21 375 1,746 657 71 54 4,648 547 69 95 154 203 422 7 12 211 78 94 882 600 40 12 553 18 73 47 990 24 749 40 6 19 HAND-BOOK OF VIKGINIA. 157 Continued. Wheat. T,023 16,T56 22,058 T,773 4,S14 8,260 7,998 5,423 451 16,450 13,146 7,559 7,951 2.547 141 1,081 5,260 5,790 8,542 2,816 13,222 35,280 11,928 4,151 12,534 1,598 10,548 3,930 12,271 407 10,690 2,970 63 95 6,304 pq 47,220 104,468 260,413 46,817 30,907 73,728 53,310 40,269 3,493 138,252 101,705 90,365 45,170 23,688 1,547 9,315 34,071 40,437 78,476 25,413 94,812 501,607 72,854 38,124 104,691 12,472 86,303 17,987 69,701 5,486 86,806 21,535 442 997 57,099 Value of Orchard Products, 11,161 37,535 31,052 10,340 7,310 9,947 7,S58 7,486 5,412 21,077 17,104 23,831 7,295 8,581 13,384 6,178 5,756 7,514 9.900 2,781 35.139 49,639 31,430 14,019 15,376 6,533 17,348 5,149 11,898 13,670 16,728 2,757 13,642 3,347 5,887 Hay. 1,048 3,276 9,499 2,224 525 1,294 8,431 1,189 115 416 1,794 2,832 331 5,042 9 285 86 211 751 380 2,329 12,070 1,874 301 4,185 30 592 59 4,630 160 2,536 217 2,816 38 529 Hops, Cotton. 8,500 850 80 2,150 1,960 4,100 Potatoes. 975 Irish. Sweet. cq 4,707 24,178 29,688 7,142 19,812 6,511 11,515 2,872 5,291 17,940 18,880 36,859 4,995 7,641 33,874 1,159 8,214 4,641 20,099 6,798 15,786 31,150 9il60 3,362 14,950 18,269 16,680 3,240 9,572 136,544 9,108 8,720 288,467 127,823 2,884 m 6,097 17,807 1,790 468 20,666 6,904 2,034 1,494 18,956 23,174 122,842 18,690 5,756 111 52,986 4,725 17,901 4,967 13,895 8,715 13,459 3,191 12,194 10,059 5,277 26,418 34,564 8,437 1,343 97,880 3,589 24,446 100,329 121,667 18,333 Tobacco. 1,391 6,862 1 199 25 1,052 32 529 11 15,042 1,480 106 6,336 1 5 30 20 97 54 6 2,978 3,409 132 6,439 4 1,333 1 3,497 14 12 11 917,561 3,529,833 705 122,056 13,829' 656,624 10,485 382,492 5,075 7,653,842 1,064,735 101,155 2,955,036 567 420 14,711 9,775 63,065 15,286 2,454 1,926,483 1,976,266 101,697 3,436,408 1,512 654,496 215 2,660,295 11,860 1,740 6,745 158 SAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. TABLE No. 12- • CEREALS. Barley. Buckwheat. Indian Corn. Oats. Rye. COUNTIES. m <1 "3 < < a; m a m 05 o < QO CO lA lO C4 CO OS ^ N ^ m » CO ^ § 5 tK m ^ 10 CO » e> CO *:- 10 00 ■* m « t- 00 OJ OS 1/2 OS t-i .0 3 era ^ IM ft s p OS CO la 10 era -1 a> id 1- m (M CO rC i^ d * tK t- •^ '-' CO " ■* era t- era ■* ■* CO s iz; CO ,a r- •^ 00 (S 00 IM t- t- OS OS 1— -1 x: IM CO era y " e« 0« CO ^ " iz; " bo OS «C to S ^ ^ ■* OS 10 ■* CO era 10 B d a OJ o> CD CO '-f la rH 1° 1 s CO ^ 33 fehOOOOOOWW 162 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 5=1 r-T O Pi ■<* tX oi m Oi «o CO CO 0"MtMQO -a a O G •a a 33 1* bi c 03 1 1 ot 1 c 1 be ^ « bl bl g bo o ■c OJ •=? ■c ww5S^MMM3^,3,::^^ssasa HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 163 00 00 m to ■* ,-1 (M .-H !N 00 IM 00 T-H IS o» m Tj* CO CO^ {N oT eo* ecT oT -* « rH to 00 -^ Tt< i-l 03 a> iM lo ,-1 lO OS «o o o? C4 0> If) (M IS T-H 1-1 i-H 1H r-l O "* . O T-l r-l C(5 CM tn 00 -i o « n <^ fi o « o * lO to « 02 ■a (S of ^ 02 •3 iS o 5 «D JO ©* N e^ cs T-H « O r-l CO Ifl CM t- s ^ era Oi CO rH C^ CO »0 1ft 05 CO 00 Ci a - ,-1 lO Ol •* r# »CS 00 00 CO O T-^ T-< (30 CO lO tH TJ1 -* 00 Tt< -*" i-T of cf 00 CO CO Oi 00 CO t-H ffl CO iH iH IH 03 kO Ci oa 05 00 lO 50 m Oi a t QC! CQ t» CO !» « I t i «^ S rj 9 Sh IS ^ +J fc^ ?H OT EC ^ -^J "7" ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 165 A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE pi^toiij of pnHic Free ^chool^ iq fcginia AND THE MEANS OF ACQUIRING A FREE HIGHER EDUCATION, Prepared by B. B. Farr^ Superintendent of Public Instruction, at the request of Col. Bandolph Harrison, Commissioner of Agriculture of Virginia, for his Hand-Book of \irginia. The present public free school system of Virginia Is a part of the State consti- tution which was framed by the convention of 1867, and ratified by the people July 6th, 1869. The principal and essential features of the system are clearly and emphatically defined by sections 1 to 12 inclusive of article 8 of the constitu- tion. These sections are so closely connected and ^e such a