NORTH CAROLINA. 



629 



section of country, which, when developed, will 

 be one of the wealthiest portions of North 

 Carolina, contributing a thousand fold more 

 to the State Treasury than under the present 

 assessment. Its mineral wealth alone would 

 enrich an empire. Almost every species of 

 mineral is found in these counties of western 

 North Carolina, specimens of which have gone 

 to enrich the cabinets of other States, and be 

 exhibited abroad. The statistics of the Agri- 

 cultural Department, yet in its infancy, show 

 that in Cherokee there are gold, silver, copper, 

 iron, lead, and manganese ; in Graham, silver, 

 copper, and lead ; in Hay wood, mica ; in Hen- 

 derson, gold, silver, copper, lead, and mica ; in 

 Jackson, graphite, asbestus, copper, silver, and 

 manganese ; in Macon, copper, iron, mica, and 

 corundum ; in Madison, iron and mica ; in 

 Swain, silver, lead, copper, mica, and saltpeter ; 

 in Transylvania, mica, copper, and iron. Of 

 mineral waters, Buncombe has sulphur and 

 numerous iron springs; Cherokee, many not 

 analyzed; Graham, three iron and sulphur 

 springs ; Macon, many iron, and Madison, some 

 of the finest warm springs in the world; all of 

 which may be resorted to by both health- and 

 pleasure-seekers. The whole section abounds 

 in the finest timber, oak, pine, black walnut, 

 poplar, white pine, hickory, chestnut, cherry, 

 locust, linden, buckeye, ash, birch, beech, maple, 

 and gum. And the supply of superior marble 

 of every description, granite, sandstone, and 

 soapstone, is inexhaustible. The staple prod- 

 ucts of these transmontane counties are corn, 

 wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat, potatoes, tobacco, 

 sorghum, and the grasses. The fruits are ap- 

 ples, peaches, plums, cherries, grapes, and ber- 

 ries, of which large quantities are annually 

 produced. From the best data that can now 

 be obtained, it is estimated that these counties 

 annually produce 2,000,000 bushels of corn, 

 300,000 bushels of wheat, 100,000 bushels of 

 rye, 6,000 bushels of buckwheat, 150,000 gal- 

 lons of sorghum, 200,000 pounds of honey, 

 100,000 bushels of oats, 10,000 tons of grasses, 

 2,000 pounds of flax, 300,000 pounds of to- 

 bacco, 300,000 bushels of green and 200,000 

 pounds of dried apples, 50,000 pounds of dried 

 peaches, and 200,000 pounds of butter. Of 

 the cattle and hogs fattened and killed, and 

 driven to market on the hoof, there are no re- 

 liable data at hand, but the number is known 

 to be great. The country is self-sustaining in 

 these products of the stock-lot and farm-yard, 

 and has a handsome surplus, from which the 

 people chiefly derive their ready money, except 

 in the article of tobacco, raised exclusively for 

 export, but which is not a general product 

 throughout all these counties. 



Reports from all the counties of the State 

 except four give a partial statement of its agri- 

 cultural results for 1877. Of the ninety coun- 

 ties reported, sixty-four produce cotton ; of 

 these, forty-four estimate the yield to be less 

 than that of 1876 ; thirty-six report an average 

 decrease of 28 per cent. In twelve counties 



the yield is estimated to be about the same, 

 while in eight an increase is reported. The 

 average yield of tobacco per acre in the forty- 

 two counties reporting it is about 600 pounds. 

 Forty-eight counties produced an ample supply 

 of bread and meat and forage for stock, and of 

 these twenty-one report a surplus. Twenty 

 others report a supply of grain and forage, but 

 not a sufficiency of meat, while the remaining 

 twenty-two report a general deficiency. One 

 county reports no small grain. One reports no 

 wheat, but a largely increased acreage in oats. 

 Two report a smaller acreage than in 1876. 

 Thirteen estimate the acreage at about the 

 same, while seventy-three give an increased 

 acreage, varying from 25 to 200 per cent. In 

 eighty -nine counties, sheep could be raised 

 profitably ; the average cost of keeping them 

 through the winter does not exceed fifty cents. 

 In fifty-six counties sheep husbandry could be 

 made very remunerative but for the presence 

 of sheep-killing dogs. Four counties report that 

 they do not desire immigration, and eighty-six 

 respond in the affirmative. There is no system 

 recognized in the employment of farm labor- 

 ers the three plans usually practiced prevail- 

 ing to greater or less extent in all sections of 

 the State, viz., for wages, on shares, or as "rent- 

 ers." In eighty-four counties the lands under 

 the management of freedmen deteriorate, while 

 in two they improve, and in three they remain 

 about the same. As farmers, in six counties 

 there is no marked change in their condition ; 

 in fifteen they are improving, and in sixty- 

 eight they are not improving. In forty-one 

 counties farmers are generally free from debt, 

 and are improving financially, while in forty- 

 five they are much depressed. In the four 

 remaining counties, while they have a supply 

 of forage, grain, and meat, money is reported 

 scarcer than since the war. The reports pre- 

 sent the condition of the farmers in an encour- 

 aging and hopeful light. A larger area is de- 

 voted to small grain and the grasses ; a more 

 plentiful store of supplies is on hand ; new 

 crops, new industries, and new systems of farm- 

 ing are being introduced. In the seventy-three 

 counties reported as having increased their acre- 

 age seeded to small grain, the eastern counties 

 are well represented. The total aggregate value 

 of lands, town property, horses, mules, cattle, 

 farming utensils, money in hand and on deposit, 

 solvent credits, etc., in 1874, was $143,723,813, 

 while in 1877 it was $146,370,493, a gain of 

 $2,646,680. The number of acres of land listed 

 for taxation has decreased 796,370 acres, and 

 fallen off in value $2,214,288 for the same years. 

 For the same years the value of town property 

 has increased from $16,652,131 to $17,413,340. 

 The number of horses has increased 13,263, 

 but the value has decreased $1,043,843, owing 

 to the general shrinkage in nearly all values. 

 Mules increased in number 13,070, and de- 

 creased in value $327,551. Goats have gained 

 rapidly and multiplied to the extent of 7,455 

 over the number known to be in the State in 



