The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-07-11
Written for THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER.l
RURAL LIFE IN KENTUCKY.

RURAL LIFE IN KENTUCKY.
A North Carolina Minister Writes of the Beautiful
Blue Grass Country-Good Roads, Good Schools
and Good Farming Enrich Country Life.
The Editor of The Progressive Farmer has
asked for letter on Rural Life in Kentucky"
Let it be understood in the outset that this writ
er's knowledge of the State is too limited to un-
dertake to describe country life in any other part
than that which has been under his personal OBJ
seryaton for the past few months. The garden
spot of kentucky is that part of it In the Ohio
Valley where the limestone abounds Elsewhere
it is as Poverty-stricken as any other country
where the soil is poor and the people rude. There
is part of the State which is too poor to raise
anything but Cain"
But this writer happens to be In the edge OF the
bluegrass region, where the -decomposing lime
stone is a constant source of fertility, where they
have enormous yields of produce land that
sells for from fifty to hundred and twenty-five
dollars per acre. This region embraces fifteen
more counties along the river valley.
To Begin with-Good Roads.
Perhaps We cannot get better idea of country
life than by hitching a thoroughbred and taking
ride for few miles In the vicinity of Emlnence,
Henry County The village itself is not superior
in appearance to many of the same kind In the
CarOlinas The houses are not more beautiful
except the streets macadamized with crushed
limestone and the churches which are hand
sOmer and more costly than are always found IN
small places elsewhere.
As we drive out on one of the numerous
pixies radiating in every direction we are struck
with the appearance of thrift on every hand.
Since we must begin our description somewhere,
we will begin with the roads, or pixies, as they
are called. They once belonged to private syndl-
Gates, and were kept in order by the frequent
tolls" levied on the travellers, yielding hand
some dividends besides. They were then sub
santially built of stone broken by hand, for 1T
was before tie day of road machinery. These
roads now belong to the public, and are very well
kept, though not so well as in the days of private
ownership. All holes and ruts are filled with
stone, no dirt ever being thrown on the road
bed
The Charm of Stone Fences
We had as well notice the fences next. There
are no old-fashioned rail fences, for the woods
are no more, and there is no timber available for
such eXtravagant use The oldest fences to be
seen are the stone walls which sometimes
several miles in length. These were erected by
ue early settlers from the loose blocks and chips
u limestone scattered the fields. A geologlst
would be interested in of these old walls, for
uey are rich in fossil remains of the ancient
seas that submerged this region. Many of the
TioCkS OF limestone are but great masses OF sea-
smells cemented together, but retaining their
lornS almost perfectly. The next oldest fences
are the hedge fences Some of these are neatly
u Iilhned back and not suffered to grow more than
uree or four feet in height, and reinforced by
Strands OF barbed wire. But others grow to be a
val val OF trees many feet high, lining the roadway
WIN mass of living green and furnishing most
"Ccei.Ia0le shade in summer The prevailing mod
eFn fence is made of wire. These various kinds