comprehensive view of the details of the system that they are quoted in full for information. Being the supreme law of the State, they are the superior of any statute that has been or may be passed in conflict with their provisions. ARTICLE VIII— Education. Sec. 1. The general assembly shall elect, in joint ballot, within thirty days after its organization, under this constitution, and every fourth year thereafter, a superintendent of public instruction. He shall have the general supervision of the public free school interest of the State, and shall report to the general assem- bly for its consideration, within thirty days after his election, a plan for a uniform system of public free schools. Sec. 2. There shall be a board of education, composed of the governor, super- intendent of public instruction, and attorney-general, which shall appoint and have power to remove, for cause! and upon notice to the incumbents, subject to confirmation by the senate, all county superintendents of public free schools. This board shall have, regulated by law, the management and investment of all schools funds, and such supervision of schools of higher grades as the law shall provide. Sec. 3. The general assembly shall provide by law, at its first session under this constitution, a uniform system of public free schools, and for its gradual, equal, and full introduction into all the counties of the State, by the year 1876, or as much earlier as practicable. Sec. 4. The general assembly shall have power, after a full introduction of the public free school system, to make such laws as shall not permit parents and guardians to allow their children to grow up in ignorance and vagrancy. Sec. 5. The general assembly shall establish, as soon as practicable, normal schools, and may establish agricultural schools and such grades of schools as shall be for the public good. 166 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. Sec. 6. The board of education shall provide for uniformity of text-books and the furnishing of school-houses with such apparatus and library as may be neces- sary, under such regulations as may be provided by law. Sec. 7. The general assembly shall set apart, as a permanent, and perpetual lit- erary fund, the present literary funds of the State, the proceeds of all public lands donated by congress for public school purposes, of all escheated property, of all waste and unappropriated lands, of all property accruing to the State by forfeiture, and all fines collected for offences committed against the State, and such other sums as the general assembly may appropriate. Sec. 8. The general assembly shall apply the annual interest on the literary fund, the capitation tax provided for by this constitution for public free school purposes, and an annual tax upon the property of the State of not less than one mill nor more than five mills on the dollar, for the equal benefit of all the people of the State, the number of children between the ages of five and twenty-one years, in each public free school district, being the basis of such division. Pro- vision shall be made to supply children attending the public free schools with necessary text-books in cases where the parent or guardian is unable, by reason of poverty, to furnish them. Each county and public free school district may raise additional sums by a tax on property for the support of the public free schools. All unexpended sums of any one year in any public free school district shall go into the general school fund for redivision the next year : provided, that any tax authorized by this section to be raised by counties or school districts shall not exceed five mills on a^ollar in any one year, and shall not be subject to a re- division, as hereinbefore provided in this section. Sec. 9. The general assembly shall have power to foster all higher grades of schools under its supervision, and to provide for such purpose a permanent educa- tional fund. Sec. 10. All grants and donations received by the general assembly for educa- tional purposes shall be applied according to the