Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-12
NOTES OF A SINNER TRIP.
No. vi.

After a most agreeable excursion through
the counties OF Bourbon, Fayette,
Woodford, Jessamine, Mercer and Boyle,
L am persuaded that the blue grass lands
OF Kentucky are fairly repese Ited
by those of Woodford county. This county
is often spoken Of as the heart OF the
blue grass region, aud occasionally il is
alluded 10 in the somewhat extravagant Ian
gus2e OF praise as the asparagus be ;" of
Kentucky.
In order 10 present facts, we must ka0lC
them, and, to interest others, we must have
something To say which is either new, novel,
true, curious. knowledge is acuuir "a
through all the senses, but chiefly by stu ty
| and observation. l am in danger, appre-
bend, of generaliZinStoo freely on the blue
grass region from the limited series OF facts
which gathered in WoodfOri county
The soil of the blue grass reg on is produc-
i've; Tree from swamps, and at the same time
easily cultivated. The calcareous ROCKS
upon which its soil rests are O honeycombad
by cave rms, and drain SO completely the lands
OF excessive saturation as TO render them to
some extent liable TO damaging droughts
There has been much speculation as TO where
the undeTgrOu nd streams or rivers of Ken
lucky find al tlet. Some have supposed
them 10 have an exit In the lower peninsula
of Florida, where rivers form in large springs
OF sufhcient volume TO create navigable
streams. The blue grass lands are so valu-
aole that the farms have been nearly all
cleared of their forest growth and placed
under cultivation. 1t is matter of e neral
observation among the Old settlers that they
are now more subject to droughts in the
summer that iriure crops than formerly
They are at the same time ottener subject 10
severe storms OF wind and Arctic irosts than
before the native timber was destroyed. Al
though the farmers attribute the cause 70 the
destruction of the forests, no means have AZ
yet been adopted TO encourage or compel tn
planting OF trees. am persuaded that this
duty viii commend itself shortly 10 the good
sense Of the people of this region Of Ken
lucky.
THE SOIL OF wooDFoRD COUNTY,
and presume that OF the best blue grass
region OF Kentucky, is a rich loan of light
chocolate color, formed largely of the disin-
tegrated limestone rocks, mixei with the
remains of a luxurious vegetation, uudis-
turbed for centuries. The limestone is cou-
stantly, though slowly disintregating, thus
preserving the vigOr OF the soil, which is re
markably uniform in color and in depth, the
latter varying throughout the cOun Y, from
three TO SIX feet. The extent of the blue grass
territory has been variously estimated, a.
Comprising an area of from sixty 10 elght y
miles square. AT all events, it includes the
counties of Fayette, Bourbon, WoodforI.
Jessamlne, Scott, Franklin, Anderson, Mer
The region of the calcareous or limestone
soils is estimated to be about one hundred
miles square. Much of this il remarkable
for IFS cavernous limestone rock. The rock
wearing away beneath, drains the surface Of
any excess of moisture, hence there are n
SWampy or water soaked lands in this part
of the state. Here and there, thr0u ghout
this section, there are depreSsious in the
ground, giving evidence that the rock be
meath has diSintegrated,
THE WATER SUPPLY IN THE LIN ESrONE
REGION.
The superintendent mass falling in, leaves
an area of depression, while occasionally a
pond of rain-water dis the depression. and
Is utilized for the stock. o. account of The
caVerDous nature of the underlying rock
mere are but few springs, and the water sup
ply for domestic use is mostly obtained by
either sinking wells, or building cisterns 10
collect the rain water. The latter mole is
coming INTO favor, and is altogether the best
and most healthy.
The mansion at Spring Hill rests over
cave or underground stream, which disgorge>
great quantities of water during times oI
heavy rainfall, and the water thus discharged
from the depths of the earth i often exceed
ingly muddy. The courthouse at Versailles
also rests over or near a cavern of the same
KIND For many years this latter stre9 m af
fOrdeG waller power for q mill. II flows for n
short distance, and is then lost underground
In driving along the road You seldom see
any small surface streams, and the only
bridges or culvertS seen are where the W hole
surface has been denuded and worn into con-
siderable depresslOps from the level of the
higher calcareouS strata. The absence OF
surface streams is to the stranger a very no
ticeable feature of the country.
OTHER MATTERS.
The original timber was white oak, hicIo-
ny, elm, black walnut, ash, beech, sugar,
cultivated here are wheat, corn, oats, barley,
and hemp. The labor now is mi Xei-white
and black. A system of leasing the farm
lands for half the crops raised which is com
mon In the east, is to some extent coming
into vogue here.
The seat OF justice OF WooJford county is
Versailles, and is situated near the center Of
the county. In $780, according TO the United
States census, the population was ,26S; this
would exceed by one half my estimate OF the
present population. 1t is pleasantly located,
In in bail rnt.
sist of the court house and Jail, public hall,
and number of churches. There are quite
number OF handsome private residences.
/ observed no unenclOsed land i'm this
region, and suspect there is but very little. il
any, in the county. The fencing is either the
Virginia worm fence, post and rail, or stone
Stock of no kind Is allowed to run at large.
The limestone being everywhere abundant.
and but few feet below the soil, it is easily
quarried on the ground in convenient size for
building purposes, and is, therefore, much
used for fencing. A finer producing
soil than that OF Woodford county ca nnot be
imagined; yet the distinct agriculture!
growth of the blue grass.
AS this is so peculiar grass, and so iden-
tilted with this section OF our country, feel
as though shall but comply with q reason
able expectation by giving somewhat ex-
Tended description OF its appearance, distri
There are two kinds of grass which have
received the popular name of "blue grass
the PoG prate,lsfs, or blue grass proper, and
the Poa cODtpTessd. called also "wire grass"
Much confusion of statement has resulted
from the fact that writer's occasionally cou-
found the grasses in describing the blue
grass proper, which is known popularity in
the states as "smOoth stock meadow grass"
June grass" "green grass" and :. Kentucky
blue grass"
THE KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS
is believed 10 be indigenous, but 1t is not
so confidently held that the PoI compressa,
or popularity; "iat stock meato4 grass" or
'spear grass" is a native plaut The state
ment Is made in the Patent Office report for
1854, that the blue grass seed was taken to
Kentucky and planted in garden IN Boones
borough 0y one Of the com panions OF Daniel
Boone; and 1t is believed by some to have
spread from thence. In the first four coun-
ties named in this letter, the blue grass, il is
believed, attains its greatest perfection and
most luxuriant growth. 1t closely mats the
whole sward, and when allowed TO run, at
tains q height OF from two 20 three feet The
blue grass is widely spreai throughout tue
United States, growing well both spoutaue.
ously and by cultivation in Indiana and
Tennessee, and is measureably successful In
the iimestone regions OF Pennsy lvania, New
One or the great ADVANTAGES of this 0rase