The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1876-05-11
Migrating to the South.
Editors Country Gentleman:

EultOfS country ptlLlcInah'
| have lately travelled by wagon
with three friends, from Lake Erie to
the Gulf of Mexico at Cedar Keys;
thence across Florida to Lake Monroe
on st. Johns. Here we sold our
horses and came home by water and
rail. Our objec. was mainly to see the
country, and learn what We might
about the South and its people. Hay
ing travelled our country from north to
south, we could only think of it as
composed of three great bclts-onc
north of the Ohio, M south of the
three-fourth parallel, and the other ~
ing between these two, and %partaking
somewhat of the character of both.
After VIC had been through southern
Alabama and Florida, we could hardly
think of Tennessee as belonging to the
South. In the southern hal: OF Ten
ncssec they grow cotton, but more or
less througho ut the State and in the
covcs and valleys Of Northern Georgia
and Alabama, the capabilities of the
soil and climate are favorable for
gram and stock-growing. But farther
| south, after we reach the sand where
cotton still is and always has been the
leading crop, and still farther, where
sugar cane and oranges grow, we are
in u sort Of other world, where wheat
and clover fields, and meadows Of the
cultivated grasses, are never seen-this
is properly the South.
Tennessee in the middle belt, and
Florida in the Southern belt, are at
tracing the attention of northern peo-
pie. more perhaps than any other por-
tons Of the Southern States along Il
route. Tennessee has published an
account of her resources, and interest
cd parties are from time to time adding
to the facilities TO- acquiring q knowl.
edge of the country. Quite a good
many northern people are locating in
Tennessee. Some are settling on the
table lands and in the barrens on the
Highland Rim-not a very wise selec-
ton | fear. These lands are mostly
poor, and OF little value. | should, for
example, never think of locating in
slch a country as that about Manches-
ter and Tullahoma. in Coffee county.
Along this line of railroad, both north
aud south, there is much better coun-
trv. Land costs more in Davidson
county Nashville, J and in Rutherford
county Murfreesboro.) but it is better
to pay more and get land that is of Ger.
tain value for farming purposes. There
is no more desirable part of Tennessee,
or in the South, so far rs know, than
the rich lands of these counties. They
have access to northern aud southern
markets, and once the land falls into
energetic hands. it must Use rapidly in
value. Another good region is in
franklin county Winchester in the
red, rolling lands along the foot Of the
Cumberland mountains. There are
considerable settlements Of northern
people there already. Land can he
had ut from $40 to $40 per acre, with
a good prospect. | think, of being
worth twice that in ten years.
Both Georgia and Alabama are ex-
tending inducements to northern PEG.
pie to come in with their energy and
and locate. But all the south
prn portions Of these States are Sd IN
ike the North in soil and climate, that
northern people would do well to
study the situation thoroughly before
they invest. People who want the ex.
of mildncss in climate Afforded