terms prescribed by the donors. Sec. 11. Each city and county shall be held accountable for the destruction of school property that may take place within its limits by incendiaries or open violence. Sec. 12. The general assembly shall fix the salaries and prescribe the duties of all school officers, and shall make all needful laws and regulations to carry into effect the public free school system provided for by this article. At the time the constitution was ratified, July 6, 1869, members for a general assembly were elected, which met the 5th of the following October, and among its first acts was the passage of a law providing for the adoption of a uniform system of public free schools for the counties. This law was approved July 11th, 1870, (the law to provide for a system of public free schools in the cities of the commonwealth was not passed until the following session, and was approved March 31st, 1871.) These laws were both very full and explicit, and provided that the schools should be free to all the children of the commonwealth between the ages of five and twenty-one, and re-enacted, with the requisite machinery to put them prop- erly in operation, the provisions of the constitution. It provided that the district school trustees required by section 3 of article 7 of the constitution should be elected and controlled under said section by the board of education. This was amended January 11th, 1877, so as to create a " trustee electoral board," to be composed of the county superintendent of schools, county judge, and attorney for the commonwealth, and this was superseded in February, 1884, by the law HAND-BOOK OF VIRGIKTA. 167^ which creates in each county in the State a board known as the " County Board of School Commissioners," to consist of "three citizens of each county in the commonwealth," to be elected by the general assembly every four years, and " to go into office the first day of April succeeding their election, after having first taken and subscribed the usual oath of ofiice." This board is clothed with all the powers and duties of its predecessor. Whilst there is nothing in the constitution of the State which prohibits white and colored children from being taught in the game schools, the original law, which gave force to the constitution, provides that " white and colored children shall not be taught in the same school, but in separate schools, under the same general regulations as to management, usefulness, and efficiency." This provis- ion was emphasised by the law being re-enacted the 27th of June, 1877, and again the 26th of January, 1882. In brief, the public free school system of Virginia is administered by the follow- ing boards and officers : The State board of education, consisting of the governor, who is ex-officio chair- man, the attorney-general, and superintendent of public instruction. At this time it is composed of Hon. W. E. Cameron, governor; Hon. F. S. Blair, attor- ney-general ; and R. R. Farr, superintendent of public instruction. The superintendent of public instruction is elected by the joint vote of the general assembly, and holds his office for four years from the 15th day of March following his election. He is " the chief executive of the public free school sys- tem," and is charged with the duty of seeing that all laws and regulations are faithfully executed, and to determine the true intent and meaning of same. His duties are numerous and responsible. He is provided with an office and two clerks, and is allowed a salary of two thousand dolJars per annum, and is required to make an annual report to the board of education of "' his official proceedings for the year ending the 31st day of July preceding." Every county and city in the State — and some of the towns — has a superintendent of schools, who is appointed by the board of education for four years from thQ first of July following the appointment, " subject to confirmation by the senate." Their salaries are fixed according to the population of their respective counties and cities, and paid in quarterly instalments