1KUITS IN WEST VIRGINIA, KENTUCKY, AND TENNESSEE. 17 



The Nashville basin and bluegrass sections of the region are com- 

 posed of rolling plains with soils derived from limestone, making 

 very fertile farm lands. 7 Bluegrass grows naturally on such soils, 

 and they are usually considered very valuable for general farming. 

 Surrounding the bluegrass section of Kentucky is a broken country 

 in which the soils are usually thin. This section borders on the Ohio 

 River from Louisville to Vanceburg. In some places this strip is 

 comparatively wide, as in the vicinity of Newport, while in other 

 places it is very narrow, as at Maysville. That portion of this sur- 

 rounding border to the east is included in the Allegheny Plateau 

 region and has been discussed previously. 



A section similar to that which surrounds the bluesrrass section of 

 Kentucky surrounds the Nashville-basin section of Tennessee and is 

 called the Highland Kim. The soils of the Highland Kim are very 

 variable and are described in Tennessee Agricultural Experiment 

 Station Bulletin No. 102 U7). 8 



Some of these types of soil are very poor, while others are fertile. 

 Many parts of this section are subject to late spring frosts. 



Another natural division of the Interior Low Plateau region is 

 the western Kentucky coal fields. This section is hilly, and the 

 soil'for the most part washes badly and is not very fertile. 



The remainder of the Interior Low Plateau region is, for the most 

 part, rolling fertile farm land with low hills in some places. 



POMOLOGICAL FEATURES. 



Three fruits, apples, peaches, and strawberries, are grown exten- 

 sively on a commercial basis in the Interior Low Plateau region. In 

 no part of this region, however, is there a large section particularly 

 adapted to orcharding. Orchards in the vicinity of the large 

 cities partially supply the local markets, and localities having a few 

 good orchards are scattered throughout the region. Thus, from 

 orchards near Columbia, Franklin, and Portland, Tenn., early ap- 

 ples are sent to northern markets. Near Henderson, Bowling Green, 

 Vine Grove, and Alexandria. Ky., and Tennessee Ridge. Tenn., are 

 localities in which winter apples are grown. Peaches are grown 

 near Shepardsville. Alexandria, and Bowling Green, Ky., and to 

 a slight extent at some points in Tennessee. Figure 9 shows a typi- 

 cal peach orchard of the section near Bowling Green. 



The bluegrass sections of this region consist of very rich farming 

 lands. Very few such lands have sufficient relative elevation to 

 furnish good air drainage for orchards. Because of the danger of 

 late spring frosts and because of their value for general farming 

 these sections are not adapted to commercial orcharding. 



Where hills rise to a sufficient height to furnish good air drainage 

 and along the Ohio River, there are small sections which furnish 

 sites that have been successfully utilized in growing apples and 



7 For information on the soils on the rolling-plains portion of the Interior Low Plateau 

 region, see the following references: Allen and Bu$hnell (2), Averitt (J/), Burke and 

 others (8. 9, 10), Griffen and Ayrs (22). Jones (27, 28), Marean (42), Rice and Geib (55), 

 Roberts (56), Shedd (58). 



• For further information on this region, see the following references : Agee and others 

 (1) Ayrs and others (5, 6), McLendon and Zappone HI), Mooers (U, J,5), Mooney and 

 others ($9, 51), Rogers and Derden (57). Smith and Bennett (61), Waldrop (68). 



56753—23 2 



