"This district has an area of 10,000 square miles, and is capable of maintaining a population of 1,000,000 souls. It is not generally a lime land, but portions of it are very rich, viz.: Loudoun, Fauquier, Albemarle, and Bedford counties. The tobacco which is raised in the southern section of Piedmont, south of 38°, is known as shipping tobacco. The fine tobacco counties in this section are Albemarle, Henry, Pittsylvania, Halifax, Campbell, etc.

"Before we reach the third principal region of Virginia we must cross the Blue Ridge, where we find still some of the most beautiful forests of America, and an atmosphere of surpassing salubrity. The productions of this magnificent mountain-belt are similar to those regions on its sides. Waving wheat-fields and pastures and charming valleys, with grazing cattle and hardy husbandry, may everywhere be met. Vineyards are everywhere springing up, and its honey finds now, and its wines will soon find, a market in the world.

"To the sturdy emigrant this ridge offers still thousands of acres of virgin lands, and nowhere in America will he have nature's assurance of a long life so plainly indicated as here. This ridge alone contains at least 2000 square miles, or 1,280,000 acres-enough to divide into 6400 farms of 200 acres each, and to support a population of 50,000 more than it has now.

"VALLEY DISTRICT.-Crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains we come to the celebrated valley of Virginia (Shenandoah and South Branch), not only renowned for the fertility of its soil-8000 square miles in area, and capable of supporting 800,000 people—but for the splendid characteristics of its inhabitants—originally English, German, Scotch and Irish, now intermixed in one brave race. A continuation of the fruitful Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania, it stretches between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains the entire length of Virginia, obliquely from northeast to southwest, nearly 300 miles, and is from 25 to 30 miles wide. Possessing the finest grazing country in the world, and having throughout a limestone foundation, its lands. yield from 20 to 40 bushels of wheat, and from 40 to 50 bushels of Indian corn is by no means an extraordinary crop.

"To show the remarkable permanancy of its fertility, we cite the following from a traveller in the last century. Burnaby, in his travels, describes the condition of the Germans on the Shenandoah as follows: 'I could not but reflect with pleasure on the situation of these people, and think if there is such a thing as happiness in this life they enjoy it. Far from the bustle of the world, they live in the

most delightful climate and richest soil imaginable; they are everywhere surrounded with beautiful prospects and sylvan scenes, lofty mountains, transparent streams, falls of water, rich valleys, and majestic woods; the whole interspersed with an infinite variety of flowering shrubs, constitute the landscape surrounding them; they are subject to few diseases; are generally robust and live in perfect liberty; they are ignorant of want and acquainted with but few vices; their inexperience of the elegancies of life precludes any regret that they possess not the means of enjoying them; but they possess what many princes would give their dominions for-health, content, and tranquillity of mind.' Seventy years later, Bernhard, Duke of SaxeWeimer, says of this valley: "The country was pretty well cultivated, and by the exterior of many country houses, we were induced to believe their inhabitants enjoyed plenty.' Daniel Webster, twenty years after this, in a public oration in the Shenandoah Valley, said: 'he had seen no finer farming land in his European travels than in that valley.' Still twenty years later, and the Northern troops when they entered it victoriously, after its great defender, Stonewall Jackson, had fallen, exclaimed: 'Here is a second Canaan, let us rest here and pitch our tents.' What gives particular interest to this valley and to the Blue Ridge to the European and Northern emigrant is the fact that there have never been many negroes within them-at this day the land is cultivated almost entirely by white laborers.

"THE ALLEGHANIES.-Beyond this valley westward rise the Alleghanies. Their range runs northeast and southwest 250 miles, by 50 miles of average width-making of mountains, valleys, and dales, 12,500 square miles. Besides their aspect of rocks, ridges, caves, valleys, slopes, healing springs, streams, and fountains, they present to the eye a most luxuriant indigenous verdure of blue-grass spread over forests and fields, which offer grazing to live stock on nature's pastures without cost of clearing or cultivation. North of the High Knob and Haystack there are no negroes. The whole region of these mountains abounds in minerals of every description, which wait for capital to develop them. Wheat, rye, oats, and other grains, and the fruits of northern latitudes grow luxuriantly everywhere in the valleys, dales, plateaus, and on the slopes of these rugged mountains, and offer a most inviting home to a Swiss, a Scot, a Swede, a Norwegian, etc. There is room enough in these mountains for 1,200,000 immigrants of every kind of occupation."

The lower part of the State is divided by the Chesapeake Bay, two

counties lying between the Bay and the Ocean. They are known as the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Below the mouth of the Potomac River, the Chesapeake lies wholly in the State, and receives the waters of the Rappahannock, Piankatank, York, and James rivers. The famous oyster fishing grounds of the Chesapeake are within this part of the State, and from them millions of bushels of oysters are gathered every year, and shipped to Baltimore and the northern cities.

