Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-06-28
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Raleigh, June 18th, 1866. !

r, =, AH@IeISh, june l5ul, IoOO'
President Am E. A. & H. Company.
SIR In response to your letter of the 9Th instant
write you substantially the facts contained let
ter of this date to the United States COMMISSIONS Of
Geographically North Carolina is situated half way be-
tween New York and the Gulf of Mexico being included
from the Atlantic coast five hundred miles westwari
stretching than one hundred miles beyond the Blue
Ridge Mountains and contains of 10000 suuar
miles, having therefore the same extent the State of
New York This territory divides itself naturally into
three well marked sections On the west the mountain
Gus plateau, having an elevation of $500 feet above the
sea, and being traversed by several chains Of mountain
many OF whose peaks attain elevation of nearly 1000
feet On the east lies low plain, nearly level partly
uvlal and parity sandy extending about $50 miles from
try whose elevation rises gradually 200 or SEQ feet
on the east to 200 feet at tb base of the mountains
The eastern section is mostly covered with pines (P-
ausralis and p. taeda the middle and western with vast
forests of oaks (of many species ntcrsprsed with tho
poplar, hickory, walnut maple &C. Seven large river.
with their numerous tributaries, traverse the State fur
nshng unlimited water power as they flow down from t
mountains through the middle section and as tLcymorr
with moderate current, across the campagnc country
on the east into the chain of sounds which skirt Tire
coast they furnish with these AN aggregate Of 900 mill
of inland navigation, which might be doubled by cary
westward the system of slack improvements already
commenced. With these navgablo waters is interacel
the Rail Road system of the State amounting to mile
$50 miles Of plank roads and t1rnpikes brings the s
coast into ready communication with every part
State
THE SOIL.
is very varons auyal and peay accumulatons abound
near the coast and along the rivers, while in the middle
and stern regions the soil is mainly Of granite origin
and represents every grade Of sandy and cayCy loan
various fertility.
CLIMATE
has also wide range, being tempered the seaboad
something like the mdness of that OF the Gulf State
while in the mountain region approaches the rgor
New York. In the middle section, which constitutes thu.
larger part of the State and represents the average eli
mate the mean annual temperature is 60 deg. FalT.
heltthe mean Summer temperature 70 deg, mean Win.
ter 43 deg extreme Summer diurna 80 degress aver
age absolute maximum 90 deg, extreme Winter (dina
20 degrees, average absolute minimum II degrees Tie
annual fall of rain is As inches. The number of clou
days III the year Is 13O rainy days 6O.
VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS
very various. The most important wheat, corn,
OATS rye, potatoes, sweet potatoes peas rice cotton
bacco, turpentine grapes and fruits. Wheat and
produced with facility and abundance III all parts rye
gions; rice, sweet potatoes and peas in the eastern:
tobacco i'll the middle cotton in the southern
the middle and in the eastern section turpennc and
pine lumber peculiar to the The fruits
tensivey and largely cultivated the apple, peach pc
and cherry, represented by numerous varieties No part
OF the Continent is better adapted to these than the md
die and western regions The principal grasses tI
orchard herds, timothy and blue, to which must be
ded clover and ucerne All these flourish in the midl
and western regions, and of them grow wild hcuo
stock raising is easy and profitable. The stock chirn
raised horses. mules, cows, sheep and hogs ill.,.
grapes usually cultivated, besides foreign varieties ar
the Scuppcrnong, Caawba Lincoln and Isabella all
tiv9s Of the State the first three being excellent
grapes, The Scuppern0ng peculiar to the eastern
ton. The following abstract, from the United States
Census report for 1860 will best show the productions
and capabilities Of the State:
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