The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-04-27

Y er every iand.
From tho National Intelligencer
MOUNTAIN CLIMATES AND PRODUCTIONS
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
MEssRs. EprToRs Raised in the noun
tains Of North Carolina. hope yon will al
low me to furnish you a briei sketch Of some
Of the advantages and peculiarities Of that
region. with some facts possessing more or
less interest to those who may wish to make
farther investigations.
Mount Tryon, in Rutherford county. has
long been celebrated for its exemption from
killing irosts, and believed (very erroneous
lly. however.) to be anomaly in this respect.
More recently other points of the mountain
ranges have been quite as erroneously re-
presented as entirely free from dew and
frnst. even by men Of some pretensions to
science very pleasant and intelligent
writer in the August and November num-
bers of the North Carolina Planter has fur
nished some interesting particulars in re-
gard to the mountains Of that section, in
connection with the fruit culture. and I" the
genial influences of the thermal stratum, in
the preservation Of the NEST tender plants.
| Still he does not correct the common error
bs stating simply that "aboyc the well.de-
fined outline of this stratum on the noun
tain sides frost abruptly ceases" In placing
the frost line at an elevation OF three hun
dred feet, he is too indefinite, as that height
or guagc viii not apply to many valleys Of
rolling and uneven surface; while The sur
face Of the heavy dew and frost represents
plane. level or nearly so. in each valley or
basin, though differing greatly in compare
tive elevation in different valleys. These
valleys are. often separated on the same
streams by abrupt descents. and divided BY
cross ranges or spurs from the higher ranges
Of mountains. These higher ranges are
mainly and in some instances entirely above
the plane of killing frosts. and in some high
llv favored localities includes snme Of the
adjacent fat lands also: while the deeper
and central portions OF the valleys may be
more than three hundred feet below this
plane. Within the limits Of Watauga cnun.
ty, North Carolina, are embraced some ot
the extreme head waters Of the Ohio, Ten.
lnessee, Santee, and Pedee rivers, waite ring
beautiful and fertile valleys, confined more
; or less by surrounding high mountains. The
dew here is very heavy. and the outline %
killing frosts as well defined as in valleys
on the same streams below. though differing
in elevation IRON 500 to 1000 feet. fh,
level Of killing frosts in each situation i
very nearly the same in al instances and IL
different years.
! About the 20th August. 1897, witnesse,
! well defined outlines Of killing frost along
the sloping hills and valleys Of western New
York and at various times since, at difcr
ent points along the Allegheny and Cum
bcrland ranges in Virginia. Tennessee, thu
Carolinas, aud Georgia. but more aceuratel,
ON the 10th Of April, Is40; about the 20h
J Of May, 1859; on the ssth Of April. and il
the fall Of 1857, and spring Of 1858.
The same effects Of frosts are said to in
iiuence the growth and maturity Of grape
on some of the European mountains. and
suppose is common TO must iI not to al
mountains This warm stratum covers.
suppose, the greater part Of the earth at {
$ small elevation above its surface. The arei
= Of lands, however, that tie within this genia
J cline, aud fit for cultivation. is very limit
!. ed and TO citizens Of the broad aud extend
!. ed belt of country between the Atlantic
coast and the Blue Ridge, the South an
\ Brushy Mountains. land some other isOlatci
= puints.l are destined to become places i
interest and value. In The hands 0f intelli
gent fruit growers il would be charming N
deed. So well.deincd was the outline 9
killing frust along the base ol these noun
tains after the frost Of the 10th Of April
1870, that al above TO their SUBMITS. ex
: tending some ninety TO one hundred mile:
!. we're clothed in the brightest and greenes
robe that the half grown leaves and tendril
Il could give, and presented strange cOntras
il tn the broai and bIackcned plains below, es
tended north and west TO the Blue Ridg,
and eastward to the pine lands in the mid
m die portions Of the State. In the autumn
: 1857, when the corn and other ycgetatio
q was killed in Lincoln, iredell, and OthC
ID counties below, there were. cornhelhs o
these mountains, and even above the hig
valleys alluded 70 in Watauga count,
: left perfectly green and unstaincd BY ~
frost. Later, however, frost was see
J, a. usual on the higher lands. even 70 sun
! mits of the high mountains Eighties
Il. however, on the highest pOints.) Lon
ne after killing frost below | have seen corr
cotton, field peas. pepper. tomatoes, an
watermelon vines continue green, mo
Of them blooming fresh, and some of the
!. growing luxuriantly. This warm cline
sought, especially At this green season. ,
birds and animals, and the sensitive deer
= then sought for. in hunters phrase, on q
: high ridges. Some tender persons resitir
p Z here complain of chill going below. Her
y. '. too. apples. peaches. aud The more delics
q fruits grow in greatest perfection. aud Al
rarely known 10 be injured BY frosts. has
.,,e6 The northrrn aud lou country fruit