TENNESSEE, a State in the South At lantic Division of the North American Union; bounded by Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mis sissippi, Arkansas, and Missouri; admit ted to the Union, June 1, 1796; capital, Nashville; number of counties, 96; area, 42,050 square miles; pop. (1890) 1,767, 518; (1900) 2,020,616; (1910) 2,184,789; (1920) 2,337,885.
Topography.—Topographically Tennes see is divided into three sections, east Tennessee, an extensive valley, and agri culturally one of the most important sec tions of the State, stretches from the E. boundary to the middle of the Cum berland tableland, which has an average elevation of 2,000 feet above the sea, and abounds in coal, iron, and other minerals. Middle Tennessee extends from the divid ing line on the tableland to the lower Tennessee river; and west Tennessee from the Tennessee river to the Missis sippi. The Unaka mountains, a part of the Appalachian chain, run along the E. boundary, and have an average elevation of 5,000 feet above the sea. The Missis sippi, with the Tennessee and the Cum berland, drains three-fourths of the State. The two latter are navigable for a con siderable distance, and other rivers with numerous tributaries supply valuable water power.
Geology.—The geological formations are varied. The Unaka range, the valley of east Tennessee and the Central basin are almost entirely occupied by Lower Silurian deposits, and the tableland of the Cumberland, by the Carboniferous. The W. portion of the State is mostly Upper Silurian and Devonian, and the plateau W. of the Tennessee, Cretaceous and Tertiary. The Mississippi river bot toms are of recent alluvial deposit.
Mineralogy.—The State is rich in its mineral resources, asbestos, kaolin, gran ite, copper, iron, manganese, barytes, clay, building stones, lead, and zinc being among the leading products. The most important mineral product is coal. The coal fields have an area of about 4,400 square miles. In 1919 the production was 5,150,000 tons, compared with 5,904, 593 tons in 1918. The State is also an important producer of copper. The pro
duction in 1919 was 15,629,454 pounds, compared with 15,053,598 pounds in 1918. Pig iron production is about 200,000 tons annually, valued at about $2,500,000. Other mineral products of considerable importance are zinc, sandstone, marble, limestone, and clay products. The total value of the mineral products is about $25,000,000 annually. Limestone caves are found in many places, few having been explored.
Agriculture.—The soil is exceedingly fertile, nearly every agricultural product thriving well, according to locality. The principal grain crops are Indian corn, wheat, and oats; and cotton, tobacco, flax, and hemp are extensively cultivated. The rearing and fattening of live stock are carried on under peculiar advantages, and immense numbers of hogs grow up on the mast of the forests, which cover a very large area. The acreage, produc tion, and value of the principal crops in 1919 were as follows: corn, 3,250,000 acres, production 74,750,000 bushels, value $117,358,000; oats, 400,000 acres, production 9,200,000 bushels, value $8, 556,000; wheat 810,000 acres, production 7,290,000 bushels, value $16,184,000; to bacco, 110,000 acres, production 88,000, 000 pounds, value $22,088,000; hay, 1,280,000 acres, production 1,792,000 tons, value $48,384,000; potatoes, 48,000 acres, production 3,120,000 bushels, value $5, 366,000; cotton, 775,000 acres, 298,000 bales, value $49,915,000.
Manufactures.—In 1914 there were 4,775 manufacturing establishments in the State, employing 74,373 wage earners. The capital invested was $211,423,000; wages paid, $33,083,000; value of ma terials used, $123,430,000, and the value of the finished products, $212,071,000.
Banking.—On Oct. 31, 1919, there were reported 101 National banks in opera tion, having $13,809,000 in capital, $11, 289,000 in outstanding circulation, and $53,914,000 in United States bonds. There were also 416 State banks, with $17,349,000 capital, and $9,148,000 sur plus. The exchanges at the United States clearing houses at Memphis for the year ending Sept. 30, 1919, aggregated $975,074,000.