VIRGINIA.

Situation and Extent.-The State of Virginia is bounded on the W. and N. W. by Kentucky and West Virginia, N. E. and E. by Maryland, Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, and S. by North Carolina and Tennessee. It is situated between latitudes 36° 30′ and 39° 40′ N. and longitudes 1° 35′ E. and 6° 35′ W. from Washington, or 75° 25′ and 83° 35′ W. from Greenwich. The extreme length is 425 miles, the breadth 205 miles and the area 38,348 square miles, or 24,542,720 acres.

Physical Features.-Surface. By its natural configuration the State is divided into three districts. (1.) Tide-water Virginia, extending from the coast to the falls of the rivers, contains no mountains or high hills, but is an alluvial country, having low and marshy lands along the seaboard, which terminate in the south-east in the Great Dismal Swamp. (2.) Piedmont Virginia, which extends from the river-falls to the Blue Ridge, is rolling and picturesque, and in its western part broken by ranges of low hills. (3.) The great valley of Virginia includes all the region between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghanies. The great Appalachian chain of mountains extends over a breadth of 150 miles, in parallel ridges and low summits, with occasional lofty spurs. The Peaks of Otter attain an elevation of 5307 feet above the sea level. John Randolph of Roanoke once visited this summit, and as he saw the sun rise over the magnificent scene he said to his servant: "Never from this time believe any one who tells you that there is no God." Five States can be seen from the top of Bald Knob, upon the side of which, 4500 feet above the sea, is Salt Pond (containing fresh water, but called salt from an adjacent salt lick), with a depth said to be unfathomable. Virginia contains very many objects of interest to tourists. The Natural Bridge has an arch 215 feet above the stream, with a span of 93 feet and a width of 80 feet. A stage road runs over it. The Natural Tunnel, in Scott county, is said by Pollard to be "undoubtedly the greatest wonder in Virginia." It extends for 800 feet through the solid rock, and has a height of 80 feet. A remarkable cascade, called Puncheon Run Falls, down which the water plunges 2000 feet, has lately been brought into notice. There are many caverns, among the most noted of which are Weyer's Cave, 1600 feet in length, Madison's Cave and the "Cave of the Unknown." Mineral springs abound along the mountain chain from the borders of North Carolina to the Potomac, making this region "a sufficient sanitarium for all America." There are white, yellow, blue, red and salt sulphur springs, offering medicines compounded in Nature's laboratory for the cure of a multitude of human ailments. A temperature of 106 degrees has been noted in the warm springs. Rivers.— The Potomac separates Virginia from Maryland and affords navigation for large vessels as far as Alexandria, where it is a mile and a quarter wide. Its principal tributary is the Shenandoah, which drains the great valley of

Virginia west of the Blue Ridge and unites with the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. The Rappahannock, the York and the James take their rise in the mountains, and flowing nearly parallel to the Potomac in a south-easterly direction, discharge their waters into Chesapeake Bay. Rapids and falls limit the navigable course of each to about 100 miles. South-eastern Virginia is drained by the Meherrin and the Nottoway, which unite in North Carolina to form the Chowan. The Holston, the Clinch and Powell's Rivers drain the south-western counties and afterward combine with the Tennessee. Forests.-Timber is very abundant. The hickory, white and black oak, ash, chestnut, beech, maple, cedar, pine, etc., grow to an enormous size. When oak lands are cleared a growth of pines springs up, and when pines are removed oaks take their places. Fields once cultivated, if left to themselves, are quickly covered with pines. The last census reported 8,294,734 acres of woodland upon farms.

Soil and Climate.-The soil in the east is composed of a vegetable mould, resting upon an alluvial, clayey sand of great depth. Piedmont Virginia has a limestone basis for its fertile clay and loam. The valleys of the south-west contain the celebrated "blue-grass" soil, which is impreg nated with lime and exceedingly productive. A book published in London in 1757 speaks of the Virginia climate as follows: "The heats in summer are excessively great, but not without the allay of refreshing sea-breezes. Their winter frosts come on without the least warning. After a warm day, toward the setting in of winter, so intense a cold often succeeds as to freeze over the broadest and deepest of their great rivers in one night; but these frosts, as well as their rains, are rather violent than of long continuance." The writer must have generalized from an exceptional winter, as the rivers are entirely unobstructed by ice throughout many seasons. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1874, the maximum temperature at Cape Henry was 98 degrees; at Lynchburg the maximum was 97°, and the mean for the year 56.5°; at Wytheville, among the mountains, the maximum was 95°, and the mean 51.3° (more than a degree lower than the mean for Philadelphia); at Norfolk the mean was 58.4°, the minimum 15° and the maximum 102°; upon 19 days the mercury sank below 32°, and upon 34 days rose above 90°. The rainfall at Wytheville was 40.66 inches, at Lynchburg 44.74 inches and at Norfolk 55.27 inches. Upon the isothermal charts the lines crossing Virginia are: Spring, 55°; summer, 72°-77°; autumn, 52°-60°; winter, 30°-40°; mean, 55°-60°.

