Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-06-23
ABOUT OUR SOIL.
Variety Is One of the characteristic
OF East Tennessee Soil
ence.


OF East Tennessee Soil.
We can not reply TO the various in
quiries we receive about East Tennes-
see soil, better than by giving the fol-
lowing brief extract from Col. ]. B.
Killebrew's work, Resources of Ten
nessee:"
Though soil and climate may limit
the agricultural capacities of any Civ
en- land, location and facilities for
sportatiou will always directly
shape the character of crops grown as
well as the style of cultivation. This
truth is well illustrated in East Ten
nessee. Variety is the characteristic
of the soil a. it is of the geology of this
section. 1t is true that the great body
of the soil is of limestone character,
as limestone is the predominating
rock, but limestone soil varies more
widely than any other, and there is
scarcely variety that is not 10 be
found in East Tennessee. And all
limestone soils, If not rich and fertile,
may be made so at comparatively small
cost. The sandstone soils of this sec
ton are also quite varied in character,
and many of them possess very valu-
able features. For farming purposes,
however, they are far exceeded by the
limestone. The sandstone soil is con-
fined almost exclusively to the high
mountains, while the limestone soil
makes up the lower hills and valleys.
How rich these valley and cove lands
have been, may be imagined from the
enormous size of many of the trees.
The fertility of these soils warranted
the planting of any crop the farmer
might wish to grow, while the equable
climate favored any but purely tropi-
cal plants but East Tennessee, with
all it's fertility of soil and salubrious
climate, was shut in by mountains
very difficult of crossing. There were
no near markets, and only one practi-
cable route to the distant ones. The
Tennessee River offered possible out
let for any produce that the East Ten.
nessee farmers might have to send off,
But this route, when open, was very
long and tedious, and was practicable
only for fiatboats and in high water,
owing to the obstruction of the Muscle
Shoals. AS consequence of this isC-
lation and lack of transportation, In
dian corn was, for many years, the on
ly farm product shipped from East Ten
nessee. With the increase of popula-
ton, and the development of the re-,
sources of the section, roads multiplied i
and were improved, and the facilite "
for trade and commerce were great te
extended. Farmers, too, learned vi
feed their corn to hogs and cattle ~
stead of shipping it off raw. Still 10 e
farm operations of East TenpIsee n
movedin very narrow circle un .ne ~
completion of the line of railroa;; rom 7
Virginia to Georgia opened tia 1 T q
to markets north and soutl CV Vh q
and oats, and oats and corn, e .me v
chief and only staples. On i"Jo q
ity offarms no other crops yetsi W. H. +,
OF course it will be undeloou tnai n
this description applies tOIV sn Irii
practice, and is, by no tt"ai SppI'- +
cable to the many indi,ant forr,,oPpo n
lions, in which intel5'o,nnv.. la ,l lnaI :
sought, with most pr8emrnp i i CH O
n1an n'i ond d at Ime = bountiful re- o
sources Of tbeir seccyns. 1t was owing 1
70 the nresapca of Iese men OF supe- '
rior intelliganca % enterprise that the S
imnrovamsnt farming spread so
ranidIv wLan juce the doors were 7
thTow1 onnn % the markets of the
world II uIdld be difficult to over |
astipnota 81 value of the influence
which tba1irginia and Georgia line I
of raiIroa has exerted on the agricul- |
tnraI int est of East Tennessee. 1t is !
ali tba .ore admissible and desirable
fbat ~ good work that il has done be
note, and acknowledged at this time
WIZ, under the excitement of feeling
ag,nst railroads, on account of alleged
eSrbitant rates of freight and travel
cd invidious Determinations, many
re apt to lose sight of the amount of
the Indebtedness of the entire COM
munity to railroads. The extent and
character of the revolution which this
road has worked and is working in the
farm economy of East Tennessee may
be estimated by reference to the chap
ter on Observation-Disclosures. For
these facts we are indebted to the
kindness of Captain Jos. Jaques, the
Superintendent, and Mr.. Ogden, Cen
eral Freight Agent, at Knoxville.
The point brought out by these fig
ures to which we wish to direct es-
pecial attention, is the very great in
crease in the smaller products of the
farm, such as butter and cheese, eggs
and poultry, fruit fresh and dried. In
this we discover that the characters
tic of East Tennessee agriculture is di-
versity of products. This characters
tic is strengthened by the prevalence |
Of small farms. According to the GEN.
sus returns Of 1870 there are, in East |
Tennessee, 26,33l farms. OF these |
only nine are reported to amoun.to, or |
exceed, ] 900 acres, only seventy |
amount TO 500 acres and over, while !
6,379 are between 100 and 500 acres, !
leaving tn large proportion of 1888
under 100 acres.