National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-01-17
Texas Cattle.

! The man owning large stock Of cat
Tie in Texes, says the President OF -thr
Western Texas Stock Raising Associa
tion, conducts his business differently
though like their marks and brands, nc
two manage exactly the same way The
extent of country over which their cat.
tie range depends upon the size Of the
stock one of $1,000 head would range
in most cases over an area of country
fifty miles wide and one hundred miles
long, though some may always be found
beyond the limits Most of our large
stock-raisers, as they sell their becvcs,
invest their surplus money in other
stocks Of cattle contiguous to, or within
their range, and much depends upon
these purchases M to the size or shape
Of the Territory They always have II
central rancho at which they keep u
sufficient number of brood mares to
supply all demands for horses. This
place is known as headquarters :"
they generally have otheror sub-ranchos,
at which they keep two or more men,
doing what theycan i'll driving up, mark
ing and branding young stock, gather
ing and selling beeycs, and looking out
generally for the interests of their EN-
ployeE As in the other case, nothing
is done during the winter months with
the cattle, except to get up and sell the
beeves to supply the home demand, the
packing houses ON the coast, and the
New Orleans market. When the spring
opens, and the grass il sufficiently high
to support his horses at labor, the stock
raiser employs his hands, gets up his
horses, and prepares for operations. |
Twenty-Five men are about as many as |
can work to an advantage in one gang,
md for this number, one large four
mule wagon, laden with provisions,
camp-eqipage, q very little baggage,
and about one hundred horses, make
up the "outft." OF course the cattle
about the central rancho are first gath
cred in, marked and branded, and as
many OF the calves kept in the pen rs is
desirable; the large stock-raiser, or a
number combined, having n series of
pens located with n view to permanent
water throughout his range. The party.
hns equipped and pro isioned, estab-
ish their first camp at one of these |
'ens, and the business of the season is
Considered fairly commenced. The ,
wagon, and one man to cook, being al ,
vays kept at the camp, another with
he assistance of II bell-mare" keeps
he extra horses under herd, while the
alliance of toe party ride over the coun-
ry, in every direction, and drive up all S
he cows with young calves belonging .
, their employer If it is the wish of .
ne owner to gather beeves Mt the same G
me, they are driven along with the .
ows, kept in the same pen Mt night, h
nd herded during the day. The calves p
re generally branded in the morning "
nd turned out with the cows, and II
othing more is ever done to them I'M RI
the male portion are of sufficient age o
} gather and sell for keeves. | men n
on this that nay readers may estimate II
II themselves the cost of raising beef W
pom the prairies of Texas. Ct
The beeves which are being gathered. II
e kept in hand until the drove is suf-
'iently large, say eight hundred to &.
ousand herd, when they are turned u
'er to the Spectator, and the proprie- II
r receives from twelve to fifteen thou b.
nd dollars in gold, and Immediately lc
mmences the gathering of another at
owe. pl