Litchfield enquirer., 1845-06-19
From the Providence Journal.
IMPRESSIONS OF TEXAS.

causes OF imperfect dgy1cutTe-Decline OF
| Population.
Crossing the Brazos from the East. the aspect OF
the country Immediately changes From the mo.
notonous and undiversied scenery of the level pra
ir!es, the wayarer is transported in Elysian fields
win gently undulatng rolling surface, whose ver-
dant swells and slopes rise in graceful cones and
rloges' which give constantly varying grace and
beauty OF outline to the landscape. TIE ascent is
no where so abrupt as to break the regular gait of
morse. The wales gather the waters, and, connec-
ted one with another through innumerable rami6-
cations, form rlvuets and brooks and at last, bv
thef accumulatng streams, grow into creeks and
trbutary rivers of the BraZos and Colorado and in
their descent from the elevated prairie to the bot
TOMS OF the principal rivers, form frequent rapids
and water falls The course of these small currents
Is marked by narrow band of timber, which pen-
etrates the prairie in every direction, dividing and
suo-diVldlng it into areas of various form and ex-
tent AS one gains the summit of rise more ele
waited than the others, and surveys the wide pros
pect, he seems in the midst of an old and highly
cultivated country denuded of its forests; and the
bounds OF Its extensive plantations and fields mark
preserved for ornament or use
with countless herds ranging over its thousand
NILS and the varied hues of the verdure on the diff
lereht slopes, appearing like fields of different
grams and grasses, the traveller unconsciously looks
around him for the farm house and the laborer but
ne gazes tor the curling smoke of a chimney and
Listens Tor the sound of human voice in vain, and
he Journeys along solitary road traced by the pas
sage OF a few wagons over the prairie, for twenty
and perhaps thirty miles, without an inhabitant -
In February, the humble violet and daisy were
putting forth their modest delicate flowers: but in
Apfll and May, the whole prairie becomes bloom
ing parterre Of flowers, and the traveller rides the
whole day in an atmosphere of perfume. more deli.
cate and exquisite than ever filled doudoir These
fairy scenes continue from the Brazos to the Nue.
ces, the timber becoming less frequent and the
open prairles more extensive toward the west
but these lands, enchanting to the sight of the
traveller, different aspect to the eye of the
farmer and planter. In summer they are parche11
by droughts and when cultivated with the r5'"gh'
their loamy. friabe soils wash and the s-face De-
comes cut up into deep ravines. TIL 1moer, TOO
that skirts so beautifully their b~ders, IS low
growth of stunted oak and ~edar which would
scarce afford material for ode fencing, and when
once cut off does not reappear. And these gently
swelling ridges and hillocks, apparently so uni
formly luxuriant and fertile have different soil at
almost every rise ard descent in the passage over
them. We pass one of a deep black vegetable
mould as light and friahle as ploughed field, and
Immediately pass to one of a stiff clay soil then
succeeds one of a sandy thin soil, which extends
along into perhaps post-oak barren; and then the
series is again repeated; that in the distance of
two miles, we meet with three four soils of dis
tnct and different qualities and character, though
apparently of the same formation and Typographical
characteristics.
We met for the first time in the Republic with
nocks of sheep on the rolling prairies west of the
BRACES They were pstx ri tbs Rdrssrw Wsfs
informed, were healthy and increased rapidly
Many Oft the oldest inhabitants, who have studied
the resources and know the peculiar advantages and
disadvantages OF tn4 country, are looking forward
to the day when the raising of wool will be one of
the leading interests of Texas, particularly in the
west and northwest sections of the country; and
they say if the country becomes annexed, Texan
wool will be an article of as much Importance to
our Northern manufacturers as Texas will become,
in their opinion, a great favorite in the Eastern
markets and have the preference over Mississippi
and Alabama cottons Here, too, we saw fine
specimens Of Cuba tobacco, cultivated by a small
settlement of Germans. who are making prepare
tions for the growth Of the tobacco and the manu-
facture of the cigars for export. Stopping at a
plantation that embraces section ola rich prairie,
portion of bottom land we were invited to boun-
tiiuly furnished and Widespread table, on which
the rice, the corn-cates, the wheaton biscuit, the
sugar. the yams, the Irish potatoes. figs, the meats,
and innumerable preserves were all the produce of
the farm and after finishing our repast, we were
taken to the cotton-gin and shown bales of Upland
and Sea Island cotton, and RECALLED with excellent
cigars of Cuba tobacco, all the product of the same
plantation.
One would think, with climate and soil capa-
BILE of producing all these necessaries and Injuries
of lie that the farmer as we'll the country must
be happy, prosperous, and Independent. But we
panied, everywhere along our route, to see es-
tatcs and dwellings, which had been fenced and
reared at great expense and labor, deserted, and
herds of wild cattle ranging through former cotton
fields and hogs making their nests in the falling,
dilapidated houses. We estimated that at least
one third of the farms on the route we travelled,
through Middle Texas, were abandoned.
To our oft repeated inquiry for the reasons Of
these removals, the invariable replies were, that
the proprietor could make nothing there were
no markets for the sale of any thing the sea-
sons were variable and the crops uncertain Corn
in one year worth twelve cents bushel, and no
purchases the next season it sells for seventy five
cents or one dollar per bushel, and difficult TO be
procured At planting time every farmer thinks
the coming season is to be good crop year, and
he plants no more than, from good yield, Will De
sufficient for his own wants and he who has any
means of obtaining few dimes by keeping tav-
ern, or other employment, deems 1t will be more
pleasant and profitable to buy at bit bushel,
than to plant corn, consequently, he concludes ne
won't raise any, The crops fail, and as this year,
the country is destitute of the staff Of life
There being no large towns to consume, no foreign
markets to take off the surplus products OF the far
mer, there is in truth but little stimulus to the
agriculturalist to raise more than enough Tor his
| own consumption. And believe, where 1t IS a
question between the personal qualification Of the
appetite, and of severe bodily labor, IN warm vo'
| luptuous climate, where nature seems to seduce
man into habits of incidence, the former is sacri-
feed to the qualification Of personal ease. So in
this country, we find the people surrounded with
the means of producing by little labor in favora.
BILE seasons almost every necessary and luxury Of
fe living in ideness, and subslsting on the coars
est and meanest diet. Few have any thing better
| than poor bacon and coarse corn meal Tor toou.
| western or southern farmer, accustomed to THU
coarse fair through life, feels no stimulant but mo-
! ney TO produce any thing else. An eastern man