The Potomac River washes the entire northeast border of the State. It rises in two branches, in the eastern part of West Virginia. These branches unite in Hampshire county, West Va., from which point the main river pursues a generally southeast course to its mouth. It is 350 miles long, exclusive of its branches. It flows into the Chesapeake Bay through a broad estuary, 50 miles long, and from 6 to 10 miles wide. It is navigable to Washington for first-class vessels.

At Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, it is broken by a magnificent fall, over 50 feet high. The country along its upper waters is beautiful and grand beyond description. At Harper's Ferry, the river first touches the soil of Old Virginia. Here it breaks through the Blue Ridge, a mountain-pass of the greatest magnificence. It forms the boundary between Maryland and West Virginia and Virginia. Leesburg and Alexandria are the principal towns of Virginia on the river. George Washington was born on the shores of the lower Potomac. The Rappahannock River is formed by the junction of the North and Rapidan rivers in the eastern part of Culpeper county. Flowing southeast, it empties into the Chesapeake Bay, about twenty-five or thirty miles below the mouth of the Potomac. It meets the tide at Fredericksburg, its principal town. Above this place it possesses almost unlimited water-power of the best description. It is 125 miles long, and flows through a beautiful and fertile country. Together with the Rapidan, it has been rendered famous by the events which occurred on its shores during the late civil war. The York River is formed by the junction of the Mattapony and Pamunkey rivers, at the southeast end of King William county. It is about 40 miles long, with an average width of 3 miles, and flows southeasterly into Chesapeake Bay, directly opposite Cape Charles. West Point, at its head, now a mere hamlet, was once the most important place in the colony of Virginia. Yorktown, so famous in the Revolution and the Rebellion, is situated on the right bank of the river, a mile or two from its mouth. The James River, the principal stream in the State, is formed by the confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers, on the borders of Alleghany and Bottetourt counties. It flows southeast to the Blue Ridge Mountains, through which it forces its way, forming one of the grandest river passes in America. From this point its general course is northeast to the southern border of Albemarle county, after which it flows east-southeast to the bay, emptying into that body of water between Capes Charles and Henry. It is broken in several places by falls, and at Richmond flows over a succession of rapids six miles long. It is about 450 miles long, exclusive of its branches. It is navigable for ships and steamers to Richmond, 150 miles from the sea, at the head of tide water. The James River and Kanawha Canal furnish uninterrupted navigation from Richmond to beyond the Blue Ridge. The James flows through a beautiful and fertile country along its whole length. Above Richmond its water-power is magnificent. The lower part of the river is

known as Hampton Roads, and is defended by the powerful works of Fortress Monroe and Fort Wool. Lynchburg and Richmond are the principal towns on the river. Norfolk is situated on the Elizabeth River, 14 miles from its entrance into the James, opposite Fortress Monroe. The Roanoke River of North Carolina, and the Holston of Tennessee, rise in the southeast part of Virginia.

The State is crossed by the Alleghany and Blue Ridge ranges, the former separating it from West Virginia. The Cumberland Mountains form the southwestern boundary, and separate Virginia from Kentucky.

The region immediately south of Norfolk is occupied by an immense marsh known as the Dismal Swamp, through which a canal has been cut from Norfolk to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, connecting the waters of the Chesapeake with those of Albemarle Sound.

"The celebrated swamp called the 'Dismal,' lies partly in Virginia and partly in North Carolina; it extends from north to south nearly 30 miles, and averages, from east to west, about 10 miles. Five navigable rivers and some creeks rise in it. The sources of all these streams are hidden in the swamp, and no traces of them appear above ground. From this it appears that there must be plentiful subterraneous fountains to supply these streams, or the soil must be filled perpetually with the water drained from the higher lands which surround it. The latter hypothesis is most probable, because the soil of the swamp is a complete quagmire, trembling under the feet, and filling immediately the impression of every step with water. It may be penetrated to a great distance by thrusting down a stick, and whenever a fire is kindled upon it, after the layer of leaves and rubbish is burned through, the coals sink down, and are extinguished. The eastern skirts of the Dismal Swamp are overgrown with reeds, ten or twelve feet high, interlaced everywhere with thorny bamboo briers, which render it almost impossible to pass. Among these are found, here and there, a cypress, and white cedar, which last is commonly mistaken for the juniper. Towards the south there is a very large tract covered with reeds, without any trees, which being constantly green, and waving in the wind, is called the green sea. An evergreen shrub, called the gall-bush, grows plentifully throughout, but especially on the borders; it bears a berry which dyes a black color, like the gall of an oak, and hence its name. Near the middle of the swamp, the trees grow much closer, both the cypress and cedar; and being always green, and loaded with large tops, are much exposed to the wind, and