Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. I, Part 23

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1294

USA > Georgia > Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. I > Part 23

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The Pine Barrens .- The pine barrens proper cover an area of over 10,000 square miles and include parts of the following counties: Tattnall, Montgomery, Emanuel, Telfair, Appling, Coffee, Effingham, Bulloch, Johnson, Laurens, Wilcox, Irwin, Berrien, Lowndes, Pierce, Wayne, McIntosh, Liberty and Bryan, and areas of Jefferson, Washington, Dodge, Ware and Clinch. It has a general level or slightly undulating surface and is underlaid in many places by a sandstone that juts out in bold bluffs in some of the streams. The soil is usually fine and sandy, with a yellow, sandy subsoil, though clay frequently underlies it. The surface of the country in the upper counties is undulating, but becomes quite level southward; the soil also becomes less sandy. The land contains much ferruginous gravel or brown pebbles. The wiregrass region terminates near the coast, forming the second terrace. From this terrace there is a descent of fifteen to twenty-five feet to the savannas and pine flat and palmetto lands. While this is not properly a cotton-growing section, about eighteen of the counties are devoted to the culture of cotton. The introduction of fertilizers has made the cultivation of cotton profit- able and to some extent has broken up the old method of throwing away old lands and taking in new. Six per cent. of this area is irreclaimable swamp and only fifteen per cent. has been cleared for cultivation. The soil of the uplands is sandy and gray or ash-colored, twelve inches deep and has a subsoil of yellow or orange- colored loam. In the higher regions there is sometimes a clay subsoil approaching the surface, giving to the land greater fertility and durability as indicated by the oak and hickory growth. The soil is frequently covered with gravel, either of quartz or ferruginous concretions, yellow or of dark brown externally and either smooth or rough, with a black exterior. These sandy soils, while producing a good crop of cotton when new and fresh, very soon wear out. On fresh sandy uplands, without the aid of fertilizers, the yield is 500 pounds of seed cotton per acre. After cultivation for several years the yield diminishes to 300 pounds of seed cotton per acre. Corn, oats and sorghum do very well. In some counties the bottom lands are considered better than the uplands, but are more or less liable to overflow. In the northern section, owing to the liability of cotton to suffer from rust and early frosts, corn is raised instead. The soil is very sandy and colored nearly black by decayed leaves and other vegetation. Its depth is twelve inches or more,

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and it is sometimes underlaid by clay. The second bottoms of hammocks differ from the bottom only in being above overflow.

Pine and Palmetto Flats .- Lying in the southeastern part of the state, around Okefenokee swamp, and embracing mainly the counties of Charlton, Clinch and Echols and large portions of Pierce, Ware and Wayne, is the region designated as the pine and palmetto flats. It is considerably higher than the belt of the coast region that extends across other counties to the Savannah river. The country is very level and open and sparsely settled, and is covered with many swamps having a dense growth of trees, all interlocked and frequently tied together with bamboo briers, forming an impenetrable thicket. This region is about 125 feet above the sea, the descent being very rapid on the east from Okefenokee swamp to Trader's hill at the head of the tide-water on St. Mary's river. Hence there is a level second terrace to the edge of the savanna lands, fifteen miles east of Colerain. This terrace is covered in places with deep, white sand, and is very similar to the third or Okefenokee uplands. But little cotton is planted in this entire section. The lands are sandy though firm and the roots of the saw palmetto not only make traveling disagreeable, almost forbidding the use of four-wheel vehicles, but give trouble in farming operations. The lands wear out rapidly. In the swamps the white, sandy bottoms are covered with a muck several inches deep, while streams of dark and even black water flow sluggishly among the roots and cypress knees and across open spaces. The creek bottom lands and ham- mocks of this pine flat region are not very wide and have a dark loam soil from eight to twelve inches deep, with a clayey subsoil underlaid by a blue stratum of clay. This latter is found in the wells of the uplands north of Homerville in Clinch county, at a depth of nine feet from the surface. These lands, while con- sidered the best for cotton, are not devoted to its culture except in a limited area, because of the danger to it from early frosts.

