Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-07-31
Fulton, Ark, and the Red River Country Of
Texas.

texas.
A very Intelligent and pleasant writer, Z
correspondent OF the Bellsyille (Ill.) Tribune
is travelling in Texas, and lie communicate.
much Information in regard to the country ht
traverses. From his latest letter, we take thI
following:
"Souih=est from Washington (Ark.) six.
teen miles we cane to Fulton, on the Red river.
Fulton, like Cairo, looks wei OF paper, but il
reality is a wretched place, consisting os two
warehouses, a blacksmith shop and grocery.
Red river at this point is about a hundred and
fifty yards vida, % a redish-brown color, with
sandy bottom and banks. IL ii were not for
ethe raft,' Red river would be aaVigable at all
seasons as far as Preston, in this State. fThe
raft is truly a wonderful affair. This river,
like the Mississippi, is lined with the most ex-
uberant growths Of timber, and is subject to
periodical overhows; consequently, the banks
being loose sand, an immense quantity Of tim
boF falls in annually, and the greater part OF
it lodges at the ran, a place where the stream
widens out and il very shallow. There is no
telling how long this timber has been aecumu-
lating here, and no manner or calculating the
amount Of it now in the raft, but you may
foTu som idea Of it when l tell you it is now
about a Eils wide, and thirty-fye miles long.
Il impedes navigation almost entirely, though
at high water mall boats DO tjump' over It,.
An immense outlay Of capital woald cut the
raft out, but it would then require an enormous
sun annually to keep it cleared, and would al
ways be dangerous to boats. A railroad from
Natehez to this point, (Bostpn) now being con-
s%truetsd, win supersede the navigation Of Red
river, and obViate the necessity OF expenditure
on it.
"The Bed river valley certainly cannot be
surpassed for tia production Of cotton. Ten
bales (of $50 lbs. eseh) 70 the hand, or two
bales to the acre, is an ordinary crop, and in a
very favorable season it is impossible to pick
all tie cotton that is produced. In fact, there
is frequently msEs cotton left IN the field to be
plowsd up in the spring than is generally pro-
duced on the up-lands. Tie cotton q Bed
river has also finer and longer staple, aud
bears a better price in market than that Of any
other ststs,
The land is Of RED brown color, and is equal
y fertile for other productions, corn and peta-
toes especially, ana the world cannSt surpass
it for rams and water melons.
fhs natural productions are most prolific and
luTnFisnty haFe myself seen here grape
yines that VsaId maks four large rails to tue
cutl And these grapes toe ara Of a superior
quality. The lunches are fTeqnsatiy fron hf-
teen to eighteen inches in length. banging on
the vines in the greatest profusion. Tue stems
Of the punches are of a bright red, about the
size Of a thfrty.tgo or sixteen bullet, and are,
when ripe, deeply black, bnt covered over with
a blush coat which easily runs az. They
make excellent wine, but an old Frenehmal
here tells me that they will not do for ~raisins,
as the skin OF hull j. 200 thick. That they
could be greatly improved by cultivation | am
we'll satisfied, and il possible ] will take soIs
Of the vines back 9Th me FOR the eonsidera-
sion Of the Agricultural S0ciety.
But Red river is a malarious, siekly country.
oVerseer seldom lives here more than one
year, Mosquitoes darken the air, but niggers
and mules sEs in their proper element. Slavery
here Is a necessity, end will defy Abolitionism
FOR many years to come. EOrse planters here
own five and six miles square of lsEa, and
hat covered over with white shirts and woolly
heads.
Columbia county Is The extreme Southwest
IN county Of Arkansas. II is also a sandy,
pine country, but more fertile than any 1. bad
ret seen Of that kind. It is populated BY
planters from Georgia, who have i'm
nsnse plantations, and herds ct niggers- Mag
Iolia, a new village, is the county seat.
The fioet destroyed a great deal Of Gotten
nd corn, and all the fruit Of this country.