Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-29
THE TABLE LANDS OF TENNES.
SEE-NO I.

To the Editors Of the Union and American:
CRossvnLE, Cumberland county, Tenn,
April 5, 1S7l.-Doubtless many of your
readers do not know where CrOssYille is,
nor what it is, and propose to give them
some information which may interest
them. Crossville is the county seat of
Cumberland county, and lies upon the
top of the Cumberland mountain. The
surface of this county is moderately undu-
lating, with Jme excellent, some fair
and some light soil, and the timber
varies with the soil. We have from the
scrubby black jack to the stately yellow
poplar and black walnut. Our soil is
sandy loan, with clay loan subsoil.
The formation, as a rule, is sand stone;
the exception is lime rock, which is found
upon the slopes and base of the mountain,
and occasionally upon or near the noun
tain top.
The water of this county is as good as
can be-pure, soft and sweet. Our
women use it, l believe, universally, for
all domestic purposes, and do not con-
slider it inferior TO rain water. This
whole mountain region abOunds with
springs of chalybeate water, similar in
quality TO the once famous Bon Air
Spring, near Sparta, in White county.
These chalybeate waters are fountains
of health and a specific for many
human ailments. In many cases their
healing qualities seem to be almost miraC-
ulOus, as multitudes are ready TO testify.
1t is an opinion very generally enter
tanned, that this mountain region is of no
value-that it is simply rocky, desOlate
and barren waste, good for nothing ex-
cept for fruit and health. Thus it has
been and is represented. But the facts
are at variance with such representations
more properly misrepresentation. Pre-
vious 10 1860, majority of this county
did not give much attention to agTicul-
tural pursuits. They were satisfied to
raise few cattle upon the wild grasses
of our almost interminable forests-a few
hogs upon the wild grass and mast, and
hunt portion of their time, by which
their tables were literally supplied with
fresh venison. Careful and thorough
farming did lot enter into their plans nor
practices. Grass seed of any kind, was
rarely sowed, and it has become matter
of belief, which prevails very generally,
that this region is incapable of producing
the various cultivated grasses. At the
North, scarcely any one can be convinced
of the possibility of raising here, either
red clover or Kentucky blue grass, AID
yet the fact is that both flourish with us,
and both are perennial on this table land.
1 know this to be so, for l see it every
day.
Instead of having only the wild grasses
| of the forest, our country is becoming
| aware of the vital importance of having
an ample supply of clover, timothy, red
top blue grass, and orchard. Hundreds
of acres, in this county, were seeded to
grass, principally clover, last year; still
more hundreds will be seeded this year,
and we shall continue to clean up our old
fields, and seed them to grass, principally
at present, with red-top clover and timo-
thy; later we shall give the blue and Or
chard grass the attention which they
merit. To one who loves progress, it is
exceedingly gratifying TO see the advan-
| ces which arc being made in this county.
Much is to be dOne-indeed, much is to
be uDdOne first, and there is. a spirit
amongst us which will leadus to do much
| ano to do it well. | doubt if there is an
other county in the State where SO great
a degree of progress is being made as in
| this one; and before closing my articles,
which propose to send you, l shall hope
TO correct the erroneous impressions now
very generally entertained respecting these
''table-lands." Your very intelligent cor