Agricultural Productions.-The great staple, from the earliest settlement, has been tobacco, which grew "as tall as an ordinary-sized man" [see AMERICAN AGRICULTURE]. In 1873 the product of 82,200 acres devoted to tobacco culture was 50,000,000 pounds (Kentucky grew three times as much), valued at $4,600,000. The total value of the Indian corn, wheat, rye, oats, barley, buckwheat, potato, tobacco and hay crops

grown upon 2,427,804 acres was $30,768,950. The last Federal census reported 18,145,911 acres in farms, of which 8,165,040 acres were improved; value of farms, farm implements and live-stock, $246,132,550; value of productions, $51,774,801; average size of farms, 246 acres. Some cotton was grown in the southern counties. In 1874 the State contained 189,300 horses, 29,600 mules, 405,700 oxen and other cattle, 234,000 milch cows, 753,100 hogs and 367,500 sheep. Nearly 60 per cent. of the workers were employed in agriculture.

Manufactures.-The number of manufacturing establishments was 5933; hands employed, 26,694; value of materials, $23,832,384; value of products, $38,364,322. Among the leading industries in value were: Tobacco, chewing, smoking and snuff, $6,935,249; flouring-mill products, $6,581,396; iron, forged and rolled, $1,994,146; iron, castings, $769,274; iron, pig, $619,820; lumber, $1,609,966; cotton goods, $1,435,800; cars, freight and passenger, $613,036; machinery, $511,485.

Minerals and Mining.-Coal formations underlie 21,000 square miles. Anthracite coal is found between the James and the Potomac; the bituminous seams are of great thickness. Iron, lead, gold, copper, manganese and zinc are found. The deposits of marl, plaster, limestone and marble are extensive. Salt-wells exist, which yielded 10,000 bushels of salt per day during the war. South-western Virginia is especially rich in minerals. The product of 27 mines reported at the last census, which empoyed 997 hands, was $409,914.

Commerce and Navigation.-An extensive commerce was carried on from Virginia during the colonial days. The imports of this State and Maryland during the year 1770 were valued at upward of three millions of dollars, and the exports at nearly two millions. There are now seven customs districts-viz., Alexandria, Cherrystone, Norfolk and Portsmouth, Petersburg, Richmond, Tappahannock and Yorktown. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, 65 American and 45 foreign vessels entered and 80 American and 78 foreign vessels cleared in the foreign trade; the value of imports was $236,566, and of exports, $5,299,670. Belonging in the State were 1017 vessels, of which 74 were steamers. Fifty vessels, including nine steamers, were built.

Railroads and Canals.-The railroad statistics for 1874 were: Miles of railroad, 1638; total capital account, $96,324,418; cost per mile, $46,332; receipts, $6,842,633; receipts per mile, $4112; receipts to an inhabitant, $5.36; net earnings, $2,196,418. The James River and Kanawha Canal was projected to connect the James with the Ohio, but it is estimated that $40,000,000 would be needed to complete it. A canal 23 miles long passes through the Dismal Swamp, connecting Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound.

Public Institutions and Education.-The State Peniten

tiary, at Richmond, is conducted on the "silent system." There are three Asylums for the Insane, located at Williamsburg, Staunton and Richmond. The Eastern Asylum is the oldest in the United States, having been established in 1773. The Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind is at Staunton. A general school law was passed July 11, 1870. In 1874 the number of public schools was 3696; pupils enrolled, 160,859; average attendance, 91,175; teachers, 3757; value of school property, $524,638. There are eight colleges and universities. William and Mary College was founded in 1692, and is the oldest collegiate institution in the country, with the exception of Harvard [see AMERICAN EDUCATION]. At the University of Virginia all the studies are elective. Professional instruction is afforded by five schools of theology, three of law, two of medicine and six of science. A school of instruction, under the direction of the United States Signal Service Bureau, has been established at Fort Whipple. The number of libraries in 1870 was 4171; newspapers, 114, of which 16 were daily; religious organizations, 2582, with 2405 edifices. In 1875 the perjodicals had increased to 142, of which 21 were published daily.

