Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-05-02

aoous san cor, had come ,,p with the exception
Of very light shower that did not lay tne aos. -
fact have been told by many who ought g kHoM
that If corn could be planted early enough Una. Us
before too much of the moisture had dred OUT oi Tue
Ground. fair crop could be made without any ram.
But if planted too early they run the f's VI
# killed by the frost in which event they are SCI
hack farther than ever. have likewise been IN
formed that the bottom lands stand the drought Iar
better than any Others and that fair crops o. cotton
or corn man be made even without rain. II tns oe
. On then the bottom lands are decidedly pest anu
most desirable of any In this section OF the otae,
that which is known as the Cana Grass frairle, 10
perhaps considered the best. It takes tnisna.le oe
c,use that grass is densely set in those bottoms l
have heard said that wherever this grass is fono
the land is subject to overflow and this believe to
Here 7 will say once for all, that possessing as we
do favorable climate and being generally supplied
with abundant rains in spring and summer, regalu
the swamp lands of our own State as equal to any
lands in the Union for the production OF CON- ine
experience of past years think fully sustans thus
nostion for during those occasional droughts when
have sometimes proved disastrous to the billy and
rolling lands in the production of that important ar
tce Of food it has been abundanty supplied by the
swamp lands of our own State. Nor have the bene-
fits arising from this production been confined to
ourselves alone. but they have been felt in other
States through the medium OF their ports. Cons'd,
ernr the extensive area of those lands the general
advancement in retaining the same, and the vast
improvements in modern agriculture no human
foresight aided by the light of reason, can discern
any dminution of those advantages in the future,
nor any change in the high limit of position to which
we seem destined to attain. do not allude to those
localities where irrigation is at command for IN such
the greatest production has ever been obtained but
it is worthy of remark that all those localities com
r,rp in Int a
upon the globe
You must not suppose from anything may have
said elsewhere that the production of the grasses is
confined to any distinct division of this State
Every county in which have been seems well adap-
ted to their growth, and learn that the same is
true in relation to those portions of the State which
have not vet seen. observe, however, in eastern
Texas that the underground is not only taking pos
session of the woodland, to the exclusion of the
grasses but also advancing rapidly upon the prairie
This arises no doubt from the fact that the lands
have been heavily pastured by the stock, thereby
leaving but small amount of grass, which renders
an effectual burning of the woods impracticable.
Some however, are of opinion that it was the dens-
ty of the grasses which kept back the underground
and not the burning However this may be, the
process is now going on, and have observed the
same on the western side of the Trinity. The re-
suit of this is that certain parts of the State must
after while, be deficient in pasturage five judge
from statement in the Crockett Printer, which l
saw some time back, the emigration to this State
must be very great. 1t was there stated that two
hundred wagons were then on the road between
Crockett and Alexandria.
Upon the little journey, to which l have hereto
fore referred, perceived that the encroachment of
the underground became less as we proceeded north
This underground is nearly all of what is here called
scrub oak. Since have been here have observed
some ten or twelve different grasses, and most of
them entirely new to me. Among the most impor-
tant in this section would name is the Cana grass
which is the same as that in our own State This
however, is liable to one great objection The peo-
pie here say it will "trcad out" that is it will die
and disappear under the pastorage and tread of the
cattle. But for this grass in this particular sec
ton of the State would stand in higher repute.
could but remark the dferen. estimate placed upon
this grass by the people here and those of our State
With us, you know that this grass, for many years
past has been considered worthless whilst here its
position in that regard is reversed There is anoth
er grass in this section which grows in rich bottom
lands-is highly valued, and known as the Beaver
tail 1t derives its from the fact that its head
is fiat, and is supposed to correspond in likeness
with its name do not believe that this grass is to
be found in our State The foot and crab grass
is here, but in more limited extent than with us
and neither of them flourish in prairie soil. have
also seen the wild rye here in the creek bottoms as
| have elsewhere stated This is considered most
excellent food for stock, especially when green. /
| have seen none in State, although have seen
| what is there called wild rye.
PAGEl