The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1874-04-03
Tic Eastanallee Valley.

raj 1ellclty AT premium, we took run
down the Eastanallee Valley last Satur-
day, remaining over Sunday with our
friend, Henry III. Matlock, two and a
half miles southeast Of Ricevilc. This
valley, from Athens TO where the stream
empties into the Ifiwassee, averages a
little less thgn two miles in width, and
embraces some Of the most productive
lands and best and thrifliest farms in
McMinH county, which are owned and
cultivated by men who have worked
out Of The old ruts aud grooves and are
keeping pace with the spirit OF progress
and Improvement that has made agri-
cultural pursuits in other. sections high
ly remunerative and unfailing sources
of comfort and pleasure, rather than of
unrcwarded toll, grumbling and dis
content.
The Matlock Farm, containing be-
tween eight and nine hundred acres, is
one of the best we have ever been on
in this country, and is owned by man
who evidently understands his business
Ii is well stocked with improved breeds
Of cattle, horses, hogs and sheep, aud has
a barn which reminded us of those ample
structures TO be seen in Pennsylvania
aud other Of the Middle States where
husbandry has almost reached perfec.
ton. Here the cattle are housed from
the weather, and comfortably stalled and
fed, and everything that will make ma
nure is taken care OF, TO be returned TO
the land at the proper time. AS q sam
pie of the sort of stock friend Matlock
keeps, we may mention that OIL Sunday
morning we saw gallon of milk taken
from one tcat Of his favorite COW, the
others being left TO The calf. lie has
sold during the winter months four hun
dred pounds of butter, at IS cents a
pound, delivered at tho railroad, while
the average article thrown on the mar
ket will not command moro than 20 cts.
For one litter of nine pigs, sold when
eight weeks old, he realized $4,000.
Other items might be referred to, but
these are sufficient for our purpose,
which is 10 show that improved breeds
pay literally, when properly handled
and cared for, in East Tennessee as else
where. We noticed on the place some
seventeen head of fine beef cattle, ready
for market, some of them splendid fell
lows and hard to beat. In reference to
grain, friend Matlock has 100 acres of
wheat which, from present appearances,
ought to yield from 30 TO 40 bushels per
acre, and il is no unusual thing with him
to gather from 40 TO 80 bushels of corn
to the acre, though he does not regard
corn as q paying crop unless consumed
on the farm.
On Sunday evening we went down
the valley as far the Gettys Farm, for
merly known as the "McClatchy Place"
passing through the old McKamy
plantation, among the best in the valley.
and now owned and cultivated by the
sons of the late Squire VIM. McKamy.
II is in good condition, with about one
hundred acres in wheat, which looks rs
thrifty and promising as could be de-
sired. Indeed, from Matlock's to the
Gettys' Farm, distance of three miles,
is an almost un broken stretch of wheat
fields, of the most promising character.
The Gettys Farm, owned by Richard
and Frank Gettys-sons Of our ventra-
bic felow-townsman, Squire James
Gettys-contains about one thousand
acres, a little less than one third of
which is under cultivation. The wheat
at this place, as at the others, was put In
with Keller drill and looks unusually
promising. Here, also, is barn ofam-
pie dimensions, with all the arrange
ments for Sailing, feeding and water.
ing, and scales 70. weighing, &c. We
counted thirty head Of beef cattle in the
yard, all in extra good condition and
several Of them of magnificent proper.
tons. At this place, is a Touring mill,
saw mill, marble works aud cotton
gin. An excellent covered bridge spans
the Eastanallee, and the entire premises
bear plenty OF evidence that they are
under skillful and successful manage
mcnt Mr. Frank Gettys has charge of
the farm aud works, and finds largo
profit, as well ms comfort and pleasure,
in giving them his entire attention. The
three farms we have mentioned-Mat-
locks, McKamy's and tho Gettys place
have each about ono hundred acres Of
wheat, and we shall be disappointed If
the yield does not aggregate $500 bush.
els, provided the seasons continue ia.
vorable.
We passed a number Of other farms
L.. A. ,.n,I.o,, Shn xalInu .,i.,to1