New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-08-11
TExAs coRREspoNpENCE.

TEXAS CORRESPONDENTS,
Teras-Hs Productive soil FIed of he Present
Season IRitay Done bg Grasshoppers n Dty
Misunderstanding Fact Crops Independent
of Rein Moisture Beripsd from the Gulf ana
Passing Ciouds-Hoto the FaR Of Ram 'cM De
Increased, etca etc.
BExAR County, July &c, 1858
OF the productive soilof this region have already
said much in preceding articles. That which have
seen east of San Antonio contains large amount oil
loan, and is extremely fertile. At the place where
am at present, (en miles east of San Antonio) the
soil is composed of black mold and light sandy
loam The loan is from one to two feet thick and
rests on the mold which is from six inches to one
foot thick Underneath these two layers is bard
yellow clay. This SOIL when properly cultivated,
yields very large crops Wheat, corn and root 7ese-
tables, the only things that have been raised on
it this year The wheat turned out twenty bushels
to the acre and the corn with ordinary cultivation
will yield about forty bushels to the acre There is
one patch in the garden which will yield over one
hundred bushels to the acre. This is the Peabody
corn. It's increase over the other corn may be at
tributed in part to its natural superiority, but mainly
to the better care which it has received All this
corn of which am speaking is that portion of the
first planting which escaped damage by the grass
HOpltIS' vi OthET grains anu vi CulJu EaulOU say
anything from personal observation
The present season, have been told, is not IA
vorabIe one by which to judge Of the agricultural
capacity of western Texas. The farmers commenced
planting in the spring with dscouragng fotebodings,
induced by the failures of the preceding year, conse
quenty many planted sparingy and some catelessly,
When the season was well advanced the country was
visited by the destroying grasshopper, OF which all
/ 4l,1
The destruction was great but not complete Almost
| every farm had long patches which escaped without
injury. After the blghting cause had passed away,
many replaned; but in consequence of the lateness
of the season, very little will be gained from this
| second planting That portion of the first planting
which escaped injury will all turn out well, uotwith-
standing the fact that the season has been more than
ordinarily dry. During the past month there has
been no rain-the heat has been very great and the
surface of the land in this vicinity about as dry
it is possible for it to be- Yet under these eircum-
stances, the first regular planting has matured to the
satisfaction of the planters. This, TO a stranger,
would seem extraordinary; to me it has been mat
ter of great surprise, l have seen fields that were
for several weeks parched with heat and seemingly
without any moisture, bearing rank and luxurmnt
crops which did not appear to be dropping, fading,
or in any way indicating the want Of rain. know
of no way to account for this. The soil being dry
and the atmosphere highly rarifed, it would seem
that there is no source from which sufficient moisture
| could be derived to sustain them during the long
spells of dry weather, It may be, however, that
there is more moisture in the atmosphere than gen
orally conceded | am inclined to believe that con
siderable quantity is afforded by the S. L, winds.
When exposed to their fun sweep have in mid day
avn al NJ