The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-24
Texan Wool.
From the Houston Telegraph


The farmers IN Western Texas are beginning 70
turn their attention to the rearing OF Sheppard 1t
ls by no means improbable that in very few years
the culture of woolin that section will be found
more profitable than the culture OF cation or any
other OF the great staples of the South. thousands
OF Mexican sheep have recently been driven INTO
our western settlements from the Rio Grande, and
several large locks have been brought to the coun-
ties along the Brazos. A few hundred have also
been driven to this city, but these were probably
to be saue htered and sold at the butchers stalls
II is estimated that than thirty thousand sheep
have been driven into Texas this year. The
average increase of these sheep is about seven to
one In term OF five years. A person therefore
who should commence with flock of one hundred
sheep, might expect to have this flock increased to
seven or eight hundred in the course of five years
The quantity of wool would be greatly improved
by crossing with the Merino or Saxony stock; and
there is scarcelya doubt that, with judiclous ma
nagement,kour western farmers could raise wool
that would equal the ordinary Merlno wool OF the
middle States The climate Is so dry and warm
that we can scarcely expect that they would be re-
munerated for any attempts to equal the Spanish
WOOL A few bales of wool that were raised this
season IN the county of Fort Bend, by DR.. Hunter,
We're sold IN New York at l6 to 20 cents per pound.
The sheep from which the wool was sheared re-
qulre no more attention than the common prairie
deer. A single shepherd could easily manage a
flock OF four or five thousand head, except during
the shearing season. The wolves that were for
merly so troublesome that the shepherd was COM
PEELED to pen his flock every night, are now con-
sldered an Insignificant enemy. The shepherd,
with small wal of strychna, that costs but 81 25
OF ten or twenty miles of his flock.
whenever the wolves make their appearance,
the ,carcase OF sheep is exposed, and few grains
o. the strychnia are sprinkled in several gashes
ing the dead animal, invariably begin to eat the
parts that have been gashed with the knife, and
thus eat the poison. 1t is seldom that the wolves
that have once tasted the poison escape: thew are
faxy 10
OF the carcase they fed upon. The WOLF that was
once the most terrible sCourge of the shepherd,
may thus be exermnated in our Western praires,
and that delightful region may become the Estre-
the high rolling pralries around Bexar, Gollad and
San Patrcio, were literally whiened with hocks.
In the vicinity of the latter town. there were Sc
vera flocks that numbered upwards of five thou
sand head. The raising of sheep was found so pro-
titabe at that time, that it almost supplanted the
culture of grain.
Now that the culture of cotton and grain will not
remunerate the planter for the expense of age, it
isimportant that some other staples should be cul
tlyated. The farmer of Illinois can afford to raise
wheat at 70 cents per bushe, and corn at 10 cents
The over production OF cotton has reduced the
price OF that staple to or cents per pound Wool
can be raised by the Texan farmer at a cost of
scarce cents per pound, and millions of acres in
Western Texas are as well adapted for sheep
walks as the most favored regions of Europe.
We are confident that the farmers of West
IN the Northern markets at 10 cents per pound, and
derive from the sale more profit than the planter
can derive from his cotton at cents per pound.
Indeed, we consider that the day is not far dis
tant, when the strife between the woollen and cot
ton manufactures tor supremacy, will be renewed,
and woollen fabrics will suppant those of cotton.
During the last thirty years, cotton has been
gradually driving wool from the domestic circle,
and cotton clothing has almost superseded the snb-
stantlal and more comfortable woollen clothes of
former days. But whenever wool can be afforded
at 10 cents per pound the cotton fabrics will be
compelled to give way to the more. durable and
comfortable woOllen fabrlcs and the increasing de-
mand for these will doubtless sustain the price of
WOOL tor long series of years, at such rate to
enable the wool growers to derive large profit
upon the capital invested in its culture.
AFFAIRS OF VENEzUELA.-The Spanish schooner
Evelma arrived at Porto Rico on the I4th ultimo,
from Laguayra, having on board four sisters of
charity and three priests, lately resident in Carac-
cas-, but who had been ordered by the government,
to quit the republic. The cause of this expulsion
| was not known at Porto Rico, but the Bishop Of
that diocese had rendered them every hospitality
| In his power, and assigned them a suitable re
sldence In one OF the benevolent institutions of thu
| island.
| Caracas papers state that the Venezuelan Con
| gress and MOnagas were at variance. The HOns
| Of Representatives had refused to confirm his de
cree Of the 9th December, in which he levied
contribution on the people, stating that it was a
| infracton OF the constitution. The exigencles @
| the administration were great, and yet the Cham
Der, although it had assembled several times to dis
cuss the subject, had separated without giving tn
| government, to use the words of representative
bread for the morrow" The situation of tn
| government is represented to be a critical one
through these collisions between the legislative ant
executive powers Meanwhile, corruption to al
alarming extent is said to pervade the admins
trative departments. fraud of $4,000, in thu
Caracas Custom House, the most productive il
the republic, was denounced in open Congress
by member; and the principal collector of the in.
ternal revenue at that place, had been put on his
trial for Peculation. To add to the difficulties OF
the administration, who knew not whittier TO turn
for money, three dividends of the interest on the
external debt remain unpaid fact most humili-
ating to Venezuela, who had hitherto sustained her
credit on the London Stock Exchange, equal to
Chill, by the uninterrupted payment of her credi.
tors claims. 1t is expected that heavy tax will
be laid on cocoa, one of the principal articles of
produce IN Venezuela.
Guzman. has been elected Vice Presidents and
letters from Caracas state that 1t is very probable
that he will govern the country, as Monagas, with
whom he. cannot agree, will be obliged to give
place to him.
The guerrleros of the province of Cumana, ac-
cordng to letter from Laguayra, reject every pro-
position of an amnesty, and continue to make head
against the troops of Monagas. In Carupane seve-
raj persons have been arrested on political grounds;
among Others the French Vice Consul and some of
his countrymen, which has led to strong protest
from the Consul General Of that nation at Carac-
been closed to prevent the escape of certain infu-
entail individuals, whose arrest has been ordered
on suspicion OF being engaged IN insurrectlonary
projects. The prisoners who had been languishing
in the dungeons Of Laguayra had been transferred
TO prisons IN Caracas, where they are treated with
exceeding rigor In short, says the writer of lhis
letter, prosecutions still continue, and with all this,
can it be said that Venezuela is at peace !-Neto
Orleans Picayune, A1wH Is.
HoRRIB1E OrTRAcE.-PRoBABLE MURDER.-A
correspondent Of the Philadelphia Ledger writing
from Harrisburg, under date Of the ed inst says
" Last night, at late hour, three young men,
about 10 or ~ years of age prowling about the low
er end OF town, i'll pursuit of girl of doubtful cha
racter, stopped at the house of Mr. Nep, and raised
disturbance. Mr.. Nep's son, returned volun-
teer from Mexico, desired them to go away, which
they resisting, and insulting him, he struck one of
them, named kemble the son Of merchant tailor