Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1884-10-16
FORSYTH COUNTY.
DESCRIPTION OF IT'S SITUATION
REVIEWS OF IT'S INDUSTRIES.
The Significance OF the Most Excellent
Display Made OF its Resources at the
ExDosition.
From the Raleigh Chronicle.

From tie Rnletg't Chronicle.
Forsyth county is situated in the
north western part Of the State on the
eastern bank OF the 7 adkin river. 1t
was formerly included in the county
Of Rowan, which in Colonial days.,
comprised the extensive possessions of
Sohn, Lord Granville, grandson of
Sir George Carterct, one of the eight
original proprietors Of North Carolina.
| Seyen-cights Of this proprietary we re-
ceded back to the crown in 1929, in
consideration of the payment Of $500
pounds, to each of the proprietors.
Lord Granville, however, still retain
| ed possession of the remaining eighth,
the boundaries of which extended from
the Virginia border on parallel 3G de-
grees south to line in latitude 80 de
grees, 81 minutes, and from the At
lantic to the Pacific. Since the war
OF Independence, this enormous tract
has been divided, and sub b-divided, in
to various counties. Forsyth was
formed from Stokes county in 1913,
and named after Col. Benjamin For
syth, who served III the revolution and
was killed in skirmish in Canada, in
| 1914. This county is conspicuous for
containing within its limits, the tract
Of land known as "Wachovia'' granted
to the "Unitas Fratum or United
Brethren of the Moravian church, by
Lord Granville, August Z, 1888, and
thus named because of the supposed
resemblance to valley of that name
in Austria, in the possession Of Count
Zinzindorf, the great Patron Of the
brotherhood. III 1S49 fifty-one acres
! Of the Wachovia tract, were sold to
the newly formed county, for $500
per acre, upon which the plan for the
county town was laid out and the
courthouse and jail erected, under
the supervision Of the late Francis
Fries. The town was called Winston
in honor of Col. Joseph Winston. who
represented this section Of the State in
the Patriots meeting of 1775-6, and
who was also one of a commission ap-
pointed to treat with the Indians, by
which all their lands in the States Of
North Carolina, Tennessee and Vir-
ginia, were ceded to those States.
Forsyth is hilly and undulating, well
watered with broad expanses of meadow
and bottom land situated along the
margin of the numerous streams and
creeks, which are thickly interspersed
over the whole county. Many of these
streams afford fine water power for
various manufacturing purposes. The
prevailing soil is red clay in the up
lands; and dark loan with clay sub
soil in the lowlands, however great
diversity of soil predominates through
out the county. Many Of the springs
are strongly impregnated with miner
al, that at Salem being much resorte d
to by those who visit the place, and is
said to possess fine medicinal proper
ties. Situated 1000 feet above the sea,
our climate is dry and temperate, in
dicating usually about 50 degrees
Farenheit in Summer and 40 in win
ter. The extremes of heat and cold
which prevailed here fifty years ago,
are now rarely felt. Climatically
there is perhaps no country more
pleasantly and salubrieuslv situated.
Though nature has lavished upon this
county the extremes of her munif-
cence, she has rarely combined in a
more pleasing and healthful manner
the substantials and luxuries of soil
and climate. r -.
TOBACCO
| is the staple produce of agriculture, as
we'll as manufacture. Very little was
grown however, prior to 1870 and
none at all earlier than 1853, beyond
few small patches for home con-
sumption. In 1858 three farmers,
Guthrie, Marshall and Kerby, by
name, from Halifax county, Va, re-
moved to this county, and being ex-
perienced growers of tobacco, their
example and success stimulated others
until in 1850 the marketed crop sum
med up 238, ,262 pounds. It soon be-
came evident that, with intelligent
cultivation, and handling, the lands
of this county were capable of pro5uc-
ing the finest grades of yellow leaf
chewing tobacco, not inferior to that
grown in the. famous "leatherwood'
district of Henry county, Va. In 1875
the yield had reached !, 100000 lbs.
3 and to-day borders closely on 4,000,-
900. The yield on newly cleared
lands, is from 500 to go lbs, and on
old lands when fertilized and careful
ly prepared, much larger crop is
often gathered.
WHEAT
grows finely on all lands that are well
drained, and prepared, and yield;
handsome profits. Corn and oats pro-
duce fine crops, when grown in the
meadow lands. Rye is also grown to
some extent. Potatoes of both varie-
ties and other roots grow in almost
any location. Such grasses as orchard
grass, red top, timothy and clover
grow we'll on all the meadow lands,
4 and many of these bottoms produce
fine crops of indigenous grasses, well
suited for hay and grazing. Hunga
rian millett is also grown by many
farmers, and when mixed with other
grasses, makes fine feed for stock
Fruits, vegetables, and melons, grow
] in the greatest profusion, and of al
most every variety, The dried fruits
of this section of the State, enjoy the
reputation of the highest quotations
| in the New York market. In 1917
fbis oaf.x, IL &