Savannas .- The region properly designated the savannas occupies a belt of country from ten to fifteen miles wide, between the pine barrens and the wire- grass region on one side and the coast live-oak lands on the other, extends from the Savannah river to the St. Mary's river and embraces nearly all parts of the coun- ties of Chatham, Bryan, Glynn and Camden and large portions of Liberty and McIntosh. The surface of the country is very level and ten or fifteen feet above tide-water and comprises what is known as the first terrace. Its northwestern limit is the bluff of the second or wiregrass terrace, passing through the lower part of Effingham county, twenty miles north of the city of Savannah, into Bryan county, where it is fifty feet high. Southward through Liberty county this bluff forms the gravel hill south of Hinesville, which has an elevation of fifteen to thirty feet above the sea; deep-sea sands are found here. Thence the limit extends through McIntosh county to Waynesville and on the eastern side of the Satilla river into and across Camden county at a distance of about fifteen miles east of Colerain. At this last point this rise is twenty-five feet. Within this region ad- joining the marsh lands there is a belt of live-oak lands having a width of several miles which properly belongs to the savannas. This region along the first or lower terrace is noted for its beautiful meadow lands, which are broad, flat and open plains, having no growth other than sparse and tall long-leaf pine, flat and thick undergrowth of saw palmetto, with here and there bunches of wiregrass that have found its way down from the upper terrace. The savannas at one time cov- ered a large portion of these counties, but the custom of burning off the lands to cause a growth of young grass for grazing purposes has also produced a scrub undergrowth of trees and bushes. The soils and subsoils outside of the live-oak lands are sandy and are not cultivated to any extent.

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Live-Oak and Coast Lands .- From the Savannah river to the St. Mary's river, along the coast as well as occupying the islands, there is an irregular and interrupted bed of yellow or mulatto sandy lands about ten miles wide, whose characteristic feature is the growth of very large live-oak trees. There are properly three divisions of this live-oak belt, viz .: upland or ridge, middle or lower bottom lands, each comprising about one-third of the area. The first has sandy soils and subsoils, which are not remunerative. The bottoms are very rich and have a dark soil underlaid by a blue clay. They are adapted to sea-island cotton, the yield being 400 pounds of seed cotton per acre.

Coast Tide Swamp Land .- Occupying a narrow belt along the Atlantic coast, not continuous, but bordering on the various inlets and streams to the limit of tide-water is the region of the coast tide swamp land. On the Savannah river the bodies of tide swamp land are extensive and are cultivated upward of twenty miles from the brackish marsh up the river. On the Altamaha river these lands equal in width those of the Savannah river, but from the marshes upward their extent does not exceed sixteen miles, where the freshets forbid their being of any value except for timber. The soil is more of decayed vegetable mold than the land of the Savannah river and is more easily cultivated. The tide lands of the Ogeechee river extend from the marshes about ten miles. Those of the Satilla river, not as broad as those mentioned, extend from the marshes twenty miles up the river and are liable to freshets. On the St. Mary's river the swamp lands on the Georgia side extend only to the foot of the second terrace, fifteen miles east of Colerain, though the tide-water reaches Trader's hill. These are rich lands, devoted almost exclusively to the cultivation of rice, although other crops do well. The black seed of Florida sea-island cotton was at one time the principal crop of these low swamp lands. The soil of these swamp lands along the streams and island is ash-colored and clayey, from one foot to six feet deep to a blue gray stratum. There is very little of what may be properly called sea marsh along the Georgia coast. Very small areas are found at the mouths of some of the rivers.

The Sea Islands .- Along the coast there lies from one end to the other a perfect network of islands, large and small, having a rolling surface, not exceed- ing fifteen feet above the tide. Their united area amounts to 560 square miles. The soil is usually sandy and well-adapted to the production of sea island cotton, corn and sweet potatoes, and lemons, figs, pomegranates, olives, oranges grow finely. Formerly these soils yielded 400 pounds of sea-island cotton per acre, but the introduction of commercial fertilizers has caused more attention to be paid to the cultivation of upland or short staple cotton.

