Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1856-06-04

Next in utility. and superior in size,
are the majestic poplars---the arts
tocrats Of the forest-whose tall, can
die shape trunks, some of them 80
feet high without limb. are in great
request for plank and fat-boat gun
nels. The chestnut tree the ridges
is often more massive q han the pop
lar, but apt to be ill-shaped and twis-
ted, from wrestling with the noun
tain winds. One of these gnarled
giants, after being killed, VIII stand
many years in a field, shedding his
bark and bleaching in the sun, defys
ing fire and oil the elements, till his
roots are weakened by decay; then
some rainy. windy night he falls, and
makes the ground culver with his
laundering stroke. Next to the trees
mentioned, the hickory. the walnut.
the beech and the maple, the lemlock
in the moist ravins, and the pitch:
pine on the sun burnt heights, are the
most common trees. III. =. :
The pine performs the charitable
office Of feeling q poor hungry soil
parchcd by t he sumInerstuf and swept
by the mountain winds. Bit onmany
SUM dried Eyebrow, lie has long
since fulfilled his destiny, and given
Iplace to the sturdy oak and the ridge
loving chestrl ut. But like the Indian
tribes Of a former age, he has left his
bones in the soil, but khottidr and
destined to illuminate the obscure
fcabin of the mountaineer. y
A soil SO prolific Of wild vcgeta-
ton, and Of snrh sorts US prevail OF
the kanawha Mountains, must be
good for agricultural purposes. 1t is
primarily composed of disintegrated
rocks, the clay slate and sanl stone
Of the mountains; which lie innrarly
horizontal strata. varying in quality
land thickness. Among them are
coal seams prevailing the country
The texture Of the soilvarics on every
mountain from Il loose sand. to n
heavy Tenacious clay. but generally
Itftcsg ingredients. are mixed in good
proportion. / ~.
With the mineral constituents more
Tor less vegetable matter has become
incorporated. Thebrst soilsTe those
having a northern exposur% where
moisture and shade promotes the re-
:tcntion and decomposition Of dead
vegetable matter. Here the soil is a
dark rich mould. Eastern exposures
,are better than western, because west
winds prevail. and drive the falling
leaves into the eddics Of eastern hQl-
lows. On southern slopes the soil is
often poor, except near the bases Of
the hills. Owing to the tenacity of
the pure elavs, and the porousness OF
the sandy soils, these meunflin* sides
are less subject TO be gulliel by rains,
than many gcntlcr slopes in other
countries. "A moderate degrtcof care
will prevent plough-landS from being
injured by rains.
Why crops should suffer less from
excessive wet on mountain sides than
on level plains is obvious: but why
| they should, in this country, suffer
less from drought. requires explana-
ton. When the cause is understood.
the effect will appear to be perfectly
natural. On level grounds with a
porous unders6ihf,' the moisture which
Is not vaporated, in hot dry season.
sinks away and is lost. Hence fire.
quent showers are necessary to sup
ply the growing crops. Bat in noun.
tains, the rocky strata are charged
with water during the wet seasons
This water sinking down through
pores and crevice,, oozes ont under
the solicit the mountain stiles, AN | is
drawn by capillary attraction to the
roots of vegetables near the surface;
and the drier the surface, the more
this rock juice is pumped mp.
| For the same reason, small rperma
nent springs are frequent on the sides,
and sometimes near the tops Of these
mountains. In q dry season, the
small brooks Of tie valleys are apt TO
sink under, their gravelly beds! But
ia little digging detects the hidden
streams. Near their sources, they
seldom disappear entirely.
II Hence, when thesempuntains shall
be converted into grazing lands, as,
for the most part, they assurcdly will
be. the cattle will always have con
yenient access to water, and thai the
pure liquor Of the clouds. filtered and
ireshened BY Its passage through the
rocks and sands Of the mountains
#Chalybeate springs bccur, and some
called deer licEs, with saline impreg-
nations; and about eoal mines, some
tinctured with alum and copperas.-
These are medicinal; but generally,
the waters Of the country are purely
sweet, and wholesome for man and
beast. E.. :, .:
Some rocks contain lime and potas1
sd. Lime is more plentiful toward
the northeast; but pure Limestone is
rare in the kanawha Mountains.
With wild climate, varied no lit
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