Graham guardian., 1899-09-08
IN TENNESSEE.
An Interesting Letter From Warren
Smith.


EDITOR GUARDIAN: --Th n k n g
that perhaps a brief description of
this country (Middle Tennessee)
and its general characteristics
might be Of interest to some of|
your readers l cheerfully submit
the following:
To begin with 1 will say that
this countoy is vastly differene
from that of Arizona il many re-
spects and especially in surface
and Vegetation. While in Arizona
there are numerous mountain lang-
es traversing the territory, there
are also numerous valleys and
level low lands that can be farmed
by irrigation, but in this coun-
try there are no mountains (wbat
we would call mountains In the
west) nor valleys and very little
level land, the whole country be-
ing made up of hills and hollows
and dcnsely covered, except where
it has been cleared for farms and
towns, with beautiful forests of
timber consisting principally of
oak, hickory, chestnuts, beach,
maple, poplar and black walnut,
with here and there beautiful
groves of cedar. The cedar in
parts of this country grows to be
as tall and straight as our western
pine.
Lumber is obtained principally
from popular and white and black
oak which grows to an enormous
size. The price of oak lumber
ranges from SO to IL, that of pop.
ular form Sl4 to $40 per thousand
feet.
The Cumberland mountains are
little higher than the rest of the
hills I guess that is why they call
them mountains.) There are farms
and towns and even railroads all
over the tops of them.
Farming and stock raising are
the chief persuits of the people,
though in some parts coal and
iron mining receives considerable
attention. The Tracy city coal
mines are noted throughout the
south, so also are the iron found
ries Of South Pittsburg.
The science of irrigation is un
known in these parts, the farmers
depending entirely on the rains to
mature their crops. There is very
little land that could be irrigated
if it were necessary.
The entire country is farmed re-
gardless Of hills or hollows. Where.
ever the ground is sufficiently free
from rocks the great trees are cut
down and burned, the plow is in
troduced and the rough hillsides
are converted into farms. A ma
jority of the farmers use what is
called a hillside plow. 1t is re-
versible and turns the land down |
hill in plowing back and forth
along the hillside. In gathering
the corn from these sidehill farms
the farmer puts the hind wheels of
his wagon on one side and the
front ones on the other to keep
the wagon from tipping over.
Corn IS the principal crop raised.
The average yield is about 1S
busels per acre and generally sells
at about 40c. per bushel. The
average yield In wheat is ten to
twelve bushels and is selling at
present at Toe. per bushel. Some
rye and oats are raised but no
barley at all. Alfalfa will not
grow in this country. The hay
raised is clover, timothy and
field peas. 1t nearly takes a
farmers breath out here to tell
him we cut hay in Arizona five
times in one year.
The crops fell short this year on
account of the unusual cold weather
last winter. There is very little
fruit of any kind and no peaches
at all.
The people, as a rule, hospitable
and kind, but in the country, por-
tions of the state they are fifty
years behind the times.
Education among the masses is
below the average, but there are
reasons for the existence of such a
condition. The average public
school term is three months and
that generally during the months
of July, August and September, the
hottest months in the year. OF
course in the cities more attention
Is paid to education and greater
advantages offered.
Arizona may be behind the
times in great many things but
IN her practical system of educa-
tion and also in many other re.
spects, she stands to-day as a mod
el for many of these old mother
states.
As to the climate / can notice
but very little difference in the
summers here and those at home
only, of course, it is more damp
here because of the frequent sum.
mer rains. But the winters from
what can learn are much colder
than they are in southern Arizona:
In conclusion l will say, l have
never seen country since leaving