The Limestone Region .-- Economic geology gives a knowledge of the soils and the distribution of the mineral fertilizers, which is essential in forming a correct judgment as to the measure of progress. The limestones and calcareous shales form the brown and red loams. These lands are perhaps the richest uplands in the state. They lie well, but when hilly they are inclined to wash. The blue limestone areas are on the eastern and western sides, and the rotten limestones in the central part of this division of the state. In the blue limestone region the soil varies in color from a light to a dark brown and black, a dark or chocolate brown being the most characteristic color, with a subsoil approaching to red. The soil of the rotten limestone belts is a dark red color, with a red subsoil. There is a striking difference in the appearance of these lands, though in the more important characteristics of productiveness and in adaptation to various crops there is little difference. Lands that have been in cultivation for thirty years or more will often produce from thirty to fifty bushels of corn per acre. For the culture of wheat these lands are not so well adapted, yet, by the growing of clover and turning under

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the crop, a yield from ten to twenty bushels of wheat per acre is possible. Cotton in the counties of Floyd and Polk yields on an average 600 pounds of seed cotton per acre. In the regions where the rocks are of limestones, arenaceous shales and siliceous or cherry limestones, the lands are rolling generally, but sometimes nearly level where the valleys are broad, the soil being brown, calcareous and siliceous or sandy, with sufficient clay in the subsoil to give it a somewhat retentive character, and admit of good drainage, even where the lands are nearly level. The areas of this character are in the valleys immediately around Lookout, Pigeon and Sand mountains, in the broad valleys immediately east of Taylor's ridge and of Horn's mountain, in the following valleys: West Armuchee, in Walker county; Sugar valley, in Gordon county; Dirt town, in Chattooga county; Texas, with a large portion of the county to the west of Coosa river, in Floyd county. These are the best uplands for the culture of cotton in this part of the state, often yielding, without commercial fertilizers, from 1,000 to 1,200 pounds of seed cotton per acre. Corn, oats and wheat do well. In Dade county, along the eastern side of Lookout mountain and around Pigeon mountain, in Walker county, the soil is yellow or orange colored, rather argillaceous in character, though there is an admixture of fine sand and gravel that renders it easy of tillage. The rocks consist of green calcareous shales that outcrop in the hills or on the slopes of the ridges around these mountains, and the lands to which they give rise are rich. The steepness of the slopes and character of the soil predisposes the land to wash, rendering horizontal hillside plowing necessary. These lands are well adapted to corn and wheat.

There are in Georgia about 400 square miles underlaid by a series of shales or indurated clay and limestones 2,500 feet in thickness and occupying in belts of from half a mile to two or three miles in width, and found in all the counties of the limestone region, except in Dade county. The soil is argillaceous and of an orange or light color, the entire area nearly being slightly rolling or nearly level lands. It contains more clay in general than most of the good lands of this region, but is more or less calcareous, and contains a sufficient amount of sand or fine gravels derived in part from bordering cherty ridges, to promote easy culture. The clay beneath the soil has varying depths from a foot or two to fifteen feet down to the shales, but rarely less than four or five feet. These lands rank as about third-rate upland for the culture of cotton; with fertilizers they yield 500 pounds of seed cotton per acre. Corn, oats, wheat, clover and the grasses grow well, and on land that has been cultivated for thirty years, with little if any return to the soil for its improvement, an average of twenty bushels of corn, ten bushels of oats and six bushels of wheat per acre will be obtained. These lands are capable of a high degree of improvement.

Gray Gravelly Lands of the Ridges .- The gray lands of the ridges have a gravelly soil, varying in color from light to dark gray, with generally a porous gravelly subsoil; but in some places there is a good clay subsoil, with a gravelly soil of a brown or red color. These lands are among the most profitable for the culture of cotton, giving a better immediate return for manures than the richer valley lands. The cotton crop is less subject to injury from continued wet weather in the spring than on most other soils, and come to maturity early, rarely failing to open well. With the use of fertilizers the production is 1,200 pounds of seed cotton per acre. Except in the very rainy seasons corn does not do so well after a few years' cultivation. Wheat, when fertilizers are used, tills well and matures better developed grain, and is less subject to disaster than in the richer valley lands. Although these lands are hilly, they are less liable to injury from washing than most of the uplands, being protected by the pervious character of the

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soil, and the gravel and small stones with which the surface is covered. The tops and slopes of the ridges have an immunity from late spring frosts, making them well suited to fruit culture. These lands are remarkably rich in potash and phosphoric acid, and a sufficiency of lime to insure their availability for the present.

Sandy Lands of the Mountain Summits .- On the tablelands from 1,000 to 1,200 feet above the valleys the soils are yellow, sandy land, more or less gravelly and rocky. The total area of these lands is 200 square miles, embrac- ing Sand mountain in Dade county, Lookout mountain in Chattooga, Walker and Dade counties, and Little Sand mountain in Chattooga county. The topography varies from nearly level to rolling and hilly. Owing to the average low tempera- ture it is not suitable for the culture of cotton, but is well adapted to the culture of fruit and a great variety of vegetables.

