Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-19
FARM AND GARDEN.
FARMING IN DAVIDSON COUNTY.

II
Davidson county has some good far
mers and superior farming lands, and
it occurs 10 us that few words of COM
mendation and encouragement may be
useful not only in this county but in
many others.
Grass seeds sown early in September
have developed vigorous plants which
cover the ground with dense, luxu-
rant heritage, affording a full bite for
colts, calves and lambs just taken from
their mothers milk. Without calling
names, we shall state facts witnessed
In a drive of fifteen or twenty miles
from Nashville into the country to see
Middle Tennessee agriculture as it is,
for our own instruction and the in
struction Of our readers. In a bushel
of the best English grass seeds there
are two million living germs-in some
varieties probably less, as orchard
grass, which has comparatively large
seed, while In others the number is
larger than two million. 1t is the ex-
act truth to say that the life in these
germs, ten weeks ago, was dormant In
sacks or bins In this city, as seeds held
for sale, which life is now practically
Transforming Davidson county air,
water and earth into the living flesh
and bones Of blooded colts, young
mules, fine calves, and of the best
breeds of lambs and pigs.
We suppose the calcareous rocks
which abound in the remains of marine
animals, and form wheat and corn
soils, when decomposed, are at least a
thousand feet in depth, and will last as
an abundant source Of food for man
and beast, as long as the continent, or
a million years. The huge bones of the
mastOdon more than suggest that bone
material is not scarce In our best farm
ing lands; and the growing frame
work of all our young stock draws daily
on this natural supply of earth salts to
form strong and solid bone. To work
up the materials that once made the
skeletons of huge American elephants
into superior horses, cattle, hogs and
sheep, is a branch of home manufac-
lures not to be despised by any man
of sense, who would prosper with
the general prosperity of his country.
A thousand pounds of Tennessee
wheat will sell for about thirty dollars
in London, while a horse OF mule Of
the same weight will bring about ten
times the sum named. By concentrat-
ing corn into cured hog meat, we have
increased our annual expectation of the
latter fifty million dollars In four years.
We believe from long and close study
of all the facts, that our climate in
Tennessee has agricultural advantages
over that of England, sufficient to
pay the cost of transportation
on meat, butter, cheese, wool
and cotton, to London and Liverpool.
If SO, then an acre Of our land should
be worth as much for these branches of
farming as one in England, where
farms sell at $500 an acre. 1t gives us
great pleasure to say there is now more
surface in wheat, which is growing
finely, in this country than ever before.
In some instances, it is feeding dairy
COWS, which have fresh green heritage
up to their eyes. Let the farmers
sons and daughters who are school
children tell where all this milk and
butter was the week before the young
wheat grew on which the COWS feed.
1t is easy to see that green wheat makes
flesh and bones in growing animals,
milk, butter and cheese, and the finest
woods for broadclOths, worsted and de-
laines, but what makes the rich wheat
and blue grass of Davidson county?
Every farmer should be able to answer
the above question promptly, for the
things are as well known to a few
farmers as that two and two makes
four.
If We dry green wheat, clover, OF
grass of any kind, about three-fourths
of the weight escapes as water-vapor;
and if we burn the dried heritage so as
to save and separate the products of
combustion, nearly one-half viii becoal