Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-14

Our esteemed friend and the accomplished
farmer, Col. McC lelland, Of Marshall, dropped
in upon us day or two ago, and gave Us a
few interesting items from his county. He
reports his people earnestly at work to
secure railroad, for which they have voted
tax. Being out of debt, and having
renowned for the most part their allegiance
to that arch destroyer of Gland and luck, I"
King Cotton, they are in the enjoyment OF
peace, plenty and prosperity, and want
nothing but facilities Of transportation to
place them among the most successful and
prosperous in the State. Ease, comfort
and thrift follow stock raising. but
worry, vexation, torment, uncertainty
and unrest as certainly follow in connection
with cotton.
The Colonel is believer in the grasses.
Blue grass, he thinks, is the most reliable,
and will support larger number of stock.
Orchard grass furnishes earlier grazing, and
grows better among trees; but for fertil-
izing properties and for the raising Of hogs,
no grass will compare with clover. This
last, he regards, as all sensible farmers do,
the bulwariz Of defence against the assaults
and ravsges occasioned by over cropping
and slovenly cultivation.
. Of the many varieties of the
breeds Of hogs, the Berkshire
is his fayorite, being a good breeder, a
hearty feeder, industrious and having fine
fattening qualities. The Essex and Chester
are raised to some extent. Up to within a
recent period the Neopolitan was the favor
lite on account Of their fattening qualities.
The rearing of no kind of stock pays
so well as mules. Let any industrious
young man contract debt for a small farm
and he car pay for 1t easier and quicker by
buying young mules than in any other man.
ner. Indeed with few acres Of good blue
grass or orchard grass, he can keep them I'M
tilthey are grown without feeding to them a
grain of corn. They are easily and cheaply
kept, and are almost always in demand in
the market.
Next to mules for profit, he would raise
Durham cattle and sell for beef. The best
blood should be sought after. To procure
it costs more at the outset, but it eventually
pays.
He is fully satisfied that if the wear and
tear of the land, the impossibility of con-
trolling the labor, the unsuitableness of the
soils Of Middle Tennessee for growing the
staple-if these are taken into the account,
no money is made by raising cotton in our
State. He referred to the fact that cotton
raisers are almost sure to have their farm
torn and gashei up with gullies and CALLED
spots, and have no time to adorn and beau
tify their farms, but must follow one cease
less round from year to year, making life on
the farm unpleasant, vexatious and unsatis-
factory, leaving no opportunity to cultivate
the amenities and social enjoyments Of
life. He regards it as a prostitution
Of the lands of our State to plant
them In cotton, and thinks every man who
devotes his exclusive attention to that crop
is sure to lose money, because he violates
the ''eternal order and fitness" of things in
so doing.
Marshall county has rim Of exceedingly
fertile land, as good as that in Giles or
Lincoln, but near the county seat, Lewis
burg, it rises into table land, and ia poor.
The best improved farms are worth from
forty to sixty dollars per acre, though for
this class Of lands there is at present no de-
mand.
The second grade is worth about thirty
dollars per acre. There is growing de-
mand for small farms, which he supposes
results from the difficulty of controlling la
Dor on the larger places. Altogether he
rave u an interesting account of Marshall. /
he is decidedly in favor Of the establish /
ment Of an Agricultural Bureau, in order !
hat we may have some knowledge of our !
own resources and capabilities.