The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-07-15
CROPS AND HERDS.
Rambler" Reaches the Brick Church
Country and Descants upon the
Beauties Of Woodvale.

Country and Descants upon the
Beauties of Woodvale.
EDITOR CITIZEN Since my last
letter to the CITIZEN l have seen a
large part of the northeastern cor
ner of the county. 1t is most graf
flying to witness the evidences of
prosperity that present themselves
20 one travelling through the coun-
try. All with whom 1 have come in
contact agree that the crops of corn
and cotton were never more promis-
ing. The late rains were very gen
orally distributed over the county
and came in the very nick of time,
for the crops were beginning to
show the effects OF the dry weather,
especially the corn crop, but now
all show new life and vigor The
rain was little untimely for the
hay crop and delayed the moving a
little too long, but Notwithstanding
the crop is a very large one and
generally very good. The pastar-
age was scarcely ever so good, and
consequently the stock of the coun-
try is in very fine condition.
The apple crop is very large
one-is above the average-and the
fruit is healthy and promising. The
peach crop. is not so good in the
valleys. but on high ground is
abundant. The blackberry-which
Is the poor mans berry, and conse
.quently one that interests me indi-
vidually-is probably the most
abundant crop ever known. Truly,
our land is a wide, Astounding one,
and our people are blessed beyond
any other people on the face of the
earth.
In the course of my trip l par
took of the charming hospitality of
Robert H. Laird, ESQ.,, and his ele
CANT wife at their beautiful home,
which he calls Woodvale. In the
cool of the evening l enjoyed great
ly ride which he and | took over
his magnificent farm among his
flocks and herds. Woodvale is sit
uated in two small valleys with
their accompanying hills opening
into the magnificent Cornersville
valley, which is, l think, one of the
most beautiful landscapes l ever be-
held. The mansion of Woodvale
lies within half a mile of Brick
Church ana commands a charming
view. The farm contains about
I130 acres. 1t is most judiciously
arranged and cultivated. The val
legs are alternated from year to
year with crops of corn, cotton,
wheat and clover, also meadows of
herdsgrass and timothy which keeps
the land productive and growing
more so every year, The hillsides
are covered with the richest sods of
blue grass, orchard grass and the
indigenous grasses of the country.
These grazing lands contain over
600 acres divided into numerous
fields and lots of gorgeous wood
lands, afording an expanse of pas
ture that one rarely sees in this
cotton benighted land. In one of
these woodlands, containing 300
acres, on a grand elevation L took
in at one view the grand panorama
Of the beautiful valley which ex-
tends far beyond Cornersville, d
distance OF seven miles-indeed as
far as the eye can reach. These
pastures are furnished with great
abundance of living water. l saw,
in riding over them, twelve springs;
and the location of others in the
distance was pointed out to me. On
these luxuriant pastures Mr.. Laird
has a herd of some 30 head of
shorthorn cattle which he has been
perfecting since 1S47, having in the
meantime also paid great attention
to the Improvement of his sheep
and hogs. He was born a lover of
fine stock. l believe that he and
Mr.. Robert Rodes and the late
Thomas Martin were the pioneers
in introducing shorthorn cattle into
Giles county.
Mr.. Laird's first essay in this di-
rection was the purchase of a fine
bull imported from Kentucky and
purchased at a very high price by
Mr.. Robert Gordon, the father of
the late Col. Thomas K. Gordon /
and the venerable Maj. J ohm Cor
don.
This bull was purchased by Mr..
Laird at the sale of personal prop
erty after the death of Mr.. Gordon
in 1S47. This bulls pedigree could
have been obtained if proper efforts
had been made at the time. but our
people didn't care for these matters
at that early date. He proved TO
be a famous breeder, and for many
years he was the most noted animal
in the country. This put Mr.. Laird
fairly in the way of breeding the
shorthorn, and the next purchase
he made was a premium bull which
was dropped by a cow purchased by
Mr.. Ben Harlan, of Maury county,
for whom he paid 800. The bull
was sold at public sale at the fair
grounds at Columbia. After using
this bull as long as 1t was proper,
he purchased one from Mr.. Martin
who had bought him from the Sha-
kers in Kentucky. Mr.. Laird then
bought Roam Prince, fine animal
imported from Kentucky; he was
by Diamond, 1896. Roam Prince
was a registered animal but his
number in the herds book was in
advertently left out of his pedigree
sent to Mr.. Laird. Since that time
Mr.. Laird has bred none but pure
shorthorns, and has now as pure o
herd as can be found in the whole
country, few of which l will men
tion particularly, hoping not to tax
the patience of your readers too
far.
l shall only select some choice
specimens that particularly attract
ed me, for to attempt special men