The Rugbeian and district reporter. (Rugby, Tenn.) 1882-1883, 1882-10-21
RUGBY AND THE PLATEAU.

Mr.. John V. Shepherd, who spent some nine
months on the Cumberland plateau, and has
purchased one hundred acres of the Clarke
lands, near jamestown, with reservation Of
five hundred acres more for his family con
nections in Huron county, Michigan, writes
an interesting letter TO the Huron County
News. Mr.. Shepherd is expected in Rugby
very shortly, and will go upon his land in
Fentress County, in a few weeks. The land
around Rugby is somewhat more broken than
that he writes of, but other particulars and
conditions named are similar. He says:
II remember | promised you something of
the country's capabilities. Well, as we can
only judge of beauty by comparison, am
afraid | shall fall short of giving even the
faintest idea of the beauties of this Ell Dorado
of America, for the simple reason that there
is nothing to compare with it in Huron county.
The soil will compare with the best of that
county; and as have ridden about thirty or
forty miles per day for four or five days in
succession from a certain point in every
direction, know whereof | speak. and can
say emphatically that here are on the Cumber-
land plateau the greatest extent of continuous,
unbroken, gently unduating lands, and Of
almost uniform good quality, that have ever
seen; and, what is Of the most Importance,
they are nearly cleared, and can be turned into
fine farms at, think, about one-eighth of the
expense of Northern wooded lands. The soil
is mixture of sand and clay. sticking to the
feet when wet, with but little gravel in it,
The surface is as even as board, and the lay
of the land little rolling, just as pretty as if
made to order The lands near the streams
are equally good and even better timbered, but
broken by ravines, and more adapted to
pasturage. | consider, after careful and pro.
longed examination, that the lands here, for
scores Of miles, are eminently adapted to the
production of beef, mutton, and dairy products,
vegetables of all kinds, nor accepting Irish
potatoes; and with Northern intelligence and
management, most of the cereals. Most of
the fruits of Michigan will do we'll here.
Apples are smaller than with you and why P
Because they are the most natural fruit, and
the trees never pruned. am little afraid
for my'two pet friends, the peach and grape
and fear that will not be able to grace the
tables at our fruit shows which we shall be
holding at Rugby in the near future, as you
know l generally do at our Huron county
fairs. The fine sunny days in February here
in Tennessee will bring the peach and grape
blossoms out too early, and they will be apt to
be cut by late spring frosts. Pears and ounces
must do well here, especially around Rugby
For those who have been used to making maple
sugar | would say, in the absence of that
chance on the plateau that they can grow the
Chinese sugar cane, or sorghum, and make
their sweets; and all also pretty we'll con
WINGED that bees will do better here, with
Intelligent management, than in the North
and honey can be produced proftably. There
is ,one great and very important advantage
here over the North, which all English farmers
who have farmed In England will see the value
of-that is, turnips can be fed or eaten off on
the land by sheep in pens during the winter
as in England, which is the best possible way
to enrich the lands with but little expense and
much profit. Cattle wintering in Tennessee
is not half the cost it is in the North and
when done properly they will be ready for the
butcher by the middle of June, even taken from
commons Or wood pasture, the timber being
SO sparse or scattering that there is one con l.
tinuous pasture, almost in every direction. for
miles in extent; and grass, too, not weeds, as
in the North. The country is well watered
with beautiful springs and creeks; and we
have one river especially, the water of which
is as clear, blue and sparkling as the water in
the middle of Lake Huron"