out of the State school fund. They receive thirty dollars for each thousand of population under their respective jurisdictions for the first ten thousand, rejecting fractions less than five hundred, and twenty dollars for each one thousand in excess of ten thousand up to and including thirty thousand, rejecting fractions of five hundred, and so on. Superintendents of schools have a general supervision over all the schools in their respective counties, cities, and towns, and are required to do all in their power to promote the efficiency of the same. They examine and license all teachers, apportion the State and county school money among tiie several school districts, and exercise a general supervision over the finance of the schools. All teachers of the county or city report to the superintendent monthly and at the end of their term ; and it is his receipt for monthly reports that entitles them to the warrants of the board of trustees, upon which they draw their salaries. Every superintendent is required to report to the superintendent of public instruction monthly and annually, and to observe such instructions and regulations as he may from time to time prescribe. The following is a correct list of the county and city superintendents, and the amount of salary each receives from the State. Cities and towns can supplement the salary of their superintendent, but counties cannot : 168 HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA. I fa «i ^ ^ V ■^ CO H H O >o CO rfi ro eo fo Tj< r^ -S P ^ O ptH <1 O ^ Ph 4 ^ &X1 be C oj ^ 3 .SP r^. P3 K a 0) fe: *= -i* ^ pq o pa d t>5 H w W <^ ■3 I rs : ic: ."t: i 1 i f- c 0. i .2 n P -r-n S ^ S g -3 g O O Q O > a o o • cu ,r! n-! 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IS OS (M CO "M at (M Cft ift (M cs cq »o (N o »o a o tC rH tH r- 1 I-H I— 1 '^ l-H iH rH I-H 3 §< H CO e4H f-^ o o ^ o 'C CO -^ «5 -* M -^jH eo «s '^ eo ^ »o r)< eo Iffl 6 -c ■u ;§ eg en Q ^ . i h o O o O O o o o o o o o O o o ■— ' J ■Tfl o o "■d^ 1>. -* (?a CO ■ o CO 'SiH CO (M -* o S ,s '^ o CO CO t- CO CO 00 CO CO CO CO 00 CO CO 00 CO GO 00 CO CO CO CO 00 00 CO >j ao CO CD 00 CO 00 CO 00 00 CO CO 00 00 00 00 I-H •r^ rH I— 1 1-H l-> T-t rH tH I-H iH I— 1 I-H I-H r-l 2 ^ ^ (?= -* CO CO CO OC OC) . 00 ^ 00 00 00 CO ~ P 00 iH (M • CO (M OD § CJ 1 > ^ u 3 03 3 > CO L. w j; CC o c CI M f- -4-i Ee< r^ O O P £ ^ C c tr tc b, 3 ^ 1 c " s a: 'c c c ■ £ .£ c « a ] > c 5; £ i ! 4 0. c E ■ E K p a ■*-■ 42 .a. OQ '^ c p: c J «• ^ c« f: s f- 8: O C c: c c cE ■^ .i £ "S 4 £ c a !-> h^ t-^ CC ^ c C h^ fL 0. c p. ►^ PH EH cf 15 H a ;. ^ Q > V _C c b 3 1 s I. a " c i ^ Xf > ' 1 i w t: E 1 > a ■> !2i 02 c a C 1 ! 1= > I 1 a c £ e; a 1 PC ;- c *C! 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TABLE No. 2. Showing number of Schools, Enrolment of Scholars, and Average Daily Attend- ance for Year ending July dlst, 1884. SCHOOLS. ENEOLMENT. AvEBAGE Daily Attendance, 3 •6 o o o < O 3 •6 1 o o 4 O aj 3 •6 o O Eh O in 1 2 s 4 5 6 7 8 9 Accomac 61 17 78 3,402 1,571 4,973 1,765 650 2,414 Albemarle T5 42 117 2,746 2,180 4,926 1,598 1,318 2,916 Alexandria City. 17 14 31 883 834 1,717 641 678 1,219 Alexandria Co . . 4 5 9 244 437 681 175 289 464 Alleghany 32 6 38 1,115 200 1,315 640 120 760 Amelia 15 15 30 520 882 1,402 309 424 733 Amherst 50 24 74 2,246 1,118 3,364 1,311 695 2,006 Appomattox — 27 15 42 1,050 896 1,946 595 452 1,047 Augusta 144 40 184 5,198 1,511 6,709 3,121 1,004 4,125 Batli 24 96 33 66 4 38 1 22 28 134 34 88 733 4,388 1,334 1,863 126 2,190 25 755 859 6,578 1.359 2,598 476 2,383 802 1,391 89 1,776 17 541 1,565 Bedford 3,559 Bland 819 Botetourt 1,932 Brunswick 36 36 69 1,254 2,134 3,388 715 900 1,615 Buchanan Buckingham 23 22 689 689 371 371 46 36 82 1,378 1,581 2,959 807 910 1,717 Campbell 74 26 73 2,317 1,894 4,211 1,120 785 1,905 Carolinei 32 31 63 1,073 1,339 2,412 678 738 1,416 Carroll 79 8 3 S 82 16 3,801 254 74 438 3,875 692 1,820 135 48 228 1,868 Charles City.. . 363 Charlotte 32 26 58 1,341 1,721 3,062 740 1,083 1,32J Chesterfield 43 24 67 1,518 1,230 2,748 1,037 6S0 1,687 Clarke 20 28 37 9 22 29 28 59 928 959 1,276 489 1,417 959 2,522 451 644 779 276 727 644 Culpeper........ 