Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-15
rHE CumHERLaNp pU.rEsu.


From letter ID, the New York
Evening Post Of the 10Th inst. writ
ten by a recent immigrant to this
State, and dated at Pleasant Hill, |
Cumberland county, we condense
the following description of that
region. The letter contains the
actual experience Of the writer, with
comments on the customs of the |
people, and items of advice TO new
corners. His account of the farm
ing facilities of that district of our
State is fattering, but is not beyond
the facts. tits plain, unvarnished
statement, and we commend it to
the attention Of immigrant societies,
and persons looking, out for new
homes. The Cumberland plateau is
destined at no distant day to be
peopled and developed into the
wealth-producing section that ma.
ture has made it. -f
The writer.says sezs
The Cumberland Plateau is an extens
siye table land on the Cumberland noun
tains, some forty miles wide, and cex-
tending through Tennessee into north
ern Georgia. The surface of the table is
slightly undertaking, and the. soil is rich.
No manure is ever added to the land. In
three months time the farmers raise
enough for the years consumption. Their
| stock cattle and horses fatten on the
rich grass of the forest, while the hogs
live on the mast. 1t is surprising to see
| field that has had corn on it for thirty
years yet produce enough to pay for the
labor. Yet this is done here Without
any rotation Of crops or addition OF ma
nure. Under his system the land pro-
| duces from fifteen to forty bushels OF
corn, and from one to four hundred
bushels of potatoes. 9l.--
Unimproyed lands range from one to
three dollars per acre. Farms, one
quarter improved land, average seven dol
lars and half per acre. The expenses
Of living are very small; man with a
family would find fifty dollars a year for
each person amply sufficient. Venison IS
plenty at FIVE cents per pound, and beef
and mutton the same. Horses are worth
about the same as in New York. Mich
COWS, with calves at their sides, from
twenty to twenty-five dollars; sheep two
dollars per head; fowls fifteen cents, and
turkeys fifty cents each. Poplar lumber
is worth ten dollars per thousand, and
black walnut twenty; other varieties
ranging between. Farming tools can, be
obtained at the same price as in the
East, with freight added, of course Farm
hands can be hired for from ten to twelve
dollars per month. f
1t is easy to estimate from the forego~
ing how much capital one would require
to start farm here on any plan when
he may have formed. There is q great
want Of mechanics here of every descrlp-
ton, owing to the rapidity with which
the country is settling up. The wages
for mechanics are greater than IN the
J North. Cereals can be produced IN
greater abundance with less labor and
manure than in New England. The
comparison with regard to vegetables
and root crops is even more favorable,
! while this is the vine and fruitgrowers'
paradise. The forests produce grass IN
| abundance for grazing purposes-lm-
| mense numbers of cattle are fatteped Tor
| market on this table between March and
| August.
L Hogs are never fed at all, subsisting
| the whole year on the mast and mush-
rooms. Owners only have to call them
I'd for salt and to give them few kernels
of corn to keep them from going wild
This is done about once week. In
| February hogs ale fat enough to make
excellent pork. Sorghum grows better
here than anywhere else, producing one
| hundred gallons per acre. 1t must be re-
| membered in connection with the prOduc-
tive qualities of the land, that the climate
5 | is favorable to the farmer. The winters
, | are short and mild, as though the last
part of an eastern November was joined
to the first of March, leaving out the
| three winter months. The farmer here
has not to fill great store houses to be
eaten empty by his stock.
Manure is easily got. Lime can be
burned in easy reach for two cents pei
bushel. The climate is healthy. Invalids
have been sent here by the physicians
throughout the South to reap the benefit
t | Of the sulphur and chalybeate springs
that abound, and to renew worn-out lungs
in the pure mountain air. The whole
= table is underIaid with coal; it crops out
in various places, and sells for five cents
9 per bushel.
wish it understood that am not
land agent, nor interested in railroads
| neither do care whether have any
neighbors at present. l am too busy II
getting our farm open to think about
} | neighbors. When | have time to wish
for society we shall have it undoubtedly
for the Southwestern Tennessee railroad
is under contract TO be finished within
fifteen miles of US on the 18th of August
next; the Sequatchie Valley railroas
now under contract, will pass within
eight miles, and the projected Tennessee
, and Pacific railroad, interesting both the
others, will cross our farm.