The Flatwoods .- The topography is diversified with mountains, hills, and nearly level flatwoods. The soils everywhere are of one general character of sterility. The most extensive area of these lands is that of the flatwoods near the Oostanaula and Coosa rivers, in the counties of Floyd, Gordon and Polk, and a mountainous section south of the Coosa river, in Floyd and Polk counties. It occurs again in a belt of hills in the southern part of Murray county, extending southward nearly across the county of Gordon, and in a narrow belt extending southward from the eastern part of Catoosa county into Whitfield county. The soil is thin, of a gray or light-brown color, with but little depth, and of little value for cultivation.

Alluvial Lands .- In the mountains, where the streams are rapid, the alluvial lands have little extent, but in the valleys the creek and river bottoms are compara- tively broad. The bottom lands vary from one-eighth of a mile on small streams to two miles on the larger ones, the greater part of their width being generally on the western side of the stream. The alluvial deposits of the small streams vary much in character, those of the larger ones in general being more productive. Where a large proportion of sand is contained in these alluvial lands, cotton has been grown with success. Some of the best cotton lands in this part of the state are along the Coosa and Etowali rivers.

THE CROPS OF GEORGIA.

The adaptability of Georgia to successful diversified agricultural pursuits is evidenced by her geographical position and geological formation. Elevations and longitude help each other in supplying a range of climate and productions. The productions, both natural and cultivated, are varied, and the ranges between the coast and mountains very great. Cotton, corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, rice, sugar- cane, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, melons, peas, ground peas, vegetables of all kinds, all kinds of grasses and forage crops, oranges, figs, bananas, apples, pears, plums, peaches, cherries, grapes, berries and nuts are produced in Georgia.

Indian Corn .- How long prior to 1540 Indian corn was cultivated in Georgia history does not give us any data. Ferdinand De Soto in his "marching through Georgia" was given thousands of bushels of Indian corn by the Indians, who then occupied a portion of the soil of Georgia. Even with the crude system of culture employed by the Indians the soil made handsome returns. With good seasons and proper culture a fair crop is always possible. The following authenticated yields have been reported: 125 bushels per acre in Cobb county, 123 bushels in Wilkes county, 119 bushels in Thomas county, 115 bushels in Crawford county, 100 bushels in Gwinnett, Walker and Hall.

Oats .- While very much depends upon the season in the cultivation of oats, it

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is a very important and valuable crop. The following yields have been reported by reliable parties: 137 bushels per acre in Wilkes county, 131 bushels in De Kalb county, 121 bushels in Floyd county, 115 bushels in Coweta county, 100 bushels in Schley county, and 75 bushels in Brooks, Newton, and Putnam counties.

Wheat .- Before the system of railroad transportation was introduced the cul- ture of wheat was conducted on a more extended scale in Georgia than for the last few years, and the return was remunerative. That wheat can be produced here profitably is evidenced by the experience of many. Among the yields reliably reported are: 65 bushels per acre in De Kalb county, 40 bushels in Carroll county, and 28 bushels in Cherokee, Walton, Clark and Morgan counties.

Sweet Potatoes .- Sweet potatoes can be grown in almost any section of Geor- gia to the profit of the grower, especially in the middle and southern parts of the state. Authenticated yields are reported as follows: 800 bushels per acre in Berrien county, 600 in Richmond county, 500 in Brooks county, 400 in Fulton county.

Irish Potatoes .- The culture of Irish potatoes in Georgia yields fair returns for the labor employed. In Wilkes county a yield of 420 bushels per acre is reported, 108 bushels in Walker county, 100 bushels in Rabun. In the vicinity of Savannah the truck farmers grow them on an extensive scale for market.

Rice .- Along the coast of Georgia rice has been cultivated for many years with decided profit to the producers. On the uplands its culture is growing in favor and extending in territory. One hundred bushels per acre is reported in Pike, White, Hall, Talbot, and Early counties.

Clover Hay .-- Clover can be grown with success. As an evidence of this fact there are yields reported of 10,000 pounds of clover hay in DeKalb and Greene counties, 6,000 pounds in Cobb county, and 4,862 pounds in Hancock county.

