east comprising about one eighth of the state; central Kentucky comprising about three eighths, and western Kentucky comprising the remainder.
Drainage. In and around the state Kentucky has a greater number of miles of navigable streams than any other state, a total of about 2,000 miles. On the east it is separated by the Big Sandy from West Virginia, on the north from Ohio, Indiana and Illinois by the Ohio River, and on the west from Missouri by the Mississippi River. The other navigable streams are the Tennessee, Cumberland, Kentucky (on which is situated Frankfort the capital), Green (a beautiful stream passing near the entrance of the famous Mammoth Cave), Licking, Barren and Trade Water Rivers. The Kentucky is noted for beautiful and picturesque scenery.
Surface. The 32 counties that compose the eastern region are covered with mountains from 600 to 2,500 feet in height. Between these ranges are many streams flowing through narrow though rich valleys. The wealth of this section consists mainly in inexhaustible supplies of minerals of various kinds. Central Kentucky is composed of rich limestone soil — not very level but sufficiently so to make it ideal farming land. Its natural drainage is almost perfect, so much so that there is very little swamp to be found. The continual disintegration of the limestone rock keeps the soil fertile. The surface of western Kentucky is generally level, intersected, however, by numerous creeks and small rivers.
Climate. In the lowlands along the Mississippi there is more or less malaria. The other districts are remarkably salubrious, the death-rate being exceptionally low. Statistics show that Kentuckians stand superior and at the top in size and strong physical characteristics. The temperature rarely reaches zero or goes higher than 90°. The average annual rainfall is 48 inches.
Soil. The lands along the many rivers are alluvial, the soil on some of the streams being from four to ten feet deep, notably in the Ohio and the Mississippi river-bottoms. Much of this is overflowed annually in the winter, from which deposits of rich soil are left, so that the fertility is inexhaustible. On many of these bottoms corn has been grown annually for 50 years without any diminution in production. The upland limestone section, including the famous Blue Grass soil, and a large portion of western Kentucky also are fertile, and are kept so from the yearly disintegration of the limestone and phosphatic shale which is very abundant and near the surface. Farms a century old, that have been properly managed, show no signs of exhaustion and do not require artificial fertilizers. This soil covers about 15,000 square miles. In the east the soil is generally fertile, even to the tops of the mountains; but, owing to its rugged surface, it is not well adapted to successful farming. All of this, however, is rich in timber and minerals.
Natural Resources. The state abounds in minerals of various kinds, the chief ones being bituminous and cannel coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, asphalt, various kinds of building stone, pottery clay, terracotta and firebrick clay, molders and glass sands, pigment earths, lead, zinc and fluorspar. The coalfields cover 16,000 square miles, and the coal is mostly of superior quality. Cannel coal is found in several counties, and is mined in considerable quantities, most of it being shipped to Europe. Railroads are being rapidly built throughout the coal regions, thus bringing increased quantities yearly into market. Coal in the eastern counties is mined at low cost; no deep shafts and corresponding machinery are required; the strata show themselves in the sides of the mountains from which the coal is easily and rapidly secured and loaded into cars. In the lower parts of the coalfields four strata of iron ore are found. These ores yield from 33 to 53 per cent. of metallic iron. The ore and fuel for smelting it are found near each other, and hence require no long transportation to prepare the iron for market. Bessemer steel can be made from ores found within less than 75 miles of vast deposits of coking coal. The development of the coal and iron industries is large, and is increasing rapidly.
Petroleum is found in large quantities in several counties in the southeast. Portland cement and asphalt in large quantities and zinc, lead and fluorspar are found in different localities. Building-stones of various kinds are found in exhaustless quantities, and are not excelled in quality. Few states surpass Kentucky in the extent and quality of its hardwood forests. In the eastern part the river and creek valleys and the sides of the mountains are covered with a heavy growth of walnut, cherry, oak, poplar, chestnut, white and blue ash, birch, linden and white hickory. Through the central part there is very little timber of any kind, nearly all the land being in cultivation. In western Kentucky are found large forests of hickory, poplar, pine, chestnut and several varieties of oak.
Agriculture. This is the chief industry. More than 14,350,000 acres are under cultivation. The farm-products are varied, and several are produced in great abundance. The chief products are barley, buckwheat, corn, oats, rye, wheat, cotton, flax, hemp, sorghum, hay, tobacco and vegetables. Nearly 5,000,000 acres are devoted to corn, wheat, hay, hemp and tobacco. Kentucky produces nearly half the tobacco of the
