Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-06-04
For THE CITIZEN :

For THE CITIZEN:
Few Northern tourists know much
about the mountain districts of Western
North Carolina, and believing that a
good many readers of the CITIZEN
would be glad to see letter from one
whose experience has been somewhat
general and varied in this locality, will
be my present object in writing.
| have both heard and read a good
deal of the noted Thermal Belt without
getting fully satisfied on information,
SO | concluded the better way to get
at it was to go for it, whether at the
bottom of a mine or at the top of a
mountain.
One bright morning in the latter part
of March, just as the peach trees were
coming out in full bloom, two doctors
and myself mounted our mules and as
cended the rugged mountains to gather
the practical demonstrations. The
task grew somewhat arduous, for the
summer sun had already become quite
hot but we pressed ON believing that
"where there is o will there is a
way" until we reached an open table
land where we called halt, refreshing
our exhausted energies with some of
the delicious native wine of that coun-
try, there taking in broad view of the
grandest mountain scenery.
This wonderful "belt" is about one
half mile in width and twenty in
length ard is situated IN latitude 250
traversing the Southern exposure of
Tryon mountain and is about two
thousand feet above sea level
The temperature rises about 100 in
an elevation of one thousand feet and
is covered with rich arabic soil capa-
BILE of raising the finest varieties of all
kinds of fruits and is entirely free
from frost, the peach and wild grape
are a never failing crop, from which
native wines of the finest favor can be
made in abundance.
As an evidence of the magic growth
of fruit, is the unusual short time of
maturing. On the first day of April
peaches are in full bloom and arefrequent-
ly ripened ready for the market on the
twenty ffth'of May, and on the twenty
fifth of April ate ripe Strawberries
that were just twenty-five days from
the time they were in blossom until
they were ripened for the market.
But one most remarkable fruit pro-
ducel as an indication Of its thermal
character, is the fig, which though not
of the earliest variety, yet they can be
per fectly ripened and matured.
All over this mountain region it is
thickly covered with valuable timber,
black walnut, chestnut, locust, ash,
hickory, oak, pine, &c, which grow to
a large size and can be made profitable
for numbering, and underneath the sur
flee in many parts it contains rich de-
posits of 'free gold".
From its embryo state and the rich
deposits of iron ore, gold, tin, mica, &c.
that lie latent in the bowels of the earth.
it is safe to say there is yet future
for this section of which there is SO
little known.
Thousands of acres that have never
heard the sound Of the W woodman's axe,
invite tie energies Of our crowded
towns and cities, and come within the
reach of the most limited means; can be
bought from two to ten dollars per
acre.
The "belt" appears to girdle all the
mountains known as the Tryon Noun
tain Range at about the same height
and width above the Pacalet river and
the soil is most productive where it has
the fairest southern exposure.
| am told that when there is snow in
the valleys foot deep and masses on
the mountains it is barely perCeptible
in the belt and that light snow melts
there as fast as it falls while the ground
below is entirely covered, thus proving
the "thermai' is all in the soil and lay
of the land.
1t is still a question what crops can
be most proitably grown in this region,
but it would seem as though nature
had especially adapted it to the growth
and maturing of nearly all kinds of
fruits, some of which are as fine as |
have ever seeG on this side of the
Rocky Mountains.
Indian corn is the universal grain
crop, though wheat and clover are
grown and little land besides the valleys
has been cleared for cultivation; and in
some of them cotton and tobacco were
largely grown "before the change in
their system of labor"
But the grandest and best use of this