Tennessee

The whole of the Appalachian province of Tennessee and the southern portion of the Cumberland plateau, the Highland rim, and the Central basin are drained southward and westward by the Tennessee river and its tributaries. The valley of the lower Tennessee is drained northward by the same river. The northern portion of the Cumberland plateau, Highland rim and Central basin is drained northward and westward by the Cumberland river and its tributaries. The western slope of the East Gulf plains is drained directly into the Mississippi by several small streams.

The Central basin, the less elevated parts of the valley of East Tennessee and parts of the outer portion of the Highland rim have a fertile soil of limestone origin. There are narrow strips of rich alluvium along many other rivers. The soils on the mountains, on the ridges of the valley of East Tennessee, and on the eastern slope of the East Gulf plains vary greatly, ac cording to the rocks from which they are derived. In the Cum berland plateau, in the inner portion of the Highland rim and in the western slope of the East Gulf plains, there is for the most part a light sandy soil, much of it too poor for cultivation.

Tennessee has a delightful climate. The mean summer tempera ture varies according to elevation from 62° F. on the Unaka mountains to 72° on the Cumberland plateau, or 75° in the valley of East Tennessee and on the Highland rim, 77° in the Central basin, and about 78° on the East Gulf plains. The mean winter temperature for each of these divisions varies little from 38°, and the mean annual temperature ranges only from 57° in East Tennessee to 58° in Middle Tennessee and to 60° in West Ten nessee. Usually the highest temperatures of the year are in July and the lowest in January. Killing frosts are rare, especially in the southern and western parts of the State, between the third week in April and the middle of October. An average annual precipitation of about 5o in. is quite equally distributed over the State, and a little more than one-half of it is well distributed through the spring and summer months. The average annual snowfall is about 8 inches. The warm, moisture-bearing winds blow low from the south or south-west with a free sweep across the State in a direction nearly parallel with the trend of the mountains. The commingling of these winds with upper cold cur rents from the north gives rise frequently to westerly and occa sionally to easterly winds.

Government.

With the exception of the administrative changes made in 1923, few alterations have been made in the Government of Tennessee since the present Constitution was adopted in 187o; and this was only a revision of the State's second Constitution, which was adopted in 1834. Every attempt to amend or revise the existing Constitution has been unsuccessful, because of the difficult procedure involved in such changes. Amendments may be proposed not oftener than once in six years by a majority of the members elected to each house of the legislature ; but before an amendment can be adopted, it must be agreed to by two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the next succeeding legis lature, and later by a majority of all the citizens of the State voting for representatives at the next regular election. The legislature may also submit to the people the question of calling a convention to amend or revise the Constitution, and such a convention must be called whenever, upon the submission of this proposition, a majority of the votes are cast in favour of it. The election of the governor, members of the general assembly and congressmen is held biennially, in even-numbered years, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, but the election of judicial and county officers is held on the first Thursday in August.

The governor is the only State executive officer elected by the people. He is elected for a term of two years and is not eligible for more than three consecutive terms. There is no lieutenant governor ; in case of a vacancy in the office of governor, the speaker of the senate becomes acting governor. The secretary of State and comptroller of the treasury are elected by a joint ballot of the senate and the house of representatives, each for a term of two years; the attorney-general is appointed by the judges of the supreme court for a term of eight years. In 1923 the administra tive system of the State was reorganized, 64 boards, commissions, agencies, etc., being combined into nine departments, each with a commissioner at its head. These are known as the departments of Insurance and Banking ; Highways and Public Works ; Labour ; State Institutions ; Agriculture; Finance and Taxation; Railroads and Public Utilities ; Public Health; and Education.