Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-04-15
A Highly Interesting Letter from Texas

M. l.. BoSHAM. We publish 1t with much pleas
ure; and would like to hear from Dr.. o. often:
EUraw, LIMESTONE Co., TEXAS,
March1Sth, 1868.
Ex-Gov. N. L. BoNHAM,-Dear Sir: Accord
| ing to your request andlmy,prou,ise, Il now pro-
pose to give you some account of my travels il
Texas. came from New Orleans up Red River
to Shreveport, Iaa From there I came by Rail-
road to Marshall, Harrison County, Texas. Hav-
ing purchased horse sad die and bride, started
kalone, ,aand travelled througha portion of North
Eastern Texas, then West to the Northern part
of the State-thence South through Collin, Dallas,
Ellis, johnson, Hood, Hill, McClennan, Falls, to
this, Limestone County.
By drawing line from the Western part of
Red River County to the South Eastern corner
of Kaufman County, you will find tina. portion
east Of this line to compose what is called North
Eastern Texas.
The soil Of this portion of the State. is for the
imostpart sandy, with an occasional section, of
fsrraginous red soil, and some .whits stiff post
oakplats. In many places this sandy country
resembles the piney woods of Edgefeld, but the
soil is more productive Water is. tOlerably plep-
tifal-thes country. being traversedssby various
branches, creeks and rivers. The most produc-
tive lands lie on the water courses, and will pro-
duce with favorable seasons 500 lbs of lint cotton
or 40 bushels of corn per acre. The upiandspro-
duce about half these quantities but are preferred
by many, on account of the greater, case with
which they may be cultivated. This is timbercd
country, which adds greatly to its value. The
timber is post oak, black jack. pine, with some
hickory, red oak, &c. have seen sandy black
jack lands here which produce very well, while
the same kinds of lands in South Carolina would
not be worth cultivating. Unimproved lands can
be bought in this section for one aad two dollars
per acre-specis; and improved lands FOR :head-
litioual value Of the improvements. Previous to
the war this country produced cotton and corn
almost exclusively. I understand some Of the
farmers are now turning their attention to tie
cultivation of the grape and castor oil tean. The
various kinds Of fruit grow well here, but arc not
extensively cultivated. Wild grapes grow abun-
i.nty in the woods and several gallons of wine
are frequently made from single vine. The
most of this country has the appearance of hav-
ing been settled for a long time, though in somo
sections the settlements are some distance anars.
The population is composed principally Of small
farmers, who nre neither very rich nor very poor.
The people here call this i very healthy country,
bu: chils and fevers arc not considered sickness
ed IN
malarial diseases that they are scarcely noticed
unless they assume congestive or malignant
form Malaral diseases prevail to great extent
on the water courses, during the summer and fall
and very frequently prove f.tal. The people
aavc pale, or swarthy appearance, where tho
miasmatic diseases prevail.
The country west of the above described Sec
ton is prairie of the best quality, and extends to
the Lower Cross .Tiubers, which is a body o:
timber from Eve to fifteen miles in width, extend
ing from Red River to the Brazos, through the
Eastern portions of Cook, Denton, Tarrant and
johnson, and Western part of Hill Counties. The
soil Of the Cross T;mbers ssandy and assimilates
very nearly to the timbered section already de-
scribed. The timber Is short aud scrubby post
oak and black jack-such as the people of the
old States would never think of using for fencin z
purposes but they use it here and arc glad to get
it. There is no pine timber in the Cross Timbers
The soil of the prairie is as black, (and when wet,
is almost as sticky as tar-some Of it hog wallow
prairie of the finest quality. This prairie is the
great wheat growing region of Texas, and is dcs-
tined soue day to be the garden spot of the State
1t produces.from 20 to 20 bushels of wheat and
from 30 to GO bushels Of corn per aero. The
not much cultivated. Cotton too produces well
but on account of the great distance from market
it is very little planted. Stock, raising is carried
on to some extent here but not so proftably MS II
the section west Of this. The grass is not so goot
here and tn country becoming settled 10 some e1
tent by farmers most of tho stock raisers have left
The scarcity of timber and water is the grea
disadvantage the people of this prairie have Il
labor under There are very few springs aud oil
most no running streams during dry weather
travelled through this section during the first
February and there had been no rain here since
the middle of October, though they had had twt
| light SHOWS The roads were as hard and firm a!
turnpikes, and scarcely any water was to be fount
we're in cultivation lat year were in good pow
! ing order, and the farmers were speeding TIT
plow', preparatory to planting their crops Th
people use cistern wa.or for their family use
(wheu they Cannot get wells) and tanks fer thei
stuck. Those who have neither cisterns nor well
frequently have to haul drinking water severn
miles. WHAT they call tank here is pond o
water, made by building dam across hollow
ravine and collecting the water when it rains
Most of these tanks contain water during the dry
est weather. Nearly all the creeks have SOM
timber ON their borders, but it is of very inferio
quality, and the farmers frequently have to hau
their fencing timber from ten to iiteeD miles
post.oah rails arc worth here when delivered from
90 to 5000 per hundred. These rails arc Iron
| 6 to feet long. Pine Lumber for building pur
poses is hauled from 100 10 so miles. and
worth on delivery 5000 per 100 #. The dwellin
houses Of this section arc generally OF very IN
| Oiuei SUM 10 shS PS'PAS Va s.N
not like to I've in. The Bois dare or c*age Orang
grows abundantly in this prairie. This tre
makes splendid hedge fence. impenetratle to al
/, animals, but saw very few farms where any nt
tempt had been made at hedging. suppose fiy
1 years is ample time to grow hedge fence.
The climate Of this region is pleasant durin
the summer, from tn hesronstan, South winds whic
blow Hero. have been told stranger can nes
er get enough sleep here during the summer. Th
nights are cool and agreeable. The. temperatur
is changeable in the winter season, from the col
"Northcrs," which sometimes blow there. Thes
{ are cold Northern winds, which give no premon
ktion of their advent, except that the mir usuell
becomes warm,ana sultry fotsa.feH hours precot
ing these blows, and by looking to the North