The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1845-03-28
NUMBER 2j.


ing near the roads, which will answer very
well for them, Especially If somewhat more
attention be paid to the cultivation of the
grasses may be expected to have an un.
due Influence IN The remote pats OF those
counties.
2. The families by whom these counties
are settled, were from below the ridge, and
carried with them INTO The mountain Iepiop.
the kind Of husbandry to which they have
been accustomed in tho warmer and dricr
paris from which they came. II is only
gradually that men change the habits aud
practices of their earlier days. This influ.
ence of custom is exhibited on the north.
ernmost range Of counties 10 North Caro-.
lima, along the Virginia line, where the cul.
lure oil tobacco prevails much more exten.
slvely than little farther South, where the
soil is equally well adapted 10 the growth
OF that noxIous weed.
The latitude and elevalon-ard of course
the temperature of the mountain counties as
far as il depends upon these two, are yery
nearly the same, with those Of ancient Ar.
cadia-the country of herdsmcn and shep.
herds. Their soil is different, having been
formed by the decomposition Of primitive
rocks-granIte, gneiss and mica slate
whilst limestone nbounds 10 Arcadia, as well
rs other parts Of Greece. But il is 10 the
raising of cattle and sheep and the making
OF butter and cheese for the counties below
the ridge, that it may be expected there will
DO tendency 10 the industry in the noun.
TEN region for many ycars. The quantity
Of rain falling there, is greater than in Tho
Eastern parts Of tho State, aud luxuriant
meadows of The most valuable grasses, but
especially Of Timothy, may be easily form.
cd This is for winter food Bu,the sum.
mer pastures, too, are susceptible Of crea,
improvement.
Whilst the indians held possession of tie
country it was burn. over every year. The
fire destroyed the greater number of the
young trees that were spriugng up, and the
large ones remained lhinly scattered like The
apple.trees in an orchard with large open
spaces betN cen. In these the different kinds
OF native vines and other wild pan,s-pea
vine, &C., commended for the mastery, and
each prevailed and excluded the other &C.
cordng 10 the vigor Of its growth. Macon
county still exhibits in some parts lie ap.
pearance which the whole back country of
North Carolina may be supposed to have
borne when the first settlements OF the whites
were. made. But after the Indians had been
removed aud large quantities Of stock we're
introduced, the cattle and horses len, their
3Id in this contest Of the different vegetable
species and in favor ofthe wors, kinds. They
ate out aud destroyed such as they found
palatable and suitable for the nourishment Of
whilst such as are worthless we're
permitted TO grow and occupy the ground.
In the mean time the annual firing OF the
woods that had been praciised by the Indians
having ceased, bushes and small trees have
oyerspread and shaded large space thu, was
formerly covered with heritage. For these
Two reasons, therefore, because the best
Kinds Of vegetables have been in a great
measure eaten out, and destroyed, and be.
cause Of the thickening of the forests the
-ange (even if the population were still the
'nme) would be greatly inferior 10 what it
vas fifty years ago.
1t is necessary here as in other cases that
he industry and ingenuity of man should
ome in to direct aud TO some extent con.
rol the operations CT nature. The best
,rasses-best for pasturage, must be intro
Iuced aud made TO take the place of such
IS are worthless. The milk, butter, and
cheese, would be improved in quality as well
IS increased IN quantity. As the wild on
on, when eaten by cows, gives milk fla
'our that is ntolerable 10 some persons, SO
I may be expected thai bitter aud unpalata.
lie weeds of every kind will give il a wild
nd savage taste that it will be inferior in
urty and richness TO such as is yielded
where the sweetes. and best grasses are the
My food. Ii appeared to me as rode down
rom the Flat Rock TO Ashevile that there
we're very extensive tracts in Henderson
nd in the southern part Of Buncombe now
lmost waste aud worthless, which would,
u the course Of few years, be converted
nto artificial pastures not the most fertile in
he worid-but such as would amply repay
n outlay OF capital upon them; that the
marshes and low grounds would be drained
nd rank Timothy take the place Of sedge
nd other coarse grasses that afford no nour-
shmen.. In the immediate neighborhood
f the Flat Rock saw that The good work
ed been began and made considerable
rogress.
The sides Of the mountains are too steep
o be cleared and converted INTO pastures
hat will have any permanent, value. The
oil that is exposed would be washed away.
'bt there are tracts, some Of no inconsider.
BILE extent and especially near the ores, of
he ridge and along the head springs Of the
western waters, where the surface IS COM
'aratiyely livid, the soil sufficiently moist
md fertile, aud where capital might be sd-
invested for the purpose of
them into meadows and pastures.
The tops Of the mountains also, where the
-idge is broad, or single SUNNI, has
rounded surface instead Of sharp, will af.
ord few grazing farms. | do NOT altoge,h.
n despair Of living TO see the time when the
al. L i n