Other Hay .- The adaptability of Georgia soil to the growing of the grasses and forage plants is a settled fact. In Bibb county 8,046 pounds of crab grass was gathered from an acre. In Spalding county 10,720 pounds of peavine hay, in Greene county 13,953 pounds of Bermuda grass hay, in Gordon county 9,400 pounds of lucerne were housed as the product of a single acre each.

Syrup and Sugar .- That syrup and sugar can be produced on the soil of Georgia from the ribbon cane and sorghum is well known. The following yields froni the ribbon cane are reported: Six hundred and ninety-four and a half gallons from one acre in Thomas county, 700 gallons in Bulloch county, 600 gallons in Thomas county, and 480 gallons in Burke county. In sugar 21 barrels per acre in Bulloch county.

Cotton .- Cotton is the most extensively cultivated crop in Georgia. The fol- lowing yields of seed cotton before it is ginned are reported: 6,917 pounds per acre in Washington county, 4,595 pounds per acre in Troup county, 4,500 pounds per acre in the counties of Clay, Schley, Carroll and Burke; 4,000 pounds per acre in Crawford county, 3,500 pounds per acre in Bullocli, 2,700 pounds in Brooks, 2,200 pounds in Coweta and 2,000 pounds in De Kalb.

The value of the cotton crop has been materially increased in consequence of the utilization of the cotton seed in the production of oil, meal and hulls. Between the years 1874 and 1894 the farmers of Georgia used $100,000,000 worth of com- mercial fertilizers, which vast sunt had to be paid out of the proceeds of the cotton crop.

Tobacco .- Tobacco has never been a staple crop in Georgia, yet repeated tests have demonstrated that it can be successfully and profitably grown. The great drawback to the successful culture has been and is at present the want of con- venient warehouses and proper barns. In 1842 141,523 pounds were grown in Georgia; in 1880, 228,590 pounds, and in 1890 263,752 pounds. In 1786 a I-11

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tobacco warehouse was erected by Dionysius Oliver in the fork between Broad and Savannah rivers, near the town of Petersburg.

Average Annual Productions .- The lack of adequate and reliable data as to the gross annual productions of the state renders it almost impossible to give the correct figures. The best possible information, however, fixes the average annual productions as follows: Cotton, from 750,000 to 950,000 bales; corn, 30,000,000 bushels; oats, 5,000,000 bushels; wheat, 3,000,000 bushels; sweet potatoes, 5,000,000 bushels; rice, 35,000,000 bushels.

Compared with Italy .- In respect to climate there is great resemblance between that of Italy and Georgia. The soil and climate of Italy are congenial to the staples which have engaged the attention of Georgia agriculturists. Indian corn and rice have long been grown by the Italians, and during the continental system of Napoleon the culture of cotton was commenced in the south of Italy, but abandoned with the fall of that system and its author. That silk, wine and oil can be made on Georgia soil as well as in Italy is a settled fact.

The soil of Georgia is capable of sustaining as large a population to the square mile as that of Italy. The Italians have been successful in solving the problem of how to gather the largest portions of the most valuable products from a given surface of land in any. given number of years. In the northern part of Italy the three divisions of her system are often displayed at one view --- the plain, the hill and mountain farms. The grape and the olive are seen clustering in the richest abundance on the highest and bleakest spots. Golden harvests of corn are to be seen on the sides of the hills and the most luxuriant meadows on the plain. A specially notable fact is that the sides of the hills are girdled by terraces of the most substantial masonry. Did this prevail in Georgia the lands would be benefited and the yield increased.

Defects in Georgia Agriculture .- Prior to 1860 the aim of the cotton planter was to get the cream of the soil converted into cotton, and then abandon the fields used for fresher soil. It was the general rule to "clear up more land to purchase more slaves" and "to purchase more slaves to clear up more land." The improvement of the soil was not considered. After the "War Between the States" the planter had to begin anew, without anything save the soil and without slave labor. Under the system that existed before 1860 the planter made his supplies on his farm, but under the new order of things the planter had to obtain his supplies on time, and gradually a system was adopted, pernicious in its influence and disastrous in its results, viz .: purchasing supplies and fertilizers on time, and depending upon one cotton crop to pay off the entire indebtedness. Under the operation of this system the fertility of the soil has been nearly exhausted, the cost of production increased, and the condition of the farmer made worse. Improvement cannot possibly obtain under such a pernicious system.

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Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. I, Part 23

Author: Publication date: 1859 Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association Number of Pages: 1294

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1294