Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-02-07

Character and Price of Land.
No or

| From what was said In our first article
on the general geographical features OF
East Tennessee, our readers are somewhat
prepared to understand the general nature
| of our soil as affected by those general
features. Remembering the general de-
scription Of the slope and altitude of the
section as whole, the more minute char
acter of the lay of the lands can easily be
| imagined. The several ranges of high
| hills, which, on the whole, trend from
northeast to southwest divide the great
Valley of East Tennessee into several sub
ordinate valleys, varying in width from
two to ten miles, and watered by streams
| of every size from the Tennessee, Holston,
Clinch, French Broad, Watauga and Noli-
chucky rivers to creeks and streams of less
| importance. These rivers and creeks are
| very numerous, and add not only to the
| healthfulness and manufacturing advan-
tages of the section, but also to the fertility
Of the soil. Along these streams lie our
| richest bottom lands-lands as fertile and
valuable as can be found anywhere. En-
riched every year by the overflow and sed-
| ment from the winter floods they are ever
| 'ich and productive. These valley bottom
ands correspond with the interval lands
of New England. The bottoms not imme-
lately adjacent to the streams, are en-
iched by vegetable mold and the accumu-
ated wash from the uplands. Land of
this description sells at the highest figures
Farms are valuable in proportion to the
amount of bottom composing with the up
lands, which extends each way from the
bottoms upwards in he side of the valleys
towards the mountain ridges.
The farms were originally laid out 80 as
to embrace portion of bottom. Many of
the roads are laid out along the bank of 3
stream, giving frontage to the farms, with
upland fields in the background. The
most valuable agricultural districts are
those lying through the sections watered
by the largest streams, and denominated
valleys. The Newmarket and Sweetwater
valleys are from to miles in width, and
from 25 to so miles in length. tits in these
localities that the broadest bottom lands
are found. and the upland lies hilly and
abrupt. In many places there are also
.essor valleys or ravines, running at on
angle with the large rivers, through which
small streams course their way and empty
into the rivers. Thus 1t will be seen that
almost every variety of farms can be found
which exist in any hilly country. To q
resident of New England, or hilly portions
of New York, it may be said that the coun-
try Is similar to those States, except that it
is spread out on much larger scale. In
extent, East Tennessee is about as large as
Vermont and New Hampshire together.
The valleys are very much wider, and con-
sequently more room between mountains
and hills.
To one who has travelled over both the
roads leading from White Hall, N. Y, to
Boston, and that from Chattanooga to
Bristol, the contrast can readily be appre-
ciated. Whereas, In the first route men,
toned, it is about 10 miles, and the whole
width of Vermont and portions of both
New Hampshire and Massachusetts, are
traversed; the other one stretches over a
distance of more than 240 miles, and all
within East Tennessee.
A good idea of what it is endeavored to
express in the above remarks can be OBJ
tanned by taking map of the United
States and tracing each route.
Along the line of both existing and pro-
jected railroads in East Tennessee may be
found most desirable farms, both in respect
to natural advantages of locality, and also
by reason Of proximity to ready market
for agricultural products. There is soon to
be choice of market between Knoxville
and other towns, and the mining regions,
which are beginning to fill up with con-
sumers. A home market for everything
will soon be found, because of the superior
facilities for manufacturing as We'll as
mining, which are rapidly develo ling.
Living springs of clear and pure water are
so freq lent that no farm can be found des-
titute. From these springs run sparkling
rivulets, which water every field. For
stock raising, this fact is highly suggest
i've of advantages possessed by such a re-
gion over those more level, and it is
needless to say that, in point of healthful-
ness, no locality is superior to one which
abounds in pure spring water.
The soil of the uplands is composed of a
clay basis, mingled with loan and detri-
ton of lime rocks which comes from the
adjacent hills. With proper cultivation,
by means of subsoil plowing and the free
use of fertilizers, no more productive land
can be found in the uplands of any Sec
tion of our country.
The plateau region, lying upon the Cum
berland Mountains, is an elevated and
comparatively level tract, well adapted to
the raising of stock, grain and fruit. The
grasses grow well in all the three varieties
Of soil. 1t may also be stated that the
sides and SUBMITS of our hills and noun
tains have soil and are susceptible of cul-
fiuafinn The declivitv f. the only OBJ