SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH 51 



Ararat the common vegetables of Armenia ; half way up, those of Italy and France ; and 

 Qpon the summit those of Scandinavia. Forster saw several Alpine plants upon the momi- 

 taiiis of Terra dd Fuego." 



Mr. Mudie also remarks : 



" If we take each mountain as the index of its own meridian, we shall find that each on* 

 expresses, by its vegetation, all the varieties of chmale between it and the pole."" 



Humboldt, and our own Doct. Forry, notice an equally striking develop 

 iiient of this law, on the Western Continent.! 



This would go to show what I have little doubt is the fact, (my impres- 

 sions, too, being strengthened by a comparison of latitude, elevation, and 

 recorded thermometrical observations,) that on the sides of the Roan and 

 other lofty mountains of North Carolina, and pretty well up on their sides, 

 too, the climate is not greatly dissimilar fi'om that on the high grazing 

 lands of New-York and New-England. On the sweetest and best of the 

 latter, white clover always comes up spontaneously, and will immediately 

 re-sward any field thrown out of tillage. It sometimes flourishes on soils 

 of ordinary fertility, but never on very sour or boggy ones, or on those 

 the poachy character of which would render them liable to communicate 

 hoof-rot 'ir other diseases. It indicates, most decidedly, both a soil and 

 climate fitted for sheep. 



You will not understand, Sir, of course, that in the remarks made and 

 facts stated, at so great length, in relation to three or four mountains, my 

 object has been simply to refute the views of Mr. Buckley in relation to 

 them. In a region of 70,000 square miles, the unadaptation of half a 

 dozen mountains, or a much greater number, to this or any other branch 

 of husbandry, would be of but little comparative importance. Anticipat- 

 ing, however, the croakings of the timid — the exaggerated counter state- 

 ments of those rash and sanguine men who are ever ready to rush into 

 whatever is ncit), without judgment to guide or perseverance to sustaiu 

 thorn : who abandon their undertakings at the first obstacle, and apologize 

 for their ficklety by magnifying the difficulties encountered by them : I 

 deemed it expedient to lay before you some useful data for comparisons, 

 •'and conclusions,) which will be equally applicable in the case of all oui 

 southern mountains. 



The hilly and level regions xcest of the mountains, and lying between 

 them and the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, scarcely require a separate no- 

 tice — particularly after the statements of Mr. Cockrill, given in my second 

 letter. As a whole, they are undoubtedly more fertile, and better adapted- 

 to the production of the grasses, than those of coiresponding latitude, in 

 even the hilly zone> east of the mountains. 



♦ Miulifi's World. 



t Since makins the extract above from Malte Bnin. I observe the followinc better, or, at Ie»st; more defi- 

 nite expression of iho same fact by Doct. Forry : " In ascnndins a l(jtty mountain of the torrid zone the 

 Kreat«8t variety in vegetation is displayed. At its foot and under the burnini sun, ananas >nd plantains 

 flourish : the repcyns of limes and oranijes succeeds ; then follow fields of rnaize and luxuriant wheat ; anrf 

 (till higher, th" f wb of plants known in the temperate zone. The mountains of temperate j,«ong exW 

 Wt, perbaps Iro* 7ftriety, but the change i« eqaally striking." See Forrj^'s Climaltojtkt Umt' f' Suue*. 



