Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1859-01-05
From the TeNas Almanac for 1850,
The Wheat Region and Whe Culture in
TeXas
ny J. W. LATlMER. '
(coScLuDEp,)
TO MARKET.


! TRANSPORTATION TO MARKET.
The only means Of transportation TO mar.
ket, is hauling in ox.wagons. a. an average
cost of 81 per hundred for each hundred miles
| or course, wheat and flour would not bear
Transportation at these rates TO rhe markets OF
Houston, Galveston, or Shreveport, $50 and
300 miles distant with any chance Of compe.
ting with Northern flour. Transportation by
railroad, il is believed, would be about 30 cents
per bushel. This would be saving in trans
portation of cne hundred per cent or more; or,
on one million, five hundred thousand bushels
of wheat, 100000, 900 pounds,) Of 1000 Tor
each hundred miles transported. The exep-
sion of the Houston and Texas Central Rail-
way to the wheat region, is looked TO with
great solictude, as the only means Of furnish.
ing reliable and certain market for the sur
plus grnn The experience of the past year
proves that until railroad connection with
markets on the Gulf is established, the cul-
ture of wheat in large quantities can not be
relied on as profitable, or even remunemtve. -
If that road should progress in the direction it
is now pointing, MS 1t is sanguinely hoped it
will in another year it is believed it will be
within accessible distance of the wheat coun.
try.
MANUFAcTULE OF FLOUR.
The wheat is manufactured into -four by
mills in the country. of which there is only
moderate supply. There are several excellent
steam power Touring mills, besides a number
of others propelled by water and horsepower.
The latter make equally as good flour as the
steam mills The water mills, during dry
seasons, are imperative large portion of the
wear, but do an excellent business when there
is suficiency of water The Touring mills
three miles north of Dallas (steam) have two
run of stones now in use, with an engine of
ffty.horse power, capable of propeling six run
of stones, about 5000 pounds of -four per day,
in dav light, equivalent to 10 barrels. There
are other steam mills in the country OF per-
haps equal capacity. MiIlers estimate that
bushel of wheat 90 pounds, yiel IS on an av-
erage of
Superfne -four, 35 lbs. q
Fine flour, 10 I"
Shorts, I"
Bra,
20 lbs.
The yield of good wheat however, is be-
lieved to be mate 'iaIly over this estimate.
DISEASES AND CASUALTIES INCIDENT TO THE CROP
Rust is the dreaded enemy of the wheat
crop in Northern Texas, as elsewhere. This
is porasitical growth, or fungus, that appears
in the form of red dust or powder upon the
blades first, and afterwards upon the straw
1t usually makes its appearance when the
grass is in "the dough, and follows wet, damp,
warm weather No damage results until it
attacks tie straw, and the injury is then in
proportion 10 the advanced maturity of the
crop. The rust stops The circulation Of nutri-
ton from the root, arrests the growth and in a
great measure suspends vitality. The conse-
quence is the grain shrinks and rpens before
it is fully developed and matured. If the crop
is attacked early enough, it is apt TO result in
a total failure, but usually produces only a
partial faildre or short crop.
The ravages of the Wleat.Bird are some-
times formidable. This is small bird, about
the size of snow-bird or sparrow, somewhat
resembling the former In lS49 they appear.
ed for the first time in countless myrads, when
the wheat was in the dough, and destroyed |
nearly the entire crop, which was not then
large. The following account OF this little
destroyer, and its ravages, i, taken from the
Dallas Herald of May, 1858, when these
birds threatened the crop with their depreGa-
tions:
"It is a small bird, between the humming
and snow-bird in size. 1t lights upon the
stalk, inserts its bill with great dexterity into
growing grain, extracts the juice with its
tongue, rejects the balanc', and so on, till the
whole head is destroyed. 1t is doubtless a
species of the Rice bird, (frangWa oryzinora
Of ornithologists,) SO fatal to the rice fields
Its first appearance in this region was in lS49.
During the spring of that year, when the
wheat was in the milk, these little devourers
appeared in myriads, and destroyed the wheat
crop almost without exception. Nothing can
drive them from wheat field, or save any
portion of it from their ravages when in suffi-
cient numbers. 1t is related of a farmer of
this county, as fact. that when the birds at
tackled his wheat in 1S49. he sought BY gun
and shot, ringing bells, beating Tin pans, and
every other available noise-maker, to frighten
them from his grounds For this purpose,
bringing his whole force, big and little, into re-
question: with these motley weapons he sta
toned the little army over the field Finding
that his efforts were likely to prove unavailing,
he thought to compromise with the enemy by
giving up part of the field, and concentrating
his force on the remainder. and defend it the
more effectually. The rapacious gluttons
soon made clean sweep of the relinquished
spoils, and then swooped down on the other
After desperate struggle, our farmer conclu-
ded TO relnquisb the half of that, and give
the other to the birds No sooner had they
finished the second section Of the crop, than
they insoently demanded the balance. A