144 THE PIEDMONT REGION. 



In addition to the soils above mentioned, there is a large amount of 

 bottom lands scattered along the nnnierous rivers, creeks and branches 

 that everywliere traverse this well-watered region. Though rarely of 

 any great width, they are for the most part of great fertility, and are 

 highly valued. In some sections these lands have brought as high as one 

 hundred dollars an acre ; the adjacent ridge lands being thrown in at a 

 nominal price, just as the pine barrens are, in the sales of the low country 

 rice lands. 



CLIMATE. 



The shorter seasons and lower temjDeratures of the Piedmont region, as 

 compared with those lying immediately south of it, are but slightly at- 

 tributable to differences of elevation or of latitude, these differences being 

 themselves slight. In so far as it obtains, it results, perhaps, from greater 

 nearness to the mountains, and, as affecting agriculture, still more to the 

 heavier clay soils and subsoils, more retentive of moisture, and, therefore, 

 colder and later in spring than the lighter sandy loams of the lower 

 country. Cotton planting is about ten days later than in the upper pine 

 belt. Cotton blooms are also later, but by a lesser period, and the same 

 is true of the opening and picking season of the plant ; showing that, 

 with a later start, it grows faster, passing more rapidly through its various 

 stages to maturity. This region, however, does not seem to be much 

 affected b}^ that variableness of temperature common to localities in 

 23roximity to mountain ridges. This is shown by the singular exemption 

 of certain localities here from the injurious effects of late spring frosts. 

 Thus, on Rich Hill, in Pacolet township, Spartanburg, a ridge six miles 

 broad, between the Pacolet and Fair Forest rivers, fruit has been injured 

 by late frosts but once in forty 3'ears. Localities in L^nion also enjoy this 

 immunity in nearl}' the same degree. In the absence of other records, 

 some idea of the temperature may be formed by observations on the tem- 

 peratures of sjDrings, assuming that this temperature approximates the 

 annual mean. Lieber states, as the result of a number of observations, 

 that the springs of the Alpine region have a temperature of 55° to 58° 

 Fahrenheit ; those on a line passing through the centre of the Piedmont 

 region, one of 58° to 61.5° Fahr., and below this line, one of 61.5° to 6Q° 

 Fahr. The only accessible records of rainfall are those published by the 

 Smithsonian Institution, May, 1881. They give an average annual rain- 

 fall in this region of 52.34 inches, varying from 44.05 inches to 60.12 

 inches. This gives a greater annual rainfall for this region than for 

 those south of it, and places it, in this regard, next to the areas of greatest 

 annual precipitation in the United States. The spring rains vary from 



