Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-11-09

Letter from Texas.

p lItNiRiE COTTAGE, TEXAS,
Oct. I'd, 1850.
MEssRs. EproRs Another summer sun ba
waxcd and wancd, and hot ani wet have been tn
characteristics of the season since the seventh q
, June.
mighty change has o'cr the spirit of OF
Texas climate within tho last ten or fifteen vcarf
previous to which, tho seasons were provcrbalI
dry. The rains of late years have become nue.
more frequent. The Summer II last year was un
prccedencd for its heavy and continued rains an,
dcIugc of mud. The past summer has closely ar
proXimated to it in that respect S, much 50 that
has been extremely difficult to obtain cont nuou
sunshine enough to secure our hay from the prairie
the gra'. upon which now st,rds fresh aud greet
three feet in height in many places.
What execution a patont iron Grass.cutter an,
hor.c-rako would do here some Yankee fond o
adventure and change, m ght make good invest
ment by Introducing aud working them here next
season, and cutting hay at so much per ton. b,
changing his location he could supply a number o
Villages with an abundance of excellent hay
The crops on average have yielded a much
better product than Anticipated
The new crop of Cotton which has been very
abundant, commands good price, and thousands Of
bales are now on their way to the for shipment.
Another happy change would alter the mono-
tonous features OF things here could We have some
oi your N'pl"' railways transported to our beaut-
/ iuI pralrcs Here, nature has taken her own
/ levels. \ railway from Port Lavaca to Victoria
/ distance OF some twenty five miles, with an i'm.
pcrceptibe rise Of only some fifty or seventy feet
could be made air line with but few culycrt,,
/ and orc short bridge which would pay an interest
T of twenty per cent upon the capital invested This
L. n'g tA' great mail route, and trunk .oai lor All
Western Texas. and lcaiirg to- all its princip.l
towns. One or two railways crossing rcxa. from
the most important points. with their lateral
branches, would dcyclopc the vast c, urccs of one
OF the finest countries top Of the ground. Thou
sands and tens of thousand. Of acres ofric and pro-
ouctive soil now lying the open bold prairie,
would then become thickly stu dcd with smiling
farms, wholly and entirely aud beautifully chang
ing the whole face of nature. Spenkin, Of artifi-
clal forests, will give you few items from my
own experience in raising trees from the seed. In
the fall or winter Of 81, sowcd in dril the seed
OF the tree called the " Pride Of China" which tree
in Mississippi attain, the hc ht Of thirty or forty
feet and will grt from five to SIX feet Gin circum-
fcrcncc) which is truly the pride Of any cline
where it will grow.
lhis tree affords fine shade, the leaf and stem
something like the buttcrnut, tnonc of which grow
hcre) and the blossom is cOusiu-gcrm to your
most fragrant lilac, hoth in appearance and rich
perfume. TLey produce abundance Of berries
about the size of buckshot which hang in large
clusters The blrrics make a valuable ointment
for sores, and are an excellent remedy Cor worms in
npr to pa tlpm wit he avid hnt
they do corn and it is said, that they will make
good soap, as they are OF il very mucilagnou-
nature.
placed in the same drill with thcsc Seeds the
leaf of the rricky pear, which here grows very
large, cut into small pieces they took root, and all
grew rapidly together. The trees will now grth
from eight to ten inches, and the prckly pear
hedge will measure three feet by four in Width,
coveled with sharp thorns, presenting most for
miable front 80 All outsiders.
You can readily perceive how easily impeuc-
trable fence be r;7-de not only here, but with
you, by substituting the Sycamore, or button ball
for the China tree, and filling MP the intcrstices
with the common thorn Of the country, keeping the
tops Of the tree, Cf you choo-e) cut down toabout
eight feet tis will force the lateral branche. all
the way down the boiy of the tree, which, when
small, may be readily interaccd with each other,
forming living, growing, beautiful fence, which |
soon hope to see taking the place Of the old Viz
ginia Rail fence everywhere.
Speaking of the prlchly pear rominIs nc OF IA
custom which prevails among the NeNicln,, which
with you would appear to be entirely ori-
ginal method OF fence making.
Imagine to yourself la-gc plain, dcn,cly
covered with this pri,hly penr,-not such puny
plants exhibited in your hot houses, but
plant from siS 10 ten feet in .hth, bearing leaves
the size OF large clbbGte leaf covered with spikes
inch in lcugh. hackali Ca large
closure for pcnuing cattle and til Wild Mu,tug) Is
wanted.
The MeXicans commence with their aAy,. aud cut
away an opening like gate way theu with much
labor, penetrate into this mass Of thorny 'cscia-
on, clearing out an area OF one acre 'r $50, in eN-
tent, leaving you will perceive, an impcnetgabc
wall all around the hackal. They then commence
the entrance, upon the outside, aud build out two
fences wings, half mile in length, in u
fan like form. i,suised that the trap shall not
be easily detected by the Mustang.
Then party of Mcxicans, or Americans as the
may be, circle around herd Of Mustangs,
miles away, and gradually turn their course within
these two wings when they rapidly close in upon
them, until they forced into the hackal and the
opening is secured. most exciting scene now COM
The MeXicans enter the enclosure on
their well trained horses the Mustangs, wild with
terror, commence snortins and circling around the
pen at their utmost speed, with their flowing Names
nearly two feet in length, flying in the wind.
Presently, from the number is selected, and
the aria is waved in circles around the head of the
Mexican, then rapidly thrown, and the coil drops
over the head Of the devoted animal which Is inmo-
diatey drawn out from among the herd and secured.
so expert they with the ariut "a rope made Of
hair green hide, with running IN ~ that
they can catch An animal by either foot you may
designate, when it is running at full speed. Amer-
can mares are not unlrequently caught in this
ner, which have escaped from their owners, and
horses, (habreeds,) of the most beautiful form and
COLOR are occasionally found among them.
Yours, truly, p.