The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-07-04
Description Of Our County.

To the American.
FRANKLIN County, june 20, 1853.
Franklin county is situated in the south
eastern part If Middle Tennessee. It.
/, bounded Oh hcuorth By Jackson and
Madison counties in Alabama, on the
east BY Marion and Grnndy, ON the.
North hy Caate, and on the west by
Lincoln and Moore, 1t. on the Both.
parallel Of latitude and 9Th meridian OF
longitude It, height above Tie sea.
level yarie. from 80 feet in its lowest.
valleys t. over , 900 fee. On the iailesl
peaks oft, mountains.
These mountains, which are ott,hoJts
Of the Appalachian range, and are
known as Cumberland mountains, are
on the eastern and part Of It's
northern boundaries, They are
covered with valuable timber Of differ
cnt kinds, including cedar, pine, wal
nut, poplar, oak, cherry, maple, chest.
nut, beech, dc. \ number Of mill,
are now engaged in getting out this
lumber
Coal and iron are found at various
points in the mountain in this county,
and there is . scvcnty.ton furnace now
in operation at Cowan. These beds D!
coal and iron have great promlseand ale
beginning to be developed.
The bcnche, and plateau Of the Cum
Jcr!aud tablc.land afford abundant pas.
turage for all kinds Of stock from the
first Of April to the last Of Octo3cr.
Here are found almost boundIcss sheep
walks, where mutton and wool can be
produced at tic lowest possible outlay
of labor and money. Upon this same
plateau the vine, fruits and vegetable.
Of every kind grow in great perfection.
While Franklin county is upon the
southern boundary Of the graS.-growing
region, yet grasses Of every kind grow
finely from the meadow to the perpetual
pasture. With moderate care catch
Of clover is certain, and such is it, tc.
nacity that many farmers have fields in
clover which have been sown but once
in thirty years. One old farmer Of the
county who has grown rich, when Il
young man seeded every one Of his fields
to clover, and though now an old man
has rcsccdcd but two fields during the
time. His system has been wheat upon
clover sod, then corn, followed by oats
then clover for twO wears followed BY
the Sumo rotation. Wheat, rye, barley,
oats, corn, potatoes Irish and sweet
are grown with uniailing success upon
the lands in almost every portion Of tho
county. As the natural pastures sup
port stock Of every kind during seven
months Of the year, while winter pas
lures Of blue grass, orchard grass, red.
top and the tall meadow grasses will
supply the remainder of the year, it
costs bat little to rear stock ofall kinds,
cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, etc All
these animals are remarkably healthy.
As Franklin county is at the doorway
Of the cotton belt, it has Il certain home
market for It's mules, horses and hogs
while its cattle and sheep 90 north OF
south, as the varying seasons shift the
demand, by means Of the Nashville
d Chattanooga railroad which goes
through the middle OF the county, with
the two feeders, the Tracy City road
and the Fayetteville road, conncctingat
Dcchcrd and Cowan; in fact all the de-
sirablc portion Of tie county, with the
exception of one corner, is within five
miles Of the railroad Hogs continue
to iattcn on clover from the middle Of
April ill the last Of October, and then,
if turned upon the stock pea, which
grpws to perfection without cultivation
after planting, they require but little
corn to prepare them for market. As
an abundance Of hay can be produced,
stock can be wncrcd at Il trining cost,
and so generous is the soil and climate
that manure carried from the an and
spread on in the fall and spring rc.sceds
the land to clover and other grasses.
Franklin is one Of the best watercd
''HH'l'S w VIC 'Illt. III All IL HIS
about Il dozen water courses of sufficient
size to run mills, etc. The largest of
these, Elk river, has Il fall Of 100 icctin
six miles, and it is evident river of
such descent must furnish magnificent
water power. There are Il great many
grist mills situated on these water
courses; also several factories, both
wooden and cotton. At Winchester
there is Il fine brick building situated ON
Boiling Fork, which is now vacant. 1t
'nly awaits the capital to establish there
| paying mill, either wool or cotton.
Most Of the small fruits, such as the
strawberry, raspberry and blackberry,
grow spontaneously, and yield most
Dountcously when cultivated Ncgcta-
bles of all kinds grow to perfection, and
mature as early as at any point in Ten.
ncssce, and from the facilities of trans
portatlon which we possess can be put in
the Northern markets in thlrty.fvc
hours at most. This condition of af. |
fairs renders the increase of truck farm.
ing certain. The apple is grown with
average success, while the peach is un.
surpassed in carlincss, size and flavor.
The grape is an uniailing crop free
from disease. and the quality of the fruit
is very superior. a great deal of excel.
lent wine is made every year. and sold
ut good prices.
Our educational advantages are un-
In addition to an excellent
system Of public schools, we have II uni. |
'ersity and two colleges, known in cv-
ny Southern Statc-thc University of
he South, Episcopal, at Scwanec Ma
y Sharp, (Baptis., } and Normal, both