Kentucky

Kentucky, one of the United States of America, lying between Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to the N., Missouri to the W., Tennessee and Virginia to the S., and Virginia and West Virginia to the E., with an area of about 40,000 square miles, the length from E. to W. being 458 miles, whereas the greatest breadth, N. to S., is only 171 miles. The surface consists of a great plateau sloping easily down from the Appalachian range on the S.E. to the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi on the N.W. The highest portions (Pine Mountain and Cumberland Range) do not much exceed 3,000 feet, and the lowest level attained is about 600 feet. The flats on the margin of the Ohio are mostly covered with wood, but a strip of excellent soil, "the Blue Grass region," extends right through the centre of the state, and reaches its maximum fertility beyond Green River. To the N.E. and S.W. of this belt lie great coalfields. All the rivers - among them being Big Sandy, Licking, Kentucky, Salt, Green, Cumberland, and Tennessee - flow N.W. to the Ohio, and in some cases have cut their way deep through the limestone rocks, forming remarkable caverns, of which the Mammoth Cave is a renowned specimen. There are, too, many subterranean streams. Almost every kind of vegetable produce is grown, including cotton, tobacco, maize, and fine fruits. The breeding of horses and cattle is, however, a still more profitable occupation. The vast forests covering more than half the state yield much valuable timber. Coal is worked profitably, and the iron ores are of good quality, whilst petroleum has recently been obtained in considerable quantities. Frankfort is the capital, but Louisville is the most important and Lexington the oldest of the towns, among which Covington, Newport, Padneah, and Maysvalle deserve mention. Originally part of Virginia, Kentucky became independent in 1789, and was admitted to the union three years later. Schools are well organised and supported, and the railway system has developed widely since 1870.