Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-01-20
Col. II. q. williams In New
York.

We find In tho 1rlDuhe IN III
tcrcsting account oftho proceeding
of the American Institute Farmer
Club. held on the 18th ofDecember
in which our esteemed friend Col
, r. G. Williams, of this City, bcin!
called on for some account OF thing
in Texas, is reported TO have said
All that part of Texas West o
the Colorado River is called West
ern Texas, comprising tract will
an average width of 300 miles by
about 900 miles long. Although
there are fewer people living in al
We tern Texas than in Brookly n
yot TO day Western Texas has fol
sale over 800, 600 head of four yca'
old beef cattle, and about enc hal
of Western Texas is yet unused, at
a cattle range, on account of Indian
raids-Indians living domiciled in
the territory of our friendly neigh
Dor, Mexico; no protection given by
the State or the United States. Ev
cry farmer who last year-one o1
the dryest ever known'-planted his
corn before tho Goth of February,
and who gave only ordinary dill
gent cultivation, averaged twenty
five bushels of corn to the acre
Wheat averaged fully 10 bushels,
oats over 35 bushels, with weight
to the measured bushel of46 pounds,
the Norway oats. Cotton, nearly a
bale to the acre. The Pecan crop
"A spontaneous gift ofnature-wilI
Weld not less than a million of dol
lars to the people of Western Tex,
as this year, and not more than
ono. half gathered ofthose produced.
The sample of pecans l present
herewith-unusuaIly fine ones
were grown on the San Antonio
River, near the City of that name.
Beside advantages for irrigation af-
forded by nearly every stream, at
comparatively small expense. |
would mention one natural product
which, during drouths when the
grass to small extent fails, affords
a most nutritious and abundant for
age TO cattle, sheep, horses, mules,
hogs and goats-the bean of the
mesouit tree. This bean is o1ly
produced in largo abundant
crops during season OF pro-
longcd drouth. Horses and mules
will often leave corn to feed upon
this bean when accessible; as they,
as well as cattle, get very fat npon
eating the mcsquit bean This tree
grows luxuriantIy all over Western
Texas, except just along the Gulf
Coast. As to fruits, on the Sth day
of November / saw in the San An
tonic market fine large fresh peach
es taken from the orchard that day
and from an orchard, too, which
had furnished ripe peaches daily
since the 18th day Of May. For sa-
Iubrity of climate Western Texas
has already become proverbial. |
have seen active, profitable out door
labor-plowinr aud planting, har-
vcstisg or gatl,cring-going on ev-
cry month of the ycnr. Poor uh-
productive land is the rare eScep-
iicn. Unimprovcd lands of the
best quality, and in any quantity
from 100 acres up to tracts OF 10000
acres, car now be purchased, with
perfect title, at from fifty cents, to
one dollar to one dollar and fifty
cents, gold, per acre. Projected
and rapidly-constructing railroads
are enhancing the price of these
lands. There not being from three
to six months of freezing weather
in Western Texas makes it pre- emf
no.tly the country for poor emf
grant.
J. r.. Lyman-The gentleman
from Texas will confer favor by
speaking more fully of stock rails
ing. We have often heard it stated
that four year old, giving GOO
weight of dressed meat, costs the
Texas beef grower no more than
Spring chicken. 1t has been said
also that the life Of stock farmer
on those savannahs is lonesome and
semi civilized. We would be glad
to know the whole story.
Mr.. W.-Both statements are sub
true; cattle need no fod-
der. They are as fat in February
rs they are in June. Young cattle
keep on growing the year round
There are but three events in the
existence of a Texas stcer-to be
to be branded, to be sold
at the age of four years for beef A
range with us means a strip or body
Of land of indefinite extent, gener-
ally from 10000 to 100000 acres,
between two streams. 1t makes no
who may hold the pat.
ents for it or part, of it, as long as
it is unfenced. In the Spring the
ranchero or herdsmar goes out into
his herd and brands his calves,
by throwing a rope
around them, but more frequently
by driving them into apen. We
call an unclaimed and unbranded
calf on the range a Maverick"
from the name ofa worthy citizen
of San Antonio, whose po sessions
are so immense that he cannot iden-
tify his sto,k. 1t is no harm for
TO brand Maverick"
After a calf or vearIing is brand
ed, it may not come within half
a mile Of man for three years,
and then it is sold in the herd. gen.
orally at so much per hundred head,
except four year olds, and driv
en- TO the North West or to the sea-
ports. All the animals, big and
little, on a range, or in a specified
brand, go-when a ranchero man
sells out-at so much head Four
dollars and half IN gold, is a com
mon price If q man has geo, we
do not call hIm q rancheman-he