Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-10-29
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THE KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS
REGION.


THE KENTUCKY BLUE GRAS
REGION.
I have been visiting ~ besut,esa,nd
fertile region Of Kentucky for the l,s,
few weeks, and mr friends being farm.
en. had not only the opportunity "a
see the country, but to understand the
cause 8 it, great agricultural prosper
i,sai<so ~ g become familiar with
kae.~rmineG IS ne gla9sEss.s=sl
which the blue grass or the central per-
tion ef Kentucky, added to its natural
advantages, has been brought, has made
it, without rivalry, the most beautiful
farming section IN the United States.
Lexington seems to be the great CEN
tire from which radiate in all directions
McAdainized roads as main thorough
fares to every part of the State, with
cross roads Of the same kind tapping
them from each neighborhood. The
farms are not generally very large, av-
eraging, perhaps, three hundred acres.
The soil is limestone, and weil watered
by living running streams, so numerous
that nearly every field has fine stream.
The country is gently rolling; each farm
is well fenced and divided into conve-
nient fields for farm purposes. The
houses are generally erected on the most
prominent locality, and are not only
comfortable hut display architectural
taste. All the outhouses, barns, sta
bling, &c, are solid and ornamental
structures, COMFORTING with the man
sions. Around are clean shaven, blue
grass lawns. setting off the impression
of neatness and care that everywhere
strikes the traveller.
Wealth here is very equitably distri.
buted, arising largely from the coop.
erative system adopted by the early
farmers of this region. The fact that
the nutritious blue grass fourished in
such luxuriance called the attention OF
the farmers to raising cattle, and / am
informed that before the facilities oi
railroad transportation were afforded
large droves of beef cattle were driven
by land to New York. When the lat
ter facilities were offered the farmers
commenced organizing clubs, and by
each member contributing they were
enabled to import blooded cattle that
developed to greater perfection on the
blue grass sod than elsewhere. LII thu;
most independent farming community
in the United States. These herds of
fine stock are grazed here in the wood
lands, which are kept clear of under
growth, and in which the blue grass
grows waist deep. Here the cattle from
the finest breeds of the world lazily
Craze under the shade. The sight Of
these herds stir farmer seeing them
for the first time into an enthusiasm.--
This, however, is not the only source of
their wealth. The soil is SO rich that
ten barrels Of corn to the acre is con-
sidered poor yield. They also raise
all the cereals in the same profuse pro-
portion. Their hemp crop is, too. a
source of great revenue. Lands here av-
erage from hundred to hundred and
thirty dollars an acre, according to the
age Of the sod and the improvements.
The people are well educated, social and
enterprising.
was particularly struck with some
new features of the oranges that / OBJ
served here. The grangers, or as they
name themselves the Patrons of Hus-
bandry, in this section of the West are
organized and worked upon co-opcra-
tive and charitable system. The social
part of the system not only crltivates
friendly relations in visiting. where each
host exerts himself in the adornment of
his place, in his horticultural and floral
display to rival his neighbor, but it goes
further, its main object being to encour-
age each other by example to reduce the
number of outside employees, or rather
to economize and untilize those who
must live on the farm. From the wea,.
thiest to the poorest, each child and ev-
cry person Of the family has particu-
lar department about the farm to attend
to. For example, a six-year old boy has
the chickens under his care and when
he arrives at home from school he drops
his satchel and hurries with an emulous
pride to the hennery. An older boy
has the hogs to see TO, and one still ol-
der the fine horses that receive his care.
The females of the place are similarly
disposed in the dairy, the flower garden
and domestic affairs. In the afternoon
you will notice the neat dairy maid with
her butter paddle industriously Piled;
call in the evening and dairy maid Of