Cities and Towns.-Richmond, the capital, is situated upon the James River. Large vessels come up to the docks, and railroads radiate from the city in five directions, giving facilities for a very extensive wholesale trade. There are large tobacco warehouses, iron-works, founderies, machine-shops, etc. Twenty-two periodicals are published, of which seven are issued daily. The number of inhabitants was 51,038 in 1870, and is estimated at 70,000 in 1875. Norfolk, upon the south side of Chesapeake Bay, has a harbor open at all seasons of the year, which admits vessels drawing 30 feet of water. Steamers run regularly to Richmond, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. The shipment of fruits and vegetables during 1874 was 1,300,000 barrels and crates. For the season of 1874-5 the receipts of cotton were estimated at 500,000 bales. The city has 26 churches and three daily newspapers. Population, 19,229 in 1870, and estimated at 25,000 in 1875. Gosport Navy Yard is near Norfolk. Lynchburg, on the James River, carries on a large trade with Southwestern Virginia. It contains nearly 50 tobacco warehouses, and large founderies and iron-works have been established in the vicinity. There are 10 churches and 6 newspapers. Population, 6825 in 1870, and now about 13,000. Petersburg (population, 18,950), thirty miles south of Richmond, is an important railway centre, having lines extending in five directions. Three daily newspapers are issued. Lexington (population, 2873) has been called the "Athens of Virginia." Washington College was established at this place, under the name of Liberty Hall, in 1776, and received its endowment from General Washington. The Virginia Military Institute was founded in 1839. Alexandria, on the Potomac River, seven miles below Washington, belonged to the District of Columbia until 1846, when

it was ceded back to Virginia. Population, 13,570. Bristol, in the valley, near the Tennessee line, is the centre of a large trade carried on by wagons, "the white ships of the mountains." Other important towns are Portsmouth (10,492), Staunton (5120), Winchester (4477), Fredericksburg (4046), Danville (3463) and Charlottesville (2838).

Population.-In 1649 there were 15,000 English inhabitants and 300 negroes. During the eighteenth century the population doubled every 27 years, and Jefferson computed that if the same ratio of increase continued Virginia would contain upward of four and a half millions of people in 1863. By the Federal census, the number of inhabitants at successive decennial periods (including West Virginia until 1870) was as follows: 1790, 747,610 (slaves, 292,627); 1800, 880,200 (slaves, 345,796); 1810, 974,600 (slaves, 392,516); 1820, 1,065,116 (slaves, 425,148); 1830, 1,211,405 (slaves, 469,757); 1840, 1,239,797 (slaves, 448,987); 1850, 1,421,661 (slaves, 472,528); 1860, 1,596,318 (slaves, 490,865); 1870 (West Virginia excluded), 1,225,163 (free colored, 512,841). Virginia ranked first in population from 1790 to 1810, second in 1820, third in 1830, fourth in 1840 and 1850, fifth in 1860 and tenth in 1870. In slave population it ranked first during the whole period from 1790 to 1860. In free-colored population it ranked next to Georgia in 1870. Of the total number of inhabitants (1,225,163) at the last date, 1,163,822 were born in the original State, 13,754 were foreign born and 47,587 had come in from other States, of which number 16,869 were born in North Carolina, 7344 in Maryland, 4908 in New York, 4046 in Pennsylvania, etc. The density of population was 31.95 persons to a square mile.

Government and Laws.-The legislature consists of a senate of 43 members and a house of delegates of 138 members. The supreme court of appeals has five judges, holding office for twelve years. There are sixteen judges of the circuit court, whose term of service is eight years. The county and city judges serve for three years. All judges are elected by the legislature. The State election is held on the first Monday in November. A convention met at Richmond, Dec. 3, 1867, for the revision of the Constitution, and the new Constitution was ratified by the people July 6, 1869. The State is divided into 99 counties. By a constitutional amendment, ratified by a large majority in 1874, the township system was abolished.

History.-Sir Walter Raleigh bestowed the name of Virginia upon. this territory, in honor of the virgin queen Elizabeth. Jamestown, which was founded May 13, 1607, claims the honor of being the oldest English settlement in America. Colonists came over in large numbers during a few succeeding years. Indian hostilities might have proved fatal to the new colony but for the intervention of Pocahontas, who saved Capt. John Smith from death, and afterward disclosed a plot formed by the savages