Year: 1872




We have letters before us from B. A.
Eiglcy,,of Windham, Ohio, and Gilbert
Hurd, of West Springfield, Erie county
Pa, both inquiring about dairying, sheep
raising and grass crops. We shall answer
the two together, as the drift of their ques-
tions are the same.


We have always maintained that this
was good section for grass culture and
stock raising. We have some friends who
differ with us on this subject, but we think
experience will bear us out in our theories
We have seen just as fine grass land in East
Tennessee as can be found anywhere.
Now we do not pretend to say that all our
Lands will produce good grass, but we do
maintain that there are very few counties
where the land can not be made to bear
abundant hay crops. There is some science
in farming. Every farmer knows that
Iland can be made by little effort to bear
crops that at first experiment seem to do
poorly. We do not see any reason why we
should not have just as fine meadows in
East Tennessee as there are in Northwes-
tern Virginia, just east of us, or in Central
Kentucky, just north of us. We have the
word of successful, practical farmers that
this Is good grass country, and we have
the result of their efforts to prOre it. II is
~
Southwestern Virginia that croakers de-
clared grass could not be grown in that Sec
ton. The summers were too long and hot,
they said, butnow acres upon acres of the
finest grass lands can be found in that Sec
ton and to talk there now about it not
being good grass country would he to
show yourself a fool How was the change
brought about? Simply by effort and
perseverance. Land that did not do well
at first was prepared so rs to take kindly
to the new seed.


Farmers found after long experience
that raising corn and hogs and tobacco
wore out their lands and did not pay them
They very sensibly made up their minds
that it would be better for the soil and bet
ter for them to raise grass and stock. They
therefore went to work and prepared theil
lands for grass and persevered, and the re-
suit is fine grass country. The same re
suit has followed similar efforts in Eas
Tennessee. We have farmers here thai
make more money from their hay croI
than from any other. Their cattle are
the best in the country and their protit
the largest. We say, therefore, that expe
rience and common sense both show tha
this is Il good grass country.


As TO stock raising we give the same an
swer. We can raise good grass and as ou
climate is mild we can, of course, rails
stock cheaper than in the North. Their
are but few months when the stock neet
to be stabbed and fed. The summer seasol
is longer than in the North but it does no
seem to be harder on cattle. They are no
troubled as much with files here as in tn
North. This may seem incredible, but W
have the word of Northern farmers 70
the statement. An Ohio farmer said to II
that he never found it necessary here t
use fy-ncts for his horses. His cattle, IN
said, were not troubled half so much wit
flies here as they were in Northern Ohio
- ORR
rest and we found him enthusiastic genel
ally on the stock raising subject.


In ordinary season, cattle go into tn
meadows here in March or the first q
April and can be kept in them until NJ
vember. Even during the remainin
some seasons do very we'll without stabl
feed until well into December.


We have some large tiocks of sheep i
East Tennessee, now under care of Nortf
sern men and they are encouraged by the
prospects


AS to the Dairy business, we see no reaso
why it should not pay. Our towns an
cities are not large enough to make it prC
fitable for selling milk, but we can see n
reason why cheese-making will not prov
IA profitable here as in New York or Ohi
We nave some parties in the cheese bus
ness and we understand they are succeed
ing. We have seen and tasted their chee:
and we know it is good We do not III
.derstand why, under proper management
the cheese sold in the South should not
as well and cheaply made in East Tenne
see as the North.


East Tennessee supplies portions of Il
South with corn, flour, bacon, cattle, hors
80 and mules. Georgia looks here for h
freshest and best supplies. We are Il
producing section for portions Of the co
ton belt. Atlanta, Montgomery and 9th
Gulf State cities furnish our farmers reat
and good markets for all they raise. Ju
in proportion as the quantity and quail
of what we produce increases, just so ia
win the consumption and profits increas
Standing on such advantageous ground v
zee every reason to encourage our people
multiply their productions and impro
the quality of their market oommoditit


MosbY not for Greeley.