New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-20
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE ALPS OF THE SOUTH.
THE HIGHEST LAND EAST OF THE MIsslS
SIPPI


INGToN OR THE BLUE RIDGE IN NORTH CARO-
IINA-MoDEs OF ACCEss-FLoRA AND CLIMATE.
TO me Edttor OF The Trtbsne.
SIR: The traveller who follows the great Appals
chan mountain chain from Canada through New
England finds it 80 depressed in the Highlands OK
the Hudson that the tidal waters of that river flow
through the mountain barrier. To the southwark
the crystalline rocks the geographical representa-
tves of the mountains OF New-England, appear as
range of low hills until we reach the Potomac, be-
yond which they rise into the Blue Ridge OF VIZ
ginia which forms the eastern rampant OF the treat
Valley as il is called in that State The great APP
paachan valley, of which this is part. includes 70
the southwark the valley OF East Tennessee.
and to the northward the Cumberland val
ley of Pennsylvania and that Of the Upper
Hudson and Lake ChamplaIn. But 1T IL
not of this great geographical depression, nor OF
the nights which form its northwest sde-the Ale
ghany of Pennsylvania the Sewell Mountain in
Virginia. and the Cumberland Mountain in Ten
nessee-that we have to speak. but rather of the
Blue Ridge in its southern extension. The traveller
from Lynchburg to Chattanooga on the line Of the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad soon sees on bis
right hand the Blue Ridge eliminating in the beau
tful Peaks Of Otter 1900 feet above the sea. Con-
tnuing in his southwestern course, and passing
through the depression occupied by the fertile Val
ley of the Roanoke, he now finds that he has trav-
ersed the range, and that its southwark prolonga-
ton lies his left for the remainder of his journey
to the confines of Georgia. which 10 all the distance
among the hmestones and other uncrystalline rocks
of the Great Valley.
To the southeast OF the railroad he the Blue
Ridge, but a birdseye view of it would show that it
now assumes geographical Importance which does
not belong to its northern portions. The single chain
which we have traced from the Potomac divides in
Floyd County, Va, and from this point the south
eastern branch preserves the of the Blue Ridge,
while that on the northwest side is known by the
various names of the Iron Mountain Smoky Noun
tain, and Unaka range-this latter being an aborig-
inal name and far distinctive than the others,
is to be preferred. The mountain region bounded
by these two ridges has breadth of from 20 to SO
miles, and extends about 200 miles south-westward
from Floyd County, Va, to Northern Georgia. where
it subsidies beneath the great plain of the Gull
States. Geographically this Alpine district IL in
many ways remarkable, and first, from its hight,
it being the most elevated region east OF the
Mississippi. The SUBMITS of the Blue Ridge in
North Carolina rise to nearly 5000 feet above the
sea- while the highestpoints Of the Unaka range in
the same State reach about $780, ormore than 100
feet higher than Mount Washington the culmina-
ting point of the White Hills of New Hampshire.
The region between these ranges in North Carolina
is an elevated valley, filed with subordinate ranges
of hills, and having in its lowest parts hight Of
1900 feet and upward above the level. Although,
as We have seen, the northwestern border of this
Alpine region presents the highest peaks il is the
southeastern which forms the watershed and
divides the waters falling into the Atlantic from
those Of the Gulf 1t is IN this elevated valley thai
the New River takes its rise and brings q large
tribute through the Kanawha to the Ohio.
No railroad penetrates this region, and the trav-
eler must find his way into it by rugged paths,
which are often such as at first sight to repel the
peasureseeker but the hills once scaled, world Of
beauty and delight awaits him. To one from the
North it is easily approached from the line of the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad and its continua
ton, the East Tennessee Railroad. This line after
traversing the Blue Ridge, already described
passes through the great Appalachian Valley, along
the northwest flank of the Unaka range, and it.
self attans at Mount Airy hight Of 1856 feet above
the sea- Just beyond this is Marion, a station in
Smyth Co.. Va. from which, early in the
month of June made my trst excursion into
the mountain region to the southeast ~
this season the fora of the country is
exceedingly beautiful The rhododendrons or rose
bays here lind their most c0ngenial soil, and the
species known as the mountain laurel, which in
Northern States is confined 10 some favored spots
here IOTInS III eAteut, Using
hight of Is OF 20 feet With its glossy evergreen
foliage this plant is always remarkable, but in early
Summer it is loaded with great masses of rosy
bloom, and vies in beauty with its frequent asset
ate the kalmia our northern laurel. which there
assumes the dimensions Of a small tree
On the higher crests of the hills only
the botanst will find the rarer purple
rose-bay, the RhOdOdeRdrOH CatdUbieaSo, which
flowers earlier than the more common species Not
less conspicuous and perhaps more abundant are
the azaeas of several species. The fragrant pink
one, the swamp honeysuekle, sometime makes the
air fragrant for miles. while the fane-colcred
species, whose flower almost conceals its tender
green foliage forms of superb color, varying
from yellow to scarlet. The florist and the botanIt
will find throughout the whole of this region oh
jects of delight. In approaching the lower levels IN
South Eastern Tennessee, TO the plants already
noticed must be added, in duty, the trumpet
creeper, which here shows luxugance Of gTowthand
Of blossom unknown to those who have seen II Only
as cultivated in the North while beside il grows the
passion flower and that beautiful sensitive plant.
the Schrank,G. This creeping thorny mImosa is
loaded with rose-colored elobe-aaped flowers, hav-
ing powerful and delicious fragrance, while rs
delicate ard feathery foliage folds and shTinks up
at the least touch and has gained for the plant the
name of shame-breE These forms OF vegetation
remind MS that we are approac hing semi tropical
region and we have only to follow down The Tiyer
valleys TO find yuccas, caIe-brakes, aud cotton
fields.
But let ms return TO the more northern portion II
Alpine region, the upper valley Of the New River.
The traveller from New England who expects ledses
OF rock, beds Of sand and gravel aud huge powders
scattered the land, the marks Of what IS called
glacial action, surprised 90 find nothing OF all this
here. he hills TO their very SUBMITS are covered
not only with dense forests, but with deep aud
strong soil which s however very unlike the LAYERS
Of clay and loan with which be Is familiar.
The rocks themselves, although OF gneiss