New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-02-02


Southern staple produce by association.
In respect TO the climate the German population
does perfectly well here Even in this dreadful year,
when Galveston, Indianola aud Lavacca. have been
the European emgrants grave, the climate Of the in
terror has been entirely healthy and the German who
arrives the coast in the winter has nothing to fear
The children of the German families prosper here in
wonderful manner and their rosy cheeks remind me Of
what was wont 10 see in Germany
Speaking OF the climate OF this country cannot pass
over some facts of considerable interest relating to
certain changes which have been supposed to go on IN
the whole physical character of the western part oil TINS
state Tie subject has been treated In the last num-
hsr of the San ARfonio Zsiinng. The San Aatosis
I,dssr too has paid attention TO some OF the pne-
nomena in question ana myself, IN coming from the
Rio Grande had an opportunity OF observing some
striking facts connected with the matter
II has been observed that since the present popua-
ton has paid attention to the isc' Tue
of water in the Texan rivers has been conhaay III
ressing and the fact has been explained by the denu
dation of the rivers themselves IN their respective
valleys by which the openings OF springs nave oh ana
continue 10 be laid bare. Indeed IN couhr. Ae 'ns
where strata of limestone are horizontal OF nearly
81 over an immense tract of land. where whole
little rivers burst forth TO the surface from oeneatn
these strata and running for distance OF Jew nes'
sink again into the ground, 10 continue suo'ci
course, the denudstion caused by larger anu per
manent streams must have an effect similar W
that of boring ar;esian wells Its known fact that
Texan rivers sometimes rise suddenly and IN tine most
extraordinary manner. The water has been knowhtc
come ON so quick and Unexpectedly that teams and
wagons inst crossing the stream persons just water
ing their horses or mules have been swept away be-
fore they had time 10 retire The sudden fall Of heavy
rains on the distant tableands does not Afford think
a sufficient explanation IL may contribute great
deal 10 produce the phenomenon but do not doupS
the least that the sudden evacuation OF immense
subterranean reservoirs OF water, caused ether D!
drainage on the sphOn principle or by the sudden re-
moval of an obstacle has been the immediate cause Oh
similar accidents.
Rnt II has been stated moreover that there now
prpcs TO be found in different places OF this country
where formerly none existed, and that they have
r;c;naed under circumstances which exclude the idea
Of their having been produced by denudatlon. Inns
fact therefore il true must be brought n cOnhec
tion with another class of phenomena, OF when u Is
more particularly my intention TO speak here
II has been very generally observed that tins country
which formerly had the bad reputation OF being exposed
70 drouth has been favored in years OF late with SUI
fcent quantity OF rain Formerly the heas aroon"
San Antonio we're cultivated by artificial irrigation
Now the old bitches, or aeoqnids, as the Mexlcans
call them are neglected the present settlers hndng
that the quantity of atmospheric precipitation Is sum
Gent for agricultural purposes is true that these
observations NAV prove nothing else than one oil those
fluctuations in the character OF the weather oil GER
tain number of years, which occur IN all countries
The following data however. seem TO prove that they
relate 10 the general change in the condition oil
this country. c,
I.arV
are covered either by grass and low shrubbery OF py
vegetation of cacfeae yHcca dgdres and similar plants
in general BY the high grass and what Is caiied
chdparrai the latter being the worst KIND Oh 'egeta-
ton which can be imagined High or full grown trees
do not exist all these countries are Oh 'he
occurrence But two things exist which prove that
these tracts were formerly in different cond'uon'
and again will be in different condition III 'imes 10
come numerous old stumps OF trees when exist unecI
the chaparral and a vegetation OF young trees "mcn
30 m l,.h hV N.
cover the ground with timber fact OF not quite the
same hut of similar character have observed exist
ing over hundreds of miles IN the neghoorhood Vi inc
PecOs River. There, millions OF old mesquite trees
(algarobba qlandulosa) are all over the country
standing upright, but dead while OF others only
the stumps or roots exist and the whole GROUND Is
covered by vegetation Of quite young bushes oil the
same shrubby tree. And between the high-grown
mesqutes which are dead and the smaii ones walcm
are beginning to grow up, no ihterbieuiacs " '
/ are a rare exception. c., 70
Here as well as in the chaparrals further South,
YOU examine the old trunks and stumps you discover
that the trees have been destroyed by hre
From all these facts Idraw the following conciuslons
Immense tracts of Western Texas have once been
covered with groves of trees and scattered TIMBER or
with mesquite trees higher than are now generally seen
This must have been when the Indian tribes when ater
ward came there did yet reside in those parts put
after they had taken possession OF the land they des
troyed trees and shrubs by setting the grass on hre
This had the effect of diminishing the quantity OF at0s
pheric precipitation in high degree, Large spaces
have been under these uniayOrable circumstances,
invaded by moving sand, formed by the decomposition
sandstone strata which have very extensive range IN
these regions In many places loose sand has really
been observed to cover old strata of black vegetable
soil Thus il is very possible that hre by destroyinga
vegetation which once covered a sandy country ora
country in the neghborhood OF sandstone rocks, may
have produced even the deserts of the Californian Col
orado where traces have been lately discovered which
prove that productive soil and human habitations
once existed there BY the same agent the plains
on this side OF the lower Rio Grande have been brought
in condition fit only for vegetation oil eaeteae ana
similar plants which formerly must have been less ex
elusive And thus altogether, the vegetation and
climate of Texas have been brought into the condition
in which the present settlers have found 1t. The sup
position that originally better vegetation was de-
strOyed By the Indians cOrrObOraed by the accounts
received from Mexican gentleman who, some ten or
fften wears ago was out hunting on the Texan from
tier in country where now are Indians and trees,
and where then there were trees and no Indians.
Since the new settlers have come into the country
the Indians have been driven back TO more remote
parts The nearer pralres have been less frequently
and less generally set on fire. young vegetation Oh
and higher shrubs could thus take root And as tho
soil has thus begun to be more covered, atmospheric
precipitation was less often made impossible by those
currents of heated air which TO rise from naked
soil exposed 10 the rays of powerful sun The guam
tty of rain then, was augmented; rise was gwen TO
new springs and the state OF things rs II Is now was
produced. The whole process, II the theory IL not
erroneous is an interesting instance OF the influence oil
human life on the economy of nature al large going on
without any mysterious connection between the moral
and the physical world
A few weeks ago some chiefs Of the Lipans and
Mescaleros-whch are both true Apache tribes living
on Texan territory-were invited to Austin for the
purpose Of a interview between them and the Cen
erals Burk and Houston saw them pass through here
on their way out and back An attempt made to in