The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1884-09-24
LETTER FROM TENNESSEE.
It's Climate aud Resources, as Observed
by Buckeye Boy.



I am located in the Tennessee river val
ley, surrounded by the Cumberland noun
tains on the northeast and west The river
here runs directly SOUTH and the Nashville,
Chattanooga & S. L. r. r. follows the val
ley, as you will find if you refer to the map.
The Alabama line is not more than thirty
rods from my dwelling
The climate of Tennessee is fine. For
the past month or two the thermometer
has indicated "a to ST degrees. The nights
at all times during the summer are so cool
as to require covering in order to be COM
Portable. The soil here does not reflect the
heat as in Ohio, and the coolness of the
nights makes it very pleasant, hence the
warmth is from II a. m. to 2 p. m. They
tell me they have no winter here till Janu-
ary, but frost in October and last of Sept
ember.
As to crops, they are not overly good, as
there was too much rain throughout the past
season.
The people are Of a negligent nature.
They make no efforts, just so there is corn
sufficient for ''hoe cake, as the mountain
"mast" (nuts) will produce bacon. have
myself ifty-fve acres of as fine corn as
grows in the Miami valley. The corn here
grows large stocks and ears, as a rule five
to seven feet high. The majority Of stocks
have two ears, but corn here will not bear
but two stocks to the hill or will not ear
well. All root crops grow finely. There is
no doubt but what farmer can make far
more money here than in Ohio. Corn
rated here at depot in January last at so
cents and in Chattanooga at G5 cents.
Since May 1st it has been quoted at 10 to
80 cents at the latter place The Cincin-
natl quotations in January were So to "a
cents. The markets here for farm produce
are good, as south and west of us to the
sea and gulf coast they raise only cotton,
hence the demand for provisions. There
are as many as twenty-five large freight
trains running south daily filed with bacon
-four, etc., all from North-St. Louis and
Chicago We feed Illinois and Ohio hay
constantly, pay $40 to $22 per ton at Chat
| tanooga. There is a great demand for it.
Timothy clover and all grasses grow her,
in luEuriance. The Mortimer in Tennessee
are devoting their attention to grass, ant
are making money. The opening here il
good for stock raising. Large fine ranges
are on tops of the mountains and water il
everywhere in abundance; runs from toI
Of mountains in streams in localities
There is spring some eighty rods from
me that runs as much water as White Oal
creek at Buford during the summer.
This plantation contains about 1900 acre
of fine land Bottom lands are not spoile,
by creeks, as the river or creek is straigh
on one side and the mountains enclose it
This is a lovely place as TO natures beau
ties. The mounties are like honeycombs
full of fine valleys called "coves, " and ricl
lands in the valleys. Land ranges in pric
from Sl5 to $50 per acre, and mountain
land given in at no cost. 1t is hmbere,
finely, Most Of the tops are level and fin
grazing is afforded 1t is mostly govern
ment land that can be homesteaded or pur
chased at $1.25 per acre.
The minerals in these mountains ar
principally coal and iron. This in a fey
years will be the great iron produciu
country in the world. Our rplanter has jus
sold about 1900 acres Of coal and timbe
lands for S72,OOO You can see the coa
bank from here
My fine growing corn has enthused me
1 had twenty-five acres Of corn about si
feet high and laid by before my last te
acres were up. Corn here grows rapidly
You can plant from March LIST to June l5
Hence you see one man can raise a la1g
crop. If the weather had been like othe
summers L would have tended eighty acre
myself. As to fruit, It grows here i'm abur