If one considers civilian employees solely, the largest number of employees in the state is engaged in manufacturing. The number of employees in manufacturing first surpassed the number of employees in agriculture in the 1940's. The manufacturing industries which have the largest number of employees are textile, chemical and chemical products, food and kindred products, and lumber and wood products; these employees constitute nearly 50% of all workers engaged in manufacturing. Other important manufacturing industries include apparel, transportation equipment, furniture, tobacco, paper and paper products, printing and publishing, stone, clay and glass production, leather and leather products, primary metals, fabricated metals, and non-electrical machinery. As Virginia has changed from a predominantly agricultural state to a predominantly manufacturing state, wholesale and retail trade has increased proportionately. Although agriculture is no longer the leading occupation, Virginia has a variety of important crops and livestock. Poultry and poultry products, meat animals, dairy products, tobacco, peanuts, corn, winter wheat, sweet potatoes, hay, cotton, orchard grass seed, truck farming crops and fruit (especially apples, peaches, strawberries and watermelons) are leading farm products. Significant numbers of workers in Virginia are engaged in wholesale and retail trade, services, public utilities, construction (especially construction of private houses, buildings and public highways), finance, mining (especially bituminous coal and quarry stone), forestry and fisheries, and travel trade. An efficient transportation system, consisting of a network of key railroads, excellent highways, deep harbors and modern airports plays a basic role in the economic life of the state. A survey of the major occupations reveals a diversified economic life which provides the citizens of Virginia with broad opportunities for employment. 6 Cultural Life Culture has been defined as the "training, improvement and refinement of the mind." Since literature, art, sculpture, architecture, music, drama and education are factors which influence, as well as reflect, the culture of a group, a survey of some of the outstanding contributors to these fields will reveal the broad, cultural heritage of the residents of the Commonwealth. _Literature_