The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-22
Of Johnston County
An Excellent Showing.

Statistics Of Johnston County,
An Excellent Showing.
Thanks to Capt. E.G. Holt, the efficient
and popular chairman Of the Board OF
Commissioners of Johnston for . pam,
phlet neatly setting for the financial and
educational status of the county.
Johnston county was formed from
Craven, In the year 1746, add was nam
ed in honor of Gabriel Johnston, at that
time, and for twenty years. ROYAL Gov
ernor of this province, and who died IN
1852. 1t is situated in a central part OF
the State. from North to South, and Is
about on the dividing line between the
fat lands Of the coast and moro elevated.
rocky lands of Middle and Western North
Carolina. 1t is bounded on the North
by Wake and Nash, on the East by Will
son and Wayne, on the South by Samr,,
son, and on the West by Harnett and
Wake; and is divided into twelve
Townships, with thirteen voting pre-
cincts.
1t has an area of sac hundred and SET
enty square miles, or four hundred and
hoenty- eight thousand, eight hundred
acres a large portion O (which is unclear-
ed. 1t has a diversity Of soils, but prin-
cipally three kinds, located about as
follows: Southwestern portion. q light,
sandy loan; in the western and north
ern, red and ~gravelly and in the centre
and eastern, stiff, dark gray soil, with a
red clay sub-soil. 1t will be seen by this
that, taken as a whole, the county is
capable of producing almost any kind Of
crop necessary for the sustenance and
comfort of man beast. Large yields OF
of wheat, oats, rye, peas, corn, niliet;
chufas and sweet potatoes are reported
every year. Apples, peaches. plums,
grapes, especially the scuppernong. grow
luxuIiantly. Experience has shown,
also, that clover. timothy and other
grasses may be cultivated probably IN
our soil and hence, that sheep husban
dry can can be made, and no doubt will
be, a paying business in this county.
Some experiments have been made
in this branch of industry, and with sat
i~sfactory results.
The soil in the south western portions
of the county is we'll adapted to truck
gardening. Cabbages, turnips, garden
peas. beans, Irish potatoes and melons
of all kinds do we'll in any part of the
county. The culture of cotton is a prof
table business, which is shown by the
increase of area devoted TO that crop
every year. Twenty years ago there
were only about one thousand bales OF
cotton, 400 pounds each, produced In
the county while the crop of 1881 is es-
timated at tuenty thousand bales. John
ston is SET down as the nth largest cot
ton preducing county In the State, and
there is no doubt that it has some OF
the finest cotton lands to be found any
where between the coast and the noun
tains. Neuse river about equally d.
vides the county, passing through 1t
from northwest to southeast, the bot
tom lands of which produce astonishing
quantities O corn and oats. The channel
of the river, under the supervision OF
Gen. Ransom. by an appropriation of
Congress. is being cleaned out and deep
ened, and the work is completed to with
in about seventeen miles of Smithteld;
and it is not impossible that the river
may again become navigable for light
boats as far up as this place. The fact
is already virtually demonstrated that
the effect Of this work will be to re-
deem a large quantity OF fne farming
lands, which are now subject to inun
dation from freshets. There is in this
river, about eight miles above Smith
field, and some two miles from the
North Carolina Rail Road, a very fine
water power, awaiting the capital and
energy of some enterprising man to
develop and utilize. Along the banks
of the Neuse are large forests of the
different species of oak, measuring,
many of them, several feet in diameter,
with long, straight trunks, which are
not only valuable for the fine quality
of the timber, but which are priced f.,
the fabulous quantities Of acorns the,
bear, upon which hogs thrive we'll
with no other kind Of feed and large
quantities of pork are slaughtered every
year from the marshes with little or no
cost to the producer. Hickory, elm
and ash are also abundant. There are
yet large forests of pine, which are
priced for the superior quality of the
timber; and all along the line of the
railroad, they are fast being converted
into lumber and shipped to other cou
tie. and other States.
This county is well opened up with
public roads leading in all directions,
which, under our present system OF
road service, are usually kept in good
condition. Our territory is we'll Wa
tered, and our streams are we'll bridg-
ed. We have, also, excellent mail
service, or with any part Of the country,
is easily accomplished.
The North Carolina Rail Road passes
through the center of the county, on
the line of which are Clayton Wilson's
Mills, Selma, Pine Level and Prince
ton, all thriving towns
The Midland atlantic and North
Carolina) Rail Road, is projected
through the county from East to West,
and is nearly completed as far as Smith
field. the objective point being Sails
bury. A survey is also being made, of
a Rail Road from Wilson, N. c.,
through this county, ga Smith6eld, to
Florence, S. G.. When these roads are
completed the county will be bi>sected
both ways with rail roads aud will be
we'll supplied with the means Of traffic
and pleasure.
ITO be COnt,nucd.)