As Others See Us
"While we are enjoying a change of scene in 'old Virginia,' I have been greatly interested in the agriculture of this fertile peninsula on the East shore, between the Chesapeake bay on the west and the Atlantic on the east. The peninsula in Virginia is some sixty-five miles long and only seven or eight miles wide.
"Nearly all the peninsula farmers are engaged in truck farming and this year with a bumper crop of potatoes, onions and strawberries, they are making barrels of money and are all feeling happy.
"Since coming here I have been acting as John for my son, E. H. Stevens, who is making a United States government soil survey map of this (Accomac) county and have therefore had a fine opportunity to see the country and meet many of the farmers.
"This peninsula is one of the greatest producers of Irish Cobbler potatoes and sweet potatoes in this country and a yield this year of 300 or more bushels to the acre of Irish potatoes and about the same of sweets is common, and this year 250 bushels is considered when the weather conditions have been especially favorable, a rather ordinary yield.
"Week before last over 600 carloads of Irish potatoes a day were shipped from this peninsula alone. The large wharf line at Onancock is filled daily with barrels of potatoes and baskets of onions for the freight steamers and barges which come here daily. The New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk railroad which runs through the center of this peninsula does an enormous business in freight hauling and it is nothing unusual to see train loads of sixty or more freight cars all loaded with barrels of Irish cobbler potatoes and onions, mostly potatoes.
"The country is very level, and it is said there is not an elevation in this county more than forty feet above sea level. There is considerable forest land, mostly loblolly or long leafed pine, but somewhat different from the long leaf pine grown farther south.
"The best farms here are worth $300 an acre or more and the poorest about $50. Most of the farmers have small holdings from 10 to 75 acres. They say that a small truck farm well cared for is more profitable than a large farm poorly cultivated. The farmers are progressive and take splendid care of their crops as a rule.
"The Virginian people are without exception the most cordial and friendly people I have ever had the good fortune to meet. On the streets nearly all the men you meet speak to you or touch their hat, and it is always proper to say 'good morning' or 'good evening' to anyone you meet.
"Out among the farmers we have been shown every courtesy and, no matter how busy a man may be, he always seems to have time to stop work and visit, give us all the necessary information about roads and do some kindly thing for us and I surely enjoy meeting these gentlemanly, courteous people."
The above is from a letter that recently appeared in the Homer Republican, a paper published by at Homer, N. Y., of which Mr. Charles H. Stevens is a popular editor. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens recently visited their son, Prof. E. H. Stevens, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. N. W. Nock, of this town. They made many friends while here, and we note with grateful appreciation the complimentary report of our section that was made by the visitors.