The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-01-27
Cen. Thomas L. CIingman on
the Agricultural and mineral
Wealth of the State.
from the New York SUM-
(Concluded.)


(Concluded.)
Il may say that the swamp lands OF
The eastern part Of the State produce,
when cultivated, as much corn per acre
A any lands in the world. Prof. LIN
mons. who, after making an agrlcui
tural survey Of the State Of New YORK,
made one for North Carolina, said that
two of our eastern counties (Which he
namely could, if drained aud cultiva
ted grow more corn than the whole
State of New York. A small portion
only of these IL DIS has as yet been pat
into cultivation. A hundred thous
and Hollanders would find good locs
tions in that region. Twice that mum
Der of Frenchmen ought to be settleo
in the belt between Raleigh and the
lowlsnd., for that region would pro-
duce more wine than all France does.
The grape culture is being extended
and more wine is made every year.
"A German to whom, at our STATE
fair, assisted in awarding a premium
for the best scuppernong wine, said
that be could make 1000 gallons Of
that wine to the acre as easily as he
could 400 gallons in Germany, and that
be could sell it for twenty-five cents a
gallon and make a profit. The soup
pernong grape grows throughout thst
region as readily as the long-leafed
pines do. In fact, all the varieties Of
grapes that are grown in the United
States do we'll with us. SO do all grain
and grass crops. One day, while rid
ing through a field in Buncombe Of
more than 1000 acres chiefly of orchard
grass and timothy, as they stood in
many places | could lap their heads
over the withers of a tall horse on
which [ was riding. This land, on
the Elk Mountains, near Ashville, Mr..
Woodfa said he bad bought for fifty
cents per acre, cleared and fenced it
for about 81 per acre, and after max
ing two eorn crops on it, had it sown
in grass several years previous to the
day we were there.
.All the grasses grow we'll over that
entire region. Mr.. Winslow Smith
obtained in Asheville more than four
of cured orchard grass on a single
acre At one cutting. This however,
on a lot that had been MANFRED.
But the mountain sides, when first
will afford fine grass crops as
we'll as grain.
with the exception of oranges and
such cane suger rs is made in Louisiana
grown in the United States
IAN be probably raised in North Caro-
ina, and | regard it as the best State
or emigrants to settle in.
There is some movement in pro-
yress to open the gold mines, and our
of fine iron ore are attracting
ome attention from capitalists. Our
most profitable mining, however, is for
In 1868 [ caused some mica
to be opened in Mitchell county,
md | am told that now more than half
he mica of the markets of the world
8 obtained in that county. 1t is cel- /!
ain that this and two or three other !
in the State furnish the great
II part of the mica used. !
In the year 1917 discovered corun- {
in large Jumps in Madison county ,
circumstance probably led to 9TH
II discoveries in the State. The best
:orundum mine in the world is situa- ,
cd in Macon county. DIR. Lucss, WHO
when | first met him, vas working the {
mery mine at Chester Mass, has for {
everal years been operating this cor ,
lndum mine in Macon. He told me /.
hat he was taking out about three :
hundred tons per annum at a fine profit.
Is corundum has twice the abradlnp I
'ower of emery, it ought to be worth ! !
many times more per pound. !
Prof. Shepard, to whom l sent for :
lerly many thousand specimens Of :.
used to say that there wa. a :
reater variety of minerals in a circle -.
t fifty miles around Asheville than in .
ny other part of the State. This fact :.
enders. new discoveries of valuable ,
Minerals probable. liz connection with !
orundum | may say that | obtained :
nd had cut and set a ruby which Prof. !
hepard pronounced the finest Ameri- !
an ruby be had ever seen. DR.. Lucas :
DID me that he had obtained at his '.
orundum mine several fine gems. 1t !.
as published many years ago that .
Prof. Shepard the diamond and :
latinun. E.