Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-08-28
MIGRATION TO THE SOUTH.
Soils and Climate.

At the recent meeting of the Amer
lean Institute Farmers Club, in Coop
er's Institute, New York. Prof. Henry
Z. Cotton read the following paper:
In py humble opinion, Mr.. Chair
man. the Southern States offer at thi
time-the most inviting field to ihe in
telligent emigrant Of any part of ths
United States, and knowing that the
attention of many is directed thereto
| shall endeavor to sc sketch the sol
and climate. the products and re.
sources, as to furnish brief guide to
such as are in search of home in thai
region. In two of the Southern States
viz, Georgia and North Carolina, may
be found every variety Of soil and eli
mate and every character of wild tree
or flower and cultivated plant of any
and every other State in the Union
This is owing to the fact that their sea
shore extreme is very warm from lati
tudea md contiguity of the Gulf fStream
and their Western or Northern sec.
tion, composed of high mountains
which have the tree growth and sum-
mer climate of upper New York with
out the rigorous winter. These States
may be said to rise like gradual in
cline from a sea level to an elevation
of 1900 to J, 900 feet, with many noun
tains to the height of 1000 to $500
feet. The first has every geological
formation of the United States, and
consequently all the soils; the latter
has but a small area of limestone
lands. The States of Virginia and
Tennessee have nearly all the soils and
products, the former partaking little
more generally Of the Northern type,
while South Carolina and Alabama,
with varied soils partake more of the
Southern. The same may be said of
Arkansas and Texas. Mississippi,
Louisiana and Florida are strictly
Southern in soil and products. Vir-
ginia and Tennessee have low, sandy
lands, thence running up to the ele-
vated plateaus producing the Northern
grasses and having the cool Northern
summers, and South Carolina has also
small strip of similar character,
while the mountains of Alabama fur
nish an approach to these sections
1t will thus be seen that the sections
in which those crops are grown which
| suppose most Northern men desire
to cultivate-for instance, the small
grains, grasses and fruits-and at the
same time be in climate not excess
lively warm in summer nor approaching
that of the North in winter, with
enough of change for good health and
purity of atmosphere but not for dis
comfort, are Virginia, Western North
Carolina, Middle and Northern Geor-
gia, part of Northern South Carroll
na and Middle and Eastern Tennessee
and part of Northern Arkansas
Texas has so many railroad companies
putting her merits that 1 need not add
my little quota. In the sections named,
any soil and climate he may desire can
be gotten by the emigrant, but know
of no better mode Of guiding him to
them than by stating the Characters
ties of the countries on the lines of
of railroads which run into the South.
First / will state that only in Alabama
and Arkansas are there any govern
lnent lands to be taken by prescription
or homestead. Texas has State laws
with some such provisions, but any
settler may rely upon it that all the
most valuable lands have been long
ago taken up by settlers and specula-
tors. In Alabama there are some fine
timbered and mineral lands not yet
taken up, as by the law of Congress
they cannot be bought except for home
steads. The granite and gneissoid
soils and states Of the oldest rocks,
such soils as Westchester county, all
New England, Chester and Berks coun-
ties, Pa: Morris, Passaie, Sussex and
Warren counties, D. j.; and Orange,
Putnam, Columbia and Duchess coun-
ties, N. Y, as q general rule, not SO
rocky, however, are to be found on the
line of the Richmond and Atlanta
Railroad. all the route from Richmond
South to Danville, through North Car
olina, Upper South Carolina and Geor-
gia. The line of this road rises from
Richmond to an average altitude of
800 feet above sea-leyel in North and
South Carolina, thence to full 600 in
Ge orgia. 1t runs in a strictly Piedmont
country, at the foot of the great noun
tain chain. Passing through the same
character of land and joining the above
road at Danville, is the Washington
City, Virginia Midland and Southern
Railroad, running from Washington
City via Charlottesville and Lynch
burg, to Danville. InGeorgia the road
from Augusta to Atlanta passes thro'
Il similar region, and also the road from
Atlanta to West Point, Ga. At direct
right angles to these roads and travers-
ing the same character of soil from east
to VESTS that part of the Atlantic, Mis-
sissippi and Ohio from Petersburg and
Lynchburg, and beyond to the crest of
the Blue Ridge that part of the North
Carolina Central, from Wadesboro to
Charlotte, and beyond to its western
terminus the Western North Carolina
via Morganton, aad thence on is a
surveyed line to Tennessee and the
Western and Atlantic, from Atlanta to
Cartersyille, Ga. From east to west
this belt of potash lands-I call them
thus because they are derived from
rocks having much potash in their
composition, and hence do not need
that fertilizer-I say this belt from
east to west, in New Jersey not over
thirty-fve miles in width, stretches
out in Virginia to 160 miles, in North
Carolina to near three hundred miles,
in Georgia from one hundred to two
hundred and ends at blunt point in
Alabama. The Richmond and Atlanta
Railroad runs in it for over two hun
dred miles. Any crop may be grown
on these lands which is grown in the
northern sections | have named. with
the addition OF cotton and tobacco.
The Piedmont belt has no superior for
the production of peaches and certain
varieties of apples, while from its soil
come the original of the Catawba, Is
abella and other grapes. The eolor OF
the soil is usually red or gray the
native tree growth hickories and oaks;
water abundant and pure ; no mus
auitoes or malaria. Much of this land
can be bought at very moderate rates,
seldom over So per acre, unless there
are good houses. The railroads run
ming through it are all great trunk
lines, and horse transportation facili-
ties are good. The climate is mild and
even. 1t might well be called the me-
dium belt of our country. Those who
wish to raise early vegetables for
market must go to the region of Nor
folk, Va, the line Of the Wilmington
and Weldon Railroad, and its south
ward branch to Charleston, the coun-
try around Savannah, and the line of
the Atlantic and Gull Railroad. The
saaSans nm this road are fropn one 70