Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1914-04-02

Putnam county was formed from
parts of Fentress, Jackson, Overton
and White counties in 1854, and was
named for Gen. Israel Putnam, who
was born in Salem, Mass, Jan. Z, 1718.
He was Captain in the British army
in the French and Indian wars in 1755;
afterwards served under Abercrombie
as 1t Colonel, and was Major-General
in the Continental army fighting for
American independence. He died at
Brooklyn, Conn, in 1890, after having
spent a life that was full of honors and
hardihood.I The first court of Putnam
county was held at White Plains, near
Algood.
Putnam county occupies a particu-
larly advantageous position in Ten
nessee. 1t is east of the center of the
state midway between Nashville and
Knoxville. Tennessee is long state
east and west, Putnam county occupies
the same physical location. The west
ern third lies within the Central Basin,
at an elevation of 600 feet above sea
level, the middle third upon the High
land Rim, elevation LOO feet, and the
eastern third upon the Cumberland
Plateau, elevation 1000 feet Thus it
will be seen that within the area of
Putnam county every variety of soil
and climatic condition that exists in
Middle Tennessee is found.
Soil and Agriculture
The rich limestone soil of the west
ern portion is as fertile as it is possi-
BILE for soil to be. 1t is the natural
bluegrass land, upon which grows
without fertilization every crop pro-
duced in the United States, with the
exception of the semi-tropical fruits of
Florida. The soil of the Highland
Rim has subsoil of clay, which makes
it particularly adapted to fertilization
and the highest cultivation. Upon
this soil grows proftably the grains,
grasses, fruits and vegetables. The
soil of the Cumberland Plateau is
sandy loan, which has no superior for
the production of the finest favored
fruits and vegetables, and by the ad-
ditiOn of crushed limestone, clOvers
and alfalfa grow luxuriantly.
All the land in this county produces
good pastures, which make every form
of stock raising profitable. This is one
of the, largest mule producing counties
in the state, and is rapidly developing
into the home of fine horses. 1t is but
fair to state in this connection that
Cookeville, the county seat, is the
home of perhaps the greatest combin-
ed stallion in Tennessee or Kentucky.
Pure blooded cattle are being bred
here in great numbers-there being
several herds of registered Jerseys,
Holsteins, Durhams, Herefords and
Polled Angus. The same is true of
hogs, a specially being made of Berk-
shires and Duroc Jerseys.
Putnam county is perhaps the larg-
est producer of poultry of any in the
state-in fact, more money returns are
received from poultry products than |
on mules.
The variety of soils and altitude pro-
vide ideal conditions for the growing |
of every variety of tobacco, and this
bids fair to become one of the great |
crops, although it is not grown on a
large scale.
The staple crops of the county are
corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley. sor-
ghuzu, timothy, redtop, clover, orchard
grass, cow peas, soy beans, vetch,
rape and some alfalfa All vegetables
reach the highest perfection in size,
color and favor, as do the fruits and
berries. Irish potatoes grown on the
Plateau command from ten to twenty
FIVE cents more per bushel on account
of smoothness and flavor than do the
products of the counties to the west.
There being no main CROP" condi-
tons for agriculture are ideal-the
farmer suits his own conveniences as
to what he will grow. Therefore, the
failure of any one crop in no wise af-
cts the remainder, and this is why
plenty always abounds in Putnam
county.
Mineral Wealth
In mineral wealth Putnam county |
takes first rank 1t probably has more
phosphate than any county in the /
state. In quality it is very rich, ana
lying so per cent. The phosphate
lies in solid strata 36 inches thick, and
carries about three thousand tons per l
acre. 1t is confidently believed that
n the future this county will be the s
great phosphate producing center Of
he South. {
The eastern port on of the county is {
IN the carboniferous formation, and ,
carries fine coal. The formation is '
about forty-two inches thick. s
In this county is found the only I
quarry of perfect lithographic stone t
Known on the American continent. 1t |
has been thoroughly2tes and has 7
proven in every way equal to the Ger q
nan stone. At the Appalachian Expo