The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-21 00:00:00

EiiIHR A TION TO TEXAS.

[Lie period of emigration being now about to set in,
when so mltny of our fellow- countrymen are about to
seek a now home on distant shores, has induced ui to
make :'ether copious extracts from a very able work,
entitlel " A Jouirmty through North-Eastern Texas,''
by E. Smith, M D., L.L 8., and B.A.] _

THE NATURE OF TIIE Sun.—The is universally
ttrui has received names according to its colour
rather than its composition; as black, naulattoc,
ash, and red, and ( f these the black, red, sad grey soils
are the be,t defined.

The prairies of Hopkins county afford excellent pas-
turage, and the soil being stiffer than on the woodland,
wheat and small grain may be grown with profit.
In depth it varies from a few inches t) twenty fee',
but with the exception of certain parts of Cooke and
Dallas counties, where the lime points abound, I have
not se,!n it of a less depth than from twelve to twenty
incl-es. In the valleys its depth has never been deter-
mined, except at certain points, where the rain has
formed di ep ravines in the soil, at the bottom of which
the substratum may be seen. It is universally admitted
to he the finest soil in the country, equalling in fertility
the rich alluvial hr toms of the great Mississippi valley,
to portions of which soil it bears a striking r ese riblente
All the prAuclious i f the grey soil grow on the black
soil, but w ith f.r greater luxuriance.
Woon.—The varieties of wood are the black oak,
white oak, red oak, poet oak, an.i black jack, which exist
universally, with pine, live oak, ash, elm, sycamore,
hickory, walnut, sweet gum, cottan wood, wild plum,
cherry, and litckberry, very commonly; and the
beautiful bois d'Are, the cedar, and the cypress
in isolated localities. The bois d'Arc is a
br aatiful yellow Lard wood, very enduring, from which
are wade excellent waggons, and articles of furniture.
The French use the yellow as a dye, and bewat ful walk-
ing sticks are made from the twigs. The hickory is a
neavy dark-coloured wood, very suitable for tool handles,
and fuel for domestic purposes, and vast herds of pigs
lead upon its nut'. The red cedar splits readily, and is
very enduring when used as fencing, being even superior
to the black locust tree of the Western States. Cypress
is used most commonly in the manufacture of water-
butts and troughs, and is the best fuel for steam-en-
gines. The wood is not thickly planted, and since the
land is almost free from undergrowth, the clearing is
effected with much ease.
ROADS.—The modern roads have been laid out by the
State, and were cut by the compass, and „consequently
are mach more direct than the former ones. The
tract is usually very plain, so that we never lost our
way. The condition of such roads depends mainly upon
the nature e the soil and the seasons. In dry weather
a good open bard road is found almost everywhere, but
in rainy seasons the black deep limy soil is far less
agreeable than the grey sandy soil. The horsemen
traverse the country ' with ease at the rate of 45 miles
per day.
We found bridges of a very simple construction over
every creek of any magnitude, but their number ought
to be much increased, so that the traveller might never
need to tread up the muddy bottom of the smallest rill.
RIVERS.—The following are the available points of
navigation:-
1. Shreeveport situate in 32 deg. 30 min. of latitude,
to which point the produce from Northern Louisiana and
a large portion of North-Esst Texas is at present carries).
2. Jefferson.—This is situated in Texas, on Cypress
Creek, and in 32 deg. 46 min. of lat. It is approached
from Shreeveport by the Red River, and the 12 mile
Bayou, and a long chain of lakes, and )enters farther to
the west than Shreeveport, and consequently is a more
convenient port to the settlers in the interior. Steam-
boats have plied these lakes during the past four years,
butn
o regular line has been established until the present
season.
3. Sulphur fork of Red River.
Th
theisl rtarrgae.branch empties itself' into the Red River
above

