Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-12
Union aud gispatel.
TgmTGRATfoN

letters addressed 10 him BY parties desiring
further information in regard to one Of the
most delightful countries on the globe, and
which is destined to be filled with an ener-
getic and thrifty population as soon as
work is commenced on the Tennessee and
Pacific railroad, which road the citizens Of
this county should lose no time in building.
Speaking of the Cumberland mountains
Mr.. Lyman says:
The atmosphere is pure, dry and bsimy.
The average summer heat is about sixty
Eve degrees; that of the winter cannot fall
much below foriy-fye degrees. There is
no point east of the Rocky mountains
where the variations from summer heat to
winter cold is so moderate. There are few
days in summer when heat drives the la
borer 10 the shade at noontide, and few in
winter when he requires an overcoat in
going to his woodland labor.
Snow frequently falls, but il seldom re-
mains week on the ground, more often
disappearing in three days. Frost rarely
penetrates over three inches deep, and
there are several times each winter when
none remains in the ground for two or
three weeks. As in other elevated regions
remote from the ocean, the contrast be
tween midday and midnight is more notice
able than the contrast between January and
June. During all the early part Of June,
and for part Of August, little fire at
nightiall, and in the morning is agreeable.
Yet the days Of January are rare when the
midday heat ia not such as make some in
different to the closing Of a south door, or
Il window looking toward the sun. There
is never a raw and chilly wind, as on the
Atlantic seaboard, never succession Of
damp, gloomy days when the moist wind
just above freezing point, makes thick
overcoat as necessary in Mississippi as in
Maine; now on the other hand is a success
sion Of mellow, yernal days in January or
February, succeeded all of sudden by a
north wind which drops the mercury to
zero, drives everybody to the freside and
kills all the peach trees, as 30 often occurs
in Kansas and Nebraska
As before stated, this mountain region
is not suited either as to climate or fer
iility TO the growth Of heavy crops. The
soil il a light. grayelly loan on the slopes,
and of dark, peaty character in the glades
OF small prsiries which are interspersed at
irregular intervals through the forest. The
natural growth is black oak, pin oak and
some white oak, good deal of chestnut,
little hickory, rather more of yellow poplsr,
some white pine on the banks of the creeks
Close by the water there is an underground
of laurel and hazel bushes, but in general
the woods are 30 open that wagon can be
a A 81 4
bat quite nutritious, abounds everywhere.
Ii there we're animals enough 10 Craze it
down and keep il tender il wonld be good
all summer. But in August ii reaches
such an age and size that woody fibre is
developed rather than starch and the Juices,
and the cattle refuse il if they can end
tame grasses. The plateau to which this
description applies is on an average thirty
miles wide and two hundred long its sur
face is not 4 monotonous level, but I'M
dulates, in some parts being cut quite alb
ruptly by PERCEPTIONS rayines and at others
rising into knobs or sWells 3 hundred feet
in height. A considerable part of the sur
face is occupied with grassy meadows or
glades nearly destitute of trees, which 10y
proper cultivation could be developed into
good Woodworking a ton and halfor
two tons TO the acre. As indicated in the
title of this paper, this is designed by
nature as a pastoral region. The winters
are 30 mild and open that sheep can keep
in condition all winter with very little at
tention. The hardy wethers generally seek
remote and sheltered hollows where they
find picking all white. The cows and
sheep not born on the mountain come
around the houses and need little hay on
snowy DAYS. But the dogs and wolves kill
more than perish for want of food in winter.
Neat stock requires fodder for about three
months; but for half that time they will
make the most of their living in the woods,
As general rule a farmer may feel safe il
he enters on the winter season, with as
many tons Of hav as he has horned cattle
and horses, the latter Of course, receiving
some grain, as also the mich cows. think
ten tons would take 200 sheep from Decem-
Der to March. In short, the difference as
to wintering animals may be understood
BY taking the three severe months out of
our winters and joining the last Of Novem-
Der TO the frat Of March.
The soil appears to be wanting in lime,
and also in'ammonia, but ia not very defec-
tive in potash Wheat does not do we'll.
Rye heads and fills well, but The stalks stand
thin. Potatoes and all the roots do well
Il is the chosen locality for fruits. Late
trosts in spring are very unusual so that
peaches are almost az regular crop as
blsckberries and in many places as pIen-
iiful.
Fall and summer apples thrive. The
trees grow TO u large size and produce we'll
But south of the Ohio il has az yet been
found impracticahle 10 attempt winter
fruit All the vines and small fruit -four
ish in this hilly region. As the autumns
are long and quite rainless, grapes can re-
main on the vine till late in October or
early in November, and thus draw larger
supplies Of sugar from the air than ia pos
sible in n climate where killing frosts may
be expected early in October. The woods
abound with wild grape-vines. and these
are generally productive, some years being
loaded so that many bushels can be picked
from one vine Peaches bear on the third
year from planting, and the crop is surer
than in any other part Of the country. On
account of the remoteness and difficulty of
access the peach crop is dried in kilns, or
fed 10 hogs or made into peach brandy.
The frst method Of disposing of this de
hcious fruit makes drudges Of the women,
| and the last makes brutes of the men.
have never seen good red clover on
| this soil, and doubt whether il can be
grown without liberal use of lime. Bui
oD the low prairie and swampy lands, fox
tail, herds grass, orchard grass, and timothy
are easily produced. These low lands
where grasses will grow may compose one
] sixth OF the surface of Cumberland plateau
Sorghum IL one OF the most lucrative Of
the crops that can be cultivated here. The
late mild autumn permits the Juice 10 be
come very sweet. The growth had become
so extensive before the war that New Or
| leans molasses had no sale.
The true policy in farming ia such lo'
| caliiy is 90 supply nearly all the family
wants from a lev acres near the dwelling
and to look for the principal income from
The sale Of bnllooks and Of wool. Samuel
/ MeRnnnels, farmer Of long experience "a
! this region, informed the Commissioner o.
| Agriculture that a two year old steer Of
heifer could be produced At cost of from
three 90 i've dollars. He sent away 20 th'
/ aeaboard markets from seveniy-hve 10 1
hundred every fall. Granting that It caI
not be done for less than ter nov, sSlci
animals would sell in the fall for $50, CAV