Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-11-17
The Blue Grass Region of ken
tNcky.

The famc of this section of Kentucky is
widespread. 1t is esteemed a prolific region
for agricultural products. Its fame is not in
excess of the reality For the raising of aui
mails it is probably not surpassed by any re.
goin on the globe.
1t is called the "Bluo Grass Region" FROM
the luxurant growth of a particular grass Eou
pratcnsis) on which animals feed with great
eascrnoss. The horse, tho mulo, the COW,
tho hog, and even fowl seem to RELISH its
sweet blades. There arc I've counties that
are, par crcclicnce, the 'blue grass region"
1t occurs in patches in other sections of Ken.
lucky, and in other states where it has been
introduced, but nowhere does it spread itself
as in this rcgoin. If we recur to botanists for
information regarding this grass, we shall be
informed that it was indigenous to many sec.
tions, even to the White Mountains aud north,
ward, and that it was introduced from Eu.
rope We think there is some confusion in
tho matter. We learn from the oldest inhab.
ltant thcro, that, as now, SO i'll all past time it
has covered the rolling lands of this fertile re.
goin. 1t does not make good hay; its leaves
are too firm. 1t is evergreen, not killed by
the winter frosts, and when not covered by
snow, is grazcd upon by the animals. 1t
forms ferfcct mass of roots and stolcns (uu.
der ground stems.) 1t grows like the Bermuda
grass of more Southern States, but hos not
the vitality of that grass, and does not, like
! it, become pest to the planter; but the
thickcst sward may be turned under and
| corn planted over it; the grass, with its num-
berlcss vital points, dies away and forms
rich mold
Bourbon County is the principal Of these
Eyn Il
geological character of this section gives char
actcr to its productions. 1t is most cmphati
cal!y limestone. The soil has been made in
gre,t measure from the slow wearing away of
the rocks 1t is alsc exceedingly firm and
contains large proportions of potash, soda and
the phosphatcs. The waters arc very impurc.
containing similar ingredients to the soil. 1t
is believed that the peculiar constitution of
the water gives character to the famous
Bourbon whiskcy. We have in New York
and Brooklyn many signs reading "kcntucky
Bourbon Whiskcy." The real Bourbon is be-
licvcd by many to have special medical pro.
pertics. We do not vouch forit There are
Immense stills there, where the real Bourbon
was once made, which are cold now; their
fires arc out The temperance movement has
qucnchcd their burning But Bourbon coun-
| ty ought to be more celebrated for its animals
than for its whiskcy
| The fair of the Bourbon County Agricul.
| tural Society was recently held in Paris, the
county site Of that county. The display of
hogs was good in numbers and quality
The were mostly of the Berkshire breed,
and some of them very large. One of the
Chester breed weighed over 500 pounds, and
there were others bat little behind him in
gravity. One sow was sold for $50, aud
was Il noble animal One that had twelve
| pigs of only few weeks old, which, from
their size and weight, have been judged as
many months, was in sad condition. The
| pigs had exhausted their mother, and she Was
an object of pity. The stock of cows was
splendid. They were mostly Of tic Durltim
breed The farmers there do not appreciate
very highly tho Jersey stock They do not
make beef The variety produces butter and
cheese, and these hrc not speciality here
Eight thousand collars were refused for a
hcl!er But when We come to horses, the
half cannot be told. We question if. in any
spot on this planet, such horses can be found
as in this blue grass region. One seldom secs
a poor horse. We doubt not that many of
those that excite our admiration on the avcn
ucs OF New York and in the Central and
| Prospect Iaris, have their parcntngc here
The horses were exhibited for variou, quail.
ties "nd from various ages, from the sucking
cot to the fully developed animal \ most
unique and interesting exhibition was an
noanccd in tho following terms, "Marc with
| four of her colts" when The time for the
exhibition arrived, the dam was ridden into
the ring, the very picture of scdatc mother.
hood, proud of her offspring, and sleek and
hcalthfu looking rs great care and high feed.
ing could make her. Then came two Of her
oldest, harncsscd to carriage, and noble an
imas they we're Then the third, with a ri.
der, and the fourth, a one year old probably,
led by the halter. When they stood ranged
in order. they presented subject for the
pencil of Rosa Bonhcur There were only
two entries on these conditions We did not
s?c the exhibition of the mules, but they may
be seen daily Of the most perfect character.
| 1t is common there for gentlemen to make
a speciality of some animal. One dcvotes his
timc to horses, another to mules, and another
to hogs. That is the way to make sure of
success in any line.
The surface of tho country is undulatory,
not rising into high hills but spreading into
cxtcnsivcs plains. We could not advise any
OF or entcrprising young men readers to 90
there to buy rich farms, and abundant as are
tho productions. The medium price of lands
is one hundred dollars per acre. We learned
recently that gentlemen, wishing to sell his
firm, put it up auction, and $l2G was
bid per acre, and he withdrew it from sale az
it was not enough and there was nothing