4. Upper Red River.
The Red River is perfectly navigable to Fort
Washita, nearly 1,000 miles above Shreeveport, and
be shipped at any point upon it. The
ppresentroduce
eayd of navigation is Pinehill, opposite
to Fort Towson and Clarkesville , because the
quantity of produce exported from the more
a
westerly parts does not at present support navigation
higher up than Pinehill. The charges for freight from
Pinehill are extravagantly high when compared with
other routes, and to avoid it, some settlers have, during
the present season, built rafts on which they have floated
their produce, whilst others prefer to haul it to Shreeve-
port at a cost of 1 dollars per Bombs., repaying them-
selves by hack carriage. At the present time all prc-
duce conveyed down Upper Red River must be re-ship-
ped at Shreeveport, which alone greatly increases the
charge for freight; but so soon as the Red River is im-
improved around the raft, vessels will pass up Upper
Red River direct from New Orleans, and the rates will
be properly adjusted to the distance. I learnt from the
State Engineer of Louisiana that the Legislature of that
State have ordered certain improvements to be made in
the Red River, which have a most important bearing upon
the development of N.E. Texas, and should be well con-
sidered by our colony. This engineer is now engaged in
enlarging the channel c f the Bayou Pierre, by which, and
the Rigolet-de-bon-Diet, the distance from New
Orleans is much lessened. This will be effe_tsd imme-
diately; and in the autumn he intends to remove such a
-portion of the falls at Alexandria as shall permit vessels
to eats above them at low water. It seems more than
probable that Red River will continue to be the outlet
for the produce of Eastern Texas, since it encloses a
large portion of the most fertile land, and by it the
produce may pass to one of the best markets in the
world without transhipment.
RAILROADS.—The Great Pacific Ralroad now ab-
sorbs public atteetior. From the Hon. Judge Mills,
and inesey other gel tlemen, we learn that the Texan
Legislature intend at their next session to make a pro-
position to Congress so advantageous t the undo, taking
that they are convinced that this railroad will traverse
the-northern portion of Texas.
Many other reasons are offered why this railroad
should pass through Texas. It is the shortest route.
It would never be impeded by snow; whilst the opposi-
tion route would be impassable during several months
of the year.
We cannot be surprised at the great exertions made,
and the intense anxiety felt by the Texans in this under-
taking, when we consider the following matters.
Firstly. They have probably the finest agricultural
and manufacturing country in the world, only requiring
railroads to attract settlers with capital and enterprise,
in order to develop it; and whenever this is effected, its
size and natural advantages will secure to Texas the
preponderating influence in the States.
secondly. All parties, whether in Texas or the
sister states, agree that the canary offers unparalleled
facilities for the construction of railroads. No railroad
would probably cost more than 1,0001. per mile.
The proposed line for the Great Pacific Railway runs
from east to west, across the ridges of a level elevated
line of land, whence the head waters of many rivers
arise, and would therefore avoid the main trunks. The
railroad to Galveston would run from north to south, on
a gentle declivity betwixt the greet undulations cf t'.e
land, and would cross one or two large rivers only.
Thirdly. The wheat is ripe on the first of May, and
the cattle are fit fur the New Orleans market in March,
so thet cattleel wheat, and flour could reach the New
Orleans market two or three months earlier than the
produce of the Western Stites. From this fact alone
Texas could control the New Orleans trade.
Fourthly. Louisiana, and the Mississippi valley in
general, do not raise grain and stock, and they are Nit
present supplied with these articles from Ohio sad the
Western States. Texas being much nearer to these
parts ought to supply them with these articles, which
she can raise in quantity and quality unsurpasse.l by
any other State. No less a quantity of flour than 40,000
barrels had been conveyed up the Red River during that
part t f the season which had preceded our arrival there.
PRODUCTIONS.--Cotton. The best cotton propuced in
N. E. Texas grows in Cass, Harrison, and Bowie coun-
ties, and on the second bottoms of all the counties bor-
dering on Upper Red River. The cotton thus produced
ranks in the New Orleans market as "Red River"
cotton, and is a fine and long staple.
In N. E. Texas the average yield is somewhat under
one bale, or 5001bs. per acre.
In computing the quantity of cotton to be raised by
each hand, it is customary to include his other labour.
Thu., on the Red River and the Misaissippi, each hand
is expected to cultivate eight acres or cotton lands, and
ten or twelve acres of corn, besides raising all vege-
tables required for the family. Mr. Thomas Geldon,
residing f ,ur miles from Shreeveport, once obtained
twenty-one bales to the hand. .
INDIAN CORN.—The corn is of fine quality, and is
produced in every county.
The quantity per acre varies much with the nature of
the soil, but far more with the amount of attention paid
to its cultivation. The major part of the settlers emi-
grated to Texas without capital, and from countries
where it was necessary to labour hard to procure food;
when suddenly finding themselves surrounded by an
abundant supply of game and delicious wild fruit, and
occupying land which will yield a good harvest almost
without culture, they acquired lazy habits, and are con-
tent with the food which nature alone provides. In
general, the yield varies from twenty-five to fifty bushels
per acre; but it is universally acknowledged that more
abundant, crops would result from the employment of a
proper quantity of labour.
The supply is not by any means equal to the demand,
so that the price is far higher than in any other State
in the Union. In no instance did we find it selling fit
less than 75 cents per bushel, and in Hopkins county
the settlers demanded lt dolls., and even 2 dolls. per
bushel.
The leaves are pulled in August and September and
used as fodder ; the which our horses pre-
ferred to any
.other food. The settlers make them
into bundles weighing 21bs. or 31bs. each, and keep them
in small stacks or in a loft. This is selling for the enor-
mous sum cf two dollars per 1001bs., because the
se Wers have been too indolent to gather it in sufficient
quantity.
WHEAT.—This grain is not extensively cultivated on
the sandy soils, since the crop is small, and the cotton
p'anter prefers to give his attention to the one product
exclusively. The wheat district is on the prairies of
Hopkins county, where the soil is close, but more parti-
cularly on the back limy soil of the prairies in Lamar,
Fannin, Collins, Grayson, Cooke, and Dallas countic .
Many millers reported that the average weight is 621b5.,
but we were on wany occasions informed by men of en:-
doubted veracity, that 701bs. and 72Ibs. to the bushel is
not an uncommon weight. Judge Thomas sowed 19
quarts of wheat, and obtained 25,1 T bushels of 7111'. teed
731 b. We were unable to promo fair samples cf wheat,
since the stock ef old wheat eras exhausted and the new
bad not been gathered.
They sow one bushel per acre, and with mast imperfect
cultivation it yields fifteen to thirty bushels. The una-
nimous opinion of the inhabitants of that part of Texas