1,246 731 1,510 Cumberland 21 18 39 589 1,156 1,745 385 653 938 Danville 11 10 21 463 746 1,209 262 342 604 Danville Distr'ct 39 23 62 1,905 1,832 3,737 1,015 958 1,973 Dickenson 25 25 1,030 1,030 547 547 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. 179 TABLE No. 2— Continued. SCHOOLS. ENROLMENT. AVEKAGE Daily Attendance 3 •6 2 o o O >4 < g 1 3 •6 F-i o o < EH O 3 13 a> o o O h4 o 1 2 8 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dinwiddie 33 27 60 1,014 1,682 2,696 545 671 1,216 Elizabeth City.. 14 15 29 568 1,169 1,787 348 798 1,147 Essex 19 31 40 583 1,820 1,903 340 615 945 Fairfax 50 21 71 2,070 1,030 3,100 1,137 542 1,679 Fauquier 62 31 93 2,400 1,450 3,850 1,305 814 2.119 Floyd T5 7 82 3,540 301 3,841 1,964 203 2,167 Fluvanna 31 19 50 1,099 946 2,045 631 503 1,134 Franklin 89 30 119 3,824 1,4T7 5,301 1,938 891 2,829 Frederick; TB 7 SO 2,988 146 3,084 1,801 100 1,901 Fredericksburg.. 8 3 11 481 258 689 348 187 580 Winchester 7 3 10 387 240 627 295 98 391 Giles 49 20 8 23 57 43 2,020 869 249 1,431 2,269 2,291 812 457 97 817 909 Gloucester 1,274 Goochland 24 24 48 812 1,153 1,965 439 592 1,031 73 5 78 8,658 820 > 185 8,843 1,895 105 2,000 Greene 22 6 28 223 1,054 472 151 623 Greensville 22 23 45 505 954 1,459 350 632 982 Halifax 76 48 124 2,897 1,480 2 898 5,795 1,538 705 1,536 795 3,074 Hanover.... 35 30 65 1,521 3,001 1,500 Henrieo 37 27 64 1,412 1,555 2,967 890 929 1,819 Henry 45 29 74 1,600 1,292 2,892 782 649 1,431 Highland 41 1 42 1,379 30 1,409 906 16 922 Isle of Wight.. . . 29 15 44 1,070 550 1,6T0 724 345 1,069 James City.. .. 9 8 17 290 455 745 157 228 385 King and Queen 19 16 35 700 846 1,546 453 413 871 King George 17 11 28 558 616 1,174 273 325 598 King William... 17 16 33 628 968 1,591 871 517 888 Lancaster 10 9 19 371 571 942 212 274 486 Lee 89 75 5 27 94 102 5,800 3,175 800 1,662 5,600 4,837 4,000 1,835 210 785 4.210 Loudoun 2,620 Louisa 42 48 85 1,365 2,176 3,541 787 1,069 1,856 Lunenburg 27 21 48 886 1,050 1,936 468 572 1,040 Lynchburg 25 16 41 1,383 1,074 2,457 894 701 1,595 -Madison 40 18 58 1,299 890 2,189 792 631 1,423 180 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. TABLE No. 2— Continued. SCHOOLS. ENROLMENT. AVKBAGB Daily Attendance. 1 S •6 o < O a) ■3 o o a H O 3 '6 o o O < O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Manchester 7 4 11 466 318 784 322 201 523 Matthews Mecklenbi 19 40 9 37 28 7T 700 1,580 300 2,328 1,000 3,908 427 900 173 1,153 600 irg... 2,053 Middlesex 13 10 23 468 724 1,192 246 288 534 Montgomery. . . . 81 17 98 2,896 641 3,037 1,606 340 1,846 Nansemond 34 22 56 1,200 1,230 2,430 620 658 1,278 Nelson 53 11 28 81 1 710 1,252 424 2,962 1,061 171 786 1,837 421 New Kent 9 20 279 703 260 Norfolk City.... 18 10 28 1,383 616 1.9m 739 477 1,216 Norfolk County. 30 30 60 1,320 2,339 3,659 832 994 1,826 Northampton... 16 10 26 651 742 1,393 339 352 691 Northumberl 'nd 21 9 30 920 600 1,562 504 279 783 Nottoway 18 17 36 622 883 1,505 392 554 946 Orange ... 33 21 64 1,130 1,154 3,284 720 714 1,434 Page ...... . . 59 7 66 2 529 " 299 2,828 1,510 1,269 801 187 1,697 Patrick 55 20 11 21 66 41 2,817 1,133 464 1,585 3,281 2,718 243 1,178 1,612 Petersburg 1,979 Pittsylvania 65 32 97 2,943 2,011 4,954 1,341 919 2,260 Portsmouth 10 4 14 628 488 1,116 460 348 798 Powhatan 16 14 30 494 806 1,300 307 407 714 Prince Edward. 29 26 B6 867 1,493 2,360 551 810 1,361 Prince George.. 19 17 36 589 1,017 1,606 338 506 844 Prince William. S5 11 46 1,419 545 1,964 731 274 1 ,«05 Princess Anne . . 22 11 33 1,049 720 1,769 537 393 930 Pulaski... 28 10 38 1,272 428 1,700 749 269 1,018 Kappahannock . 29 13 42 1,192 660 1,852 604 261 765 laclnnond City. . 101 58 159 4,959 3,194 8,153 4,014 2,746 6,760 Eichmona Co... 22 8 30 795 451 1,246 390 229 619 Eoanoke . 