Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-07-09

Ia not the case here. We have a good,
quiet class Of residents, mostly white.
with black polka dots. of course, this be-
Ing where slavery used TO spawn in the
early days.
Bat the country is settled by peace
able class OF asriculturists, who have ac-
quired from the summer boarler an air
OF being on u perpetual vacation. Many
farmers in western North Carolina, by
watching their chances. are enabled TO
sell their corn at forty cents in the fall
and buy back q portion of it in the
spring at one dollar per bushel TO plant
and feed TO stock. This builds up a
traffic IN cereals, and has tendency to
make the farmers son ask himself why
the farmer Is the most independent of
any class.
The average mean temperature of the
state is 50 degs., but for this portion it
Is only 52 degs.. which you SEQ is n very
fine average. and well adapted to the
growth Of almost anything. Our soil
here. however. is poor. / must admit
that to you, as secretary Of agriculture,
for would not wish TO conceal anything
from your bureau. Our soil is o rather
pleasing red clay. covered with a thin
topdressing of footprints deposited here
by the soldiers who during the war re-
treated from each other at high rate
OF speed. snatching. perhaps. water
melon from q noncombatant as they
ran.
To be q noncombatant here and IL
Tennessee and Kentucky during the war
was very exciting. A neighbor tells me
that ono night the Federals came and
took four mule teams from his thrashing
machine, and two milk COWS. Also his
father. That evening the Confederates
came and took four shotes and the
grandsire Of the family. Being a very
tough old man, however, he was re-
turned. IL was hard enough to be a sol
der during the war. but to be non
combatant at that time. Mr.. Secretary,
and maintain peaceable and friendly re-
lations with both armies would overtax
the tact and etiquette of an angel.
Our soil here is about the only soil in
the south that has not been drenched
with fraternal blood. Either army could
escape at any time by abandoning the
roads and allowing the enemy to follow,
II the enemy adhered TO the roads. The
wagon roads. even then. were impass-
able. To burn the bridges behind them
was a hgurative expression only, for
there were no bridges. 1t was so with
the railroads also "We are riding much
moro smoothly now" said a passenger TO
the conductor. Eyes" he did straight
way make reply, 1--WE are OFF the track
now"
Some criticise our agricultural meth
DDS here because we use q single mule
for blowing. aud little shovel plow,
such rs is used for blowing corn at the
north. bat this is necessary, because the
soil is so thin that to pillow deep while
sluggaris sleep in order to have corn.
corn to sell and keep" is fatal. for you
thereby turn up miserable red paste
with pulverized mica in IL. which con
stitutes about the only attachment which
the North Carolina farmer has for his
farm.
Human health Is prevalent to a re-
marksbls degree here, Mr.. Secretary,
aud it is one of the two regions Of the
giote where consumption is unknown.
No actual residents die here. Only
strangers who came here after il was too
late. Many northern people who come
her with advanced phthisis or tuoer-
culosis die. especially IL both lungs are
gone. but If toe windpipe and enough
lung tissue be left 10 halt trap. the air
hers viii soon add on nice new red
lung with real scsllcps on the edge.
Electric lights are also common here.)
Whose funeral ia thatT | asked in
Asheville the other dav Of bright eyed
Little tsrhsel child leading goat and a
stone bruise
II don't know his name, sab" he an
sw~red simply. "Is Is some northern
gentleman. s2rne stranger, sab. | don
know his name
Even the children are bright and quite
ready in conversation, Mr.. secretary. far
beyond their wears
TIE vine. cotton and dik flourish in
Tins countrv, and il you hare cuttings OF
either that the department. could spare |
wouh kkr them. RI ron have dozen
cuttings cf dros c-~1ir silx that would be
hardy, most any shade. conid Use them
on mr. farm The Catavba grape origi-
nsiei here. and TIE wild grspe. Of which