TENNESSEE, one of the United States of North America, extends between 33' and 36' 35' N. 81' 37' and 90' 23' 5Y. long. It, is bounded E. by North Carolina ; N.E. by Virginia; N. by Kentucky ; W. by Arkansas; and S. by Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Its form is that of it parallelogram, with a projecting point at the north eastern angle. Ita extreme length from east to west Is about 450 miles: its breadth Is 110 miles. The area Is about 44,000 square miles. The population in 1850 was 1,002,717, of which 0422 were free coloured persons, and 239,459 slaves : the density of population was 2279 to a square mile. The federal representative population, according to the census of 1850, was 906,830, in which number three fifths of the slaves are included. This, according to the present ratio of representation, entitles the state to send ten representatives to Congress. To the Senate, like each of the other United States, Tennessee send a two members.
Surface and &U.—This state is naturally divided into three regions, which may be called the Eastern or Mountain Region, the Middle or Hilly Region, and the Western or Level Region; and this division coincides tolerably well with that tonic for the administration of justice, according to which the country is divided into the Eastern, the Middle, and the Western District The first and the last are nearly equal in extent, each comprehending about 10,000 square miles, but the Middle District is about double that size.
The Easteru or Mountain Region lies within the ranges of the Appalachian Mountains. [ALLEGUANY MOUNTAINS.] The Kittatinny range, under the local designations of the Stone, Iron, Smoky, end Uni&a Mountains, forms the boundary between Tenuessee and North Carolina. West of this ridge, traversing the state nearly north aud south, is the Chestuut Ridge ; and farther west, forming the western limit of the mountain region of Tennessee, is the Cumberland Ridge, known elsewhere as Laurel Ridge, which likewise runs in a generally northern and southern direction. None of the mountains exceed 2000 feet in height. The mountain region thus occupies the tract inclosed between the Kittatinny and Cumberland ranges, whose moat elevated parts are about 70 miles distant from one another. The northern half of this tract is traversed by throe minor ridges, which in general run parallel to the larger ranges, and thus with the outer ranges form four valleys, which are traversed by four of the upper branches of the Tennessee River, namely, Powell's, Clinch, Holstou, and Frenchbroad rivers. The valleys are rather wide, but as there is little alluvial land along the watercourses, their surface is uneven and broken, and the soil, which consists mostly of siliceous gravel, is of indifferent quality, except in the valleys of the Holston and Frenchbroad rivers, where it contains a mixture of clay. Only a comparatively small portion of it
is strong enough for the growth of wheat; the greater part produces rye and oats; but the mountains afford good pasture-grounds, and large herds of cattle and sheep are kept. The most elevated part of the mountains is overgrown with forests of pitch-pine, which yield timber, and from which tar, pitch, and turpentine are extracted. The country south of 35' 50' N. Let. can only be called mountainous near the southern portion of the Kittatinny Ridge and the Cumberland Mountains, the interior being covered by a succession of hills rising hardly more than 300 feet above their base. The soil of this tract is of indifferent quality, and mostly used as pasture-ground, but tho forests contain many large trees, as pitch-piue, red-cedar, and black walnut. Along the watereournei there are some tracts of moderato extent fit for the growth of corn.
The Hilly or Middle Region extends from the Cumberland Moun tains westward to the Tennessee River, where it traverses the state by running from south to north. The general level of this region is several hundred feet above the sea-level, and it is covered with nume rous bills, which form several continuous ridges, such as that which, under the name of Elk Ridge, runs from east to west, near 35° 20' N. lat., between the Elk River and Duck River. The watercourses are usually much depressed below the general level, and most of them run in narrow channels. This tract varies greatly in fertility. Near tho Cumberland Mountains, and to the distance of twenty miles from them, the soil consists chiefly of gravel mixed with limestone, and is of moderato fertility; but in general it is better than in the mountain region, and larger tracts are fit for the growth of wheat. The country west of this tract is the moat fertile portion of Tennessee; it extends over the whole of the state from north to south, and reaches westward to 87' W. long. The soil is not inferior to the best part of Kentucky, and consists of a large portion of clay and loam mixed with sand and gravel. A largo quantity of wheat is produced, but the staple article, are tobacco and maize. In the better lands, especially along the Cum berland River, the common produce of maize he from GO to 70 beehela for one, and in other places 40 or 50 bushels. The forests, which still cover a great part of the surface, consist chiefly of ash, elm, black and honey locust, mulberry, sugar-mraple, rani the wild plum ; and wild grapes are abundant The western districts, or those which lie near the Tennessee River, and extend about 30 miles east of it, are loss hilly, but they are also less fertile; they produce the same articles, but the crops are less plentiful In some places cotton is cultivated.