FARMING IN THE BLUEGRASS REGION. 3 



data as would be necessary in making a complete analysis of the 

 business organization of the farm. 1 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF REGION. 



The bluegrass region borders on the Ohio River and occupies a 

 somewhat circular area about 100 miles in diameter. (See fig. 1.) 

 It is bounded by a rim of low mountains and the Ohio River. Lex- 

 ington, a city of about 40,000, is southeast of the center. Richmond, 

 Winchester, Paris, Georgetown, Versailles, and Nicholasville are the 

 county seats of adjoining counties. All of these, except Richmond 

 and Winchester, are connected with Lexington by trolley. Frank- 

 fort, the capital of the State, 22 miles west, is also connected with 

 Lexington by trolley. All towns of importance throughout the 

 region are connected by steam railways. 



Throughout the region connecting the main towns and villages 

 are macadamized roads, many of them kept in excellent repair. 



Three main railway systems center at Lexington, connecting with 

 the main large market centers of the interior and with all large 

 seaboard cities on the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. 



The Kentucky River rises in the mountains of the southeastern 

 part of the State and takes a winding course through the central 

 portion of the area. Small steamers and rafts ply this river through- 

 out its course in this region. 



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Fig. 2. — Cross-section of Kentucky including the bluegrass region, indicating the topog- 

 raphy and the elevations above sea level. 



The topography in most parts, except in the vicinity of streams, 

 is gently rolling. (See fig. 2.) The area is largely cleared of forest 

 trees and 85 to 90 per cent is tillable. Farms vary in size from 40 

 to 1,000 acres or more. The country generally looks prosperous. 

 Most farms are well kept up and many farmsteads have luxurious 

 appointments and surroundings. (See fig. 3.) Formerly, the plan- 

 tation type of farm prevailed and the work was almost entirely done 

 hj slaves. There is now a tendency toward subdivision into smaller 

 farms. However, many are still large and are run on the plantation 

 plan, with hired laborers or share tenants, mostly colored, who live 

 on the farm in cottages and are provided with gardens and a few 

 other perquisites. 



1 Acknowledgment is due Messrs. B. F. Creech, Will D. Click, William Ballinger, L. C. 

 Caldwell, and A. B. Thomas for collecting data for this bulletin ; also to Prof. J. S. Pullen, 

 of the Eastern Kentucky Normal School, who assisted in collecting data in Madison 

 County and gave valuable help in other ways. The cordial interest of the farmers who 

 gave the records is much appreciated, and thanks are due them for the time given to 

 this work. 



