Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-07-25
FACTS ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE.
Beaver Creek Valley.
NO. NIX.

No. NIX.
1ngivinga description of Beaver Creek
Valley, we do not do so thinking it one of
the best or most desirable valleys of East
Tennessee, but because we think, it re-
preventative valley, that is, not one of the
/ poorest nor one of the richest, but repre-
/ senting the average of our numerous val
legs
Between Clinch and Holston rivers lies
an extent of country which, as is usual in
East Tennessee, is divided by parallel
ranges of ridges into long, narrow valleys.
| Ut is not necessary for the purpose of this
article to give the geological formation of
these ridges and valleys.) They extend
northeast and southwest. According to
some circumstance of their formation these
ridges are first narrow and sharp, and
then wide and fiat by alienation. Com
mencing at Knoxville and going north
west on the Knoxville and Kentucky Rail-
road after leaving the river country, we
first pass Poor Valley with thin, shale
land, then Grassy Valley, broad with clay
bottom, fine rolling land then Hinds'V Val
ley, narrow with thin, shale land, and
next comes Beaver Creek Valley, the sub
jet of our article. Beaver Creek Valley is
enclosed by the Beaver Ridge, a sharp
! ridge, on the southeast, and the Copper
! Ridge, fat ridge, on the northwest.
1t is from 80 to 80 miles long, and aver
ages about mile and one-half broad, 1t
is watered almost throughout its entire
| length by Beaver Creek, which empties
! into Clinch river at the lower end of the
valley. On the north side Copper Ridge,
which is about one mile wide, slopes
gently down into the valley. On these
wide slopes many farms are situated, and
the land being grayel1y, there is a natural
J drainage. This land is what is knowH by
! the inhabitants as inulatto land, and is fine
| for producing wheat. In some places
large hollows or low places, drained by good
sized brooks, extend into these slopes,
in which several farms are situated, and
! the people living in them are more or less
secluded from the rest of the valley. AS
a general thing this is not the most fertile
part of the valley. The best farms lie lower
! down OH the creek. However, the elevated
slopes are more suited to fruit growing, as
| they are on the south. Many Of the fine
peaches and apples in the Knoxville mar
ket come from these slopes, although there
is no improved system of fruit culture car
ried on. Pears, plums, cherries, berries,
! and all kinds Of fruit would grow well.
/ This soil is also particularly adapted to
the culture of tobacco. We have seen
some very fine specimens of Virginia to-
,bacco growing here. Grapes would no
doubt thrive, though none are planted.
! The principal timber of this part is pine,
black oak and chestnut. Other varieties
are plentifully found.
On coming down into the creek bottoms
we find richer black or gray loan resting
on red clay base and susceptible of great
! improvement. Sycamore, beech, walnut,
poplar, elm, different varities of oak of
large size, ash, small quantities of sugar
maple and buckeye, and other trees grow
here. Papaw is also abundant. The finest
farms either lie wholly upon or border
| the creek. The land along the creek
and in the valley proper is particularly
adapted to producing hay and good meadow
abound. Corn and small grain also grow
well. The tillable land of the south side of
! the valley terminates abruptly at the foot
of Beaver Ridge. This ridge is very steep
and the land is valued only for its excel
| lent timber. However it would doubtless
make good pasture land for sheep raising,
/ but is too precipitOus for agriculture.
! This ridge is very unlike the Copper Ridge
Oh the north side of the valley 1t is per-
haps about one-third of mile wide. Both
ridges are about two hundred or three hun
dred feet high. Beaver Ridge is covered
with blackjack, white-oak and other
varities OF oak, together with hickory,
! chestnut and poplar, but with little or no
pine on the north side. Post-oak grows
| plentifully en- the rolling valley lands.
The creek bottoms and the land on the
south side of the valley requires more ar
tifcial drainage than the Copper Ridge
slopes. The abruptness of the Beaver
Ridge keeps the early morning sun off of
that side Of the valley and renders it cooler
both in summer and winter, especially in
winter.
The verage production of the land of the
entire valley per acre is: Corn, % bushels;
wheat, 10 to II bushels; oats, 20 bushels;
hay, 5000 pounds, and other crops in pro-
portion. BY proper cultivation this aver
age could be increased 80 per cent.
The representative farms are worth from
twenty-five to thirty dollars per acre.
I Land ranges from eight to fifty dollars per
acre. Farming, at presents is at a low
standard, but gradually improving. About
twenty moving machines have been pur-
chased in the Valley within the last three
years. EsEa
The exports are: Hay, corn, wheat, oats,
4 bacon, cordwood, &C., &C. Last year,
! $50 10 tons of hay were Slipped from a