64 91 20 23 74 114 2,534 3,C40 979 1,125 3,513 4,665 1,165 2,009 621 732 1,786 Eockbridg i 2,741 Rockingham 183 19 202 7,146 1,103 8,250 4,59« 424 5,017 Eussell 73 87 102 9 3 4 82 90 106 3,264 4,753 4,677 277 77 154 3,541 4,830 4,731 1,603 2,589 2,591 202 64 95 2,005 Scott 2,643 Shenandoa h 1 2,6S HAND-BOOK OF VIEGINIA; 181 TABLE 2— Continued. SCHOOLS. ENROLMENT. Average Daily Attendance 3 ■6 O O o < O 3 P o o < Eh O 03 3 •a £ o o O <4 < EH 1 2 8 4 6 6 T 8 9 Smyth 60 8 68 2,678 374 3,052 1,805 230 2,035 Southampton . . . 40 32 72 1,210 2,18i 3,395 556 701 1,257 Spotsylvania 25 16 41 871 S86 1,757 475 417 892 Stafford 24 8 32 976 369 1,345 489 172 661 Staunton 11 9 20 807 471 978 c 379 375 754 Surry • ... 12 24 13 28 25 52 395 642 828 1,460 1,223 2,102 230 363 399 684 629 Sussex 1,047 Tazewell 62 16 78 2,242 542 8,784 1,214 302 1,516 28 5 T 6 35 11 1,319 170 271 342 1,590 512 688 111 161 209 849 W arwlcK 320 Washington 102 17 119 5,147 787 5,934 2,701 453 3,164 Westmoreland.. 18 12 30 691 »10 1,601 388 271 659 24 61 24 73 1,571 2,583 503 ],571 3,086 1,250 1,428 274 1,250- Wythe.... 12 1,702 York 13 10 23 580 690 1,270 290 402 692 Totals 4,477 1,873 6,350 184,720 103,310 288,030 106,907 56,462 163,369 182 HAND-BOOK OF VIRGINIA. In addition to the instruction in the higher branches, which is given in many of the public free schools of the counties, the public high schools of the principal cities, such as Eichmond — where public free school facilities rank first in the State, and which will compare favorably with those of any other city of equal extent in the United States — Petersburg, Norfolk, Alexandria, Lynchburg, Staunton, and most of the towns, such as Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Abingdon, and so on, furnish ample facilities for acquiring a first-class education. Besides these means of obtaining a free education, all of the young men in the State over 18 years of age under restrictions in regard to proficiency are allowed to enter the academic department of the University of Virginia free of tuition, thus affording a rare opportunity to secure the highest education. The university is situated at Charlottesville, Albemarle county, and was established in 1825. The Virginia Military Institute is situated at Lexington, Va., in the county of Rockbridge, and was established in 1839. The Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical college is situated at Blacksburg, in Montgomery county, Va., and was opened in 1872. These institutions are supported in part by the State, and are free for a selected number of male students of proper age and acquirements. The Virginia Normal School, at Farmville, was opened in 1884, and is exclu- sively for the education of teachers. It is supported by the State, and is open only to young ladies under certain restrictions as to qualification and location. The Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, established at Hampton in 1868, is for colored youths of both sexes, and receives some assistance from the State. The Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute is situated in the county of Ches- terfield, opposite the city of Petersburg. It was incorporated in 1882, and the normal department opened in October, 1883, It is exclusively for the education of the negroes of Virginia of both sexes, and is managed by a board of trustees, all of whom are negroes but two, and the act of its incorporation requires that the president and all the instructors and attaches shall be of that race. In addition to these institutions provision is made by the state for the education of the mute and blind in an institution at Staunton. From this brief summary it will be seen that Virginia is alive to the great im- portance of education, and has afibrded her children ample opportunities to obtain not only a well grounded primary education, through the means of a thorough public free-school system, but unusual facilities for the higher education free in the institutions enumerated. A careful examination of tables 1 and 2 will show that the people are alive to their interest, and that never in the histoiy of the State were they so thoroughly awakened to the importance of education as at the present time. Very respectfully, R. R. FARE, Superintendent Public Instruction. LB -=-:2..