Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-01-06
EAST TENNESSEE.
A Region Peculiarly Adapted to Agri.
cnliure, Horticulture Stock
Raising, Etc.

cnliure, Horticulture Stock
Raising, Etc.
led FL. AND TIN writing the arti
cles referred 10 for ihe Herald and Tri
bune | would prefer to deal with Wash
ington County as suited to truck farm.
ing, market gardening, etc.
AT the request OF the Editor of The
Southern Field wrote the enclosed
communication which If you think ap.
plicable. you may copy as prelude to
the series hope TO prepare for you.
N. A. PATTERSON. |
VINELAND, TENN.
First, | must give some information
as to which geographical maps are al
lent.
Although native of this section,
! yet was twenty years old before
knew fully what kind OF country this
great mountain fenced basin really is
| obtained good view of the lower
and Genital area from projecting crest
of the Cumberland Mountaius, sixty
miles north of Chattanooga, and OF tie
upper area from the Bald Mountain.
a twin sister of the Roam. 1.-The highest
peak 1884 feet) of the Allegheny
range.
Viewed from these--points East Ten
nessee' g area looks not unlike a roughly
plowed field. the direction of the fur
rows being from southwest to north.
west; the bottoms Of the furrows being
fertile valleys from one to two miles
in width-the crests, low ridges, from
one to two hundred feet in height. As
to this there is one exceptions main
central ridge known in Lower East Ten
nessee as the Black Oak RIDGE aud in
Central and Upper East Tennessee as
the Copper and Iron Ridges. This ce n
tral ridge stands, on an average, not
less than three hundred feet above the
area basin. Along, and not far from,
its eastern base is constructed the great
through line of road; "The Southern, y
from Bristol to Chattanooga. RI.
These valleys, representing burrows,
average not less thr thirty in number:
at several points, extended spurs, as
foothills from the Cumberland and AL
leghenies, interrupt the valley forma.
tion; and for several miles above and
below, the number is decreased; vet
again branch out. These interrupting
formations, land notably those which.
bridge across between johnson City
and Jonesboro, and at Rogersville'
Junction peculiar watersheds are
formed, the small streams flowing for
number of miles to the southwest
and northeast. I refer to these little
valleys as rich soils; so they are; and
represent varieties of such character as
TO suit every variety OF growth in truck
farming, fruit growing and market
gardening But, really, in my estima-
tion, the most valuable soils of East
Tennessee are those on the southeast
ern slopes OF the low ridges referred to.
The autumn, winter and ing winds
blow the leaves from the northwestern
slopes across, supplying double coat
ing of the best material, when rotted,
for plant food. Perhaps about half of
these southeastern exposures are now
under cultiyation; yet most of the
northwestern slopes are yet in tim Der
and furnish their annual supply of
vegetable food for the cultivated fields.
A popularity of the soil of these south
eastern exposures is, that it is of the
light brown loan, called by the farm
ers "a mulatto soil" that absorbs an
extra amount of sun heat during the
day and gives it out slowly during the
night. The result is that biting frosts
In the valleys and opposite sides of the
ridges in early fall and late spring
months are only cold, harmless dews
on these favored exposures.
Orchard fruits, vineyards and vege.
table gardens located on these expo.
surcs are not blighted by frost or freez-
ing. Iknow of but two exceptions du.
ing the past eighteen years that have
lived the southeastern exposures of
the Indian Ridge and carefully noted
its culture.
Most of these favorite exposure soils
are cultivated in corn, oats and wheat,
and but little, if any, effort made to
guard against washing during heavy
rains. The gross returns do not aver
age more than S12 to, .s15 per acre.
Every acre ought to be employed in
the growth of orchard fruits, vines and
market garden vegetables when tn Q
gross returns would not fall below an
average of $100 per acre; and in special
kinds Of culture go as high, as $500 per
acre.
To illustrates. made test of this
peculiar soil with the Sharpess straw
berry, and at so cents per gallon the
yield was at the rate of S84O per.acre.
with lettuce (fall planted and protec.
tealdpring severe cold during the win
ter with cotton sheetiDg) and matured,
both in the cluster and transpla ant form,
at six cents per pound, the rate per
acre was fully $4,000 per acre. Early
grown radishes protected from spring
frosts by cotton sheeting) yielded at
four cents per dozen at the rate of $3.50
per acre. Tomatoes started from hot
bed plants, at two and one half cents
per pound yielded at the rate Of 5000.
mar acre 7 refer fo fhpsp ne appr imam q