Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-08-16

they SuDS1SIed entirely, DObn II summer
and winter, on those grasses. The oldel
cattle. he assured me, soon learned to I'm
derstand the effect of the seasons, and with
out being driven, they led the herds in the
| spring, down the sides of the mountains tx
obtain the young grasses that came up will
the warm weather, and, when these were
destroyed by the autumn frosts, they re
turned to the tops to get the evergreen We
getation, and found shelter under the
spreading branches of the balsam fir trees
in stormy weather [ have seen in Hay
wood county a five years old horse that was
said to have been foaled and reared entire
ly on the top of Balsam mountain, and was
then for the first time brought down to see
cultivated land and eat food grown by the
hand of man.
Those portions of the mountain that are
without timber are, of course, covered by
the thiekest coats of grass. The balsam
trees which cover for so great an extent the
Great Smoky, Balsam and Black Mountains,
could be easily gotten rid of at a cost OF
not more than couple of dollars per acre.
1t is so soft as to ne easily cut and if felled
and suffered to lie a few months, its leaves
would become quite dry, and it might be
burned with the greatest facility. When
thus destroyed. it would not spring up
again but in its stead very thick sward of
evergreen grass. Immense winter pastures
could in this way be prepared, and thou
sands of cattle thus sustained in the winter,
with only an occasional supply of salt.
Where the lands in this part of the State
are placed under proper cultivation, they
produce abundantly. On choice spots,
more than one hundred bushels to the acre
OF indian corn has frequently been obtain
ed, and this valuable grain is everywhere
produced in sufficient quantity. Wheat
also, does well, while oats, rye and barley
are particularly good. It is especially sui
ted to the production of grasses, timothy,
orchard and herds grass, Or red top being
usually preferred. Glover and blue grass
grow we'll, but are not SO good as in some
| Counties having more lime in the SOIL
Last summer [ went with Mr. n W. Wood
Tin over mountain farm of his the land
of which had originally cost him less than
one dollar per acre. It had been cleared
by cutting out the underground, and grid
ing the large timber SO as to deaden it, and
then put IN grass, nearly twenty years pre-
ylously. 1t was covered over with thick
growth OF timothy and orchard grass, much
of which appeared as thick and as tall as
far wheat field. In some places we found
both of these grasses rising high enough,
as VIC sat on our horses, for US to take the
top of the stalks growing on each side, and
cause them to meet above the withers of
our horses. 1 never, in fact, saw better
grass anywhere than grew generally over
this entire tract Of twelve hundred acres.
Irish potatoes, cabbages and turnips are
grown IN the greatest quantities, while no
country excels this for fruits. It's apples,
both in size and flavor, excel those that I
have seen IN any part Of the would while
peaches, pears and grapes growabundantly.
Besides the Catawba there are a great many
other native grapes. One gentleman thinks
he has obtained a hundred varieties of native
grapes, some OF which he considers superior
to the Catawba. That this country is adj
mirably adaptedto theproduction of grapes
and wine there can be no question. The
tact that varieties OF grapes can be select
ed, that rlpen at different periods Of the
Autumn, will make the vintage longer than
it IS in Europe, and thus increase the
amount of wine made. All kinds of live
stock thrive in this country, though horses
and horned cattle have been more gene
rally raised, because they require less care
from the farmer. Sheep are very healthy
and grow well everywhere AS large sheep
as ever saw were some that were suffered
to run IN the woods, both in summer and
winter, without being fed. Mr.. Woodtin
also stated to me, that he could, from the
stock of his farm above alluded to- at all
periods of the winter, obtain good mutton
and beef from the animals that were sub
sisted on the grass. Even when sheep are
to be kept in large numbers, it Is certain
they would DO with half the feeding they |
require duringthe long winters III New Eng |
land. Snow seldom remains many DAYS at |
a time, even on the mountain tops in
North Carolina; and when the grass is
good, little is required in the form OF hay |
or other food for the stock
The minerals of this region have hitherto |
been turned to very little account. There |
are some barrow belts of marble and lime
stone which furnish sufficiency Of lime
for use, and from which good marble can |
be procured at certain points. The differ
ent ores of iron, Of the best qualities, exist J
IN great abundance in many places and !
from them superior iron can be made
Large and promising veins Of copper have
been cut in several localities in Jackson
county, and surface indications leave little
doubt but similar deposits will be found in
other counties. Gold has been profitably
mined in the counties of jackson, Macon
and Cherokee, but less extensively than in
the section east of the Blue Ridge 1t is
quite probable that good veins of this met
al Will, In time, be opened, and there is en-
couragement to search for lead and silver
at several points. The barytes and chro-
meores can be brought into use when the
railroads are finished that have been provi-
led for by the State. Though coal does
not exist, its want will not be experienced
for long period, as the immense forests
will supply fuel for great number of years
and long before they can be exhausted,
railroads will permeate all parts of the
district, and will bring in supplies of this
valuable mineral from localities not far
distant.
The country is everywhere intersected
~ bold and rapid streamsf and the sup
ply, therefore, of water-power, is beyond
my demand that can ever exist for it,
These streams, from the elevated valleys in
which they are first collected, have a de-
scent Of not less than one thousand feet be-
ore they escape into the State of Tennes-
Zee, and present at various points, there
ore, rapids and falls where the water can
De conveniently used for man ufacturing
purposes
Though this region lacks the boldness
md grandeur of the Alps, this deficiency is |
more than balanced by the fact that every !
part of it is susceptible of settlement and 1
cultivation. The fact that the mountains |