Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-02-19
PRODUCTIONS.

glanced at the principal productions u
various portions of the State, including
the cereals and the great tstaple-cotton
All tho vegetables of the other States
grow finely here, and attain a degree
of perfection commensurate with the
virgin soil and this semi-tropical
| climate.
Another very important article oi
commerce-trOpical fruits-are grown
in various portions of the State.
In southeastern and southwestern
Texas, along the borders of the Mexi-
can Gulf and the valley of the Rio
Grande, there have been extensive eX-
periments in the cultivation and prOpa-
CATION of Oranges, Figs, Bananas, DC,
that have proven complete success.
| During the snowfall of the 18th OF
January, that was general throughout
northern and Central Texas, the Oranges
were ripening aud the fragrant bios
SONS blooming on the trees in the vi
cinity of San Antonia, in southwestern
Texas; illustrating the great diversity
of climate and productions in this veri-
table Empire State. s-.
In eastern Texas the Fig tree flourish
es, also, to some extent, but is not ex-
tensively grown. 1s. 'a'5
The sorghum of our northern States
here becomes biennial in its growth
and requires greater labor to extifpate
than to raise it.
There is but little sugar cane or rice
cultivated as the land generally yields
enough cotton to purchase those arti-
cles and have more respective bal
ance than their cultivation would in
sure
LAND-PRICES.
Real estate is here, like all other un-
developed countries, valued compare
lively low. In the vicinity of Rail
roads and Railroad towns fictitious
value has been impaired that will be
regulated by time and other considera-
tiOns. But few miles from these SELF
important and self-constituted Railway
centers the price is low, indeed ranging
from So to SI5 per acre, for unimprOved
land. But little improved land in the
market. The Improvements here like
many other things belonging to coun-
tries, and crude societies, are in primi-
tive condition in accordance with that
eternal fitness of things" beginning
an end.
HOMESTEADS.,
Unlike some of the other States of
the Union, Texas never ceded her pub
lie lands to the general government.
At the time of her admission into the
political compact she retained a title in
fee simple to all the lands within her
borders.
The laws governing the wild lands
of faf fn
the pre-emptlon laws OF the general gov
ernment. A residence of three years
and compliance with some minor pro-
visions, entities an unmarried man to
eighty acres and a married man to one
hundred and sixty. Ga potent argu-
ment in favor of matrimony.) Certifi-
cate can be purchased from forty to
sixty cents on the dollar and located
upon wild lands.
The great objection to the purchase of
Wild lands in this State, isthe defective
title under which many of them are
held, and the immense number of
fraudulent certificates that are afoat.
Many of the lands are held under old |
Mexican and Spanish grants obtained !
while Texas was State in the Mexican I
Republic. In some of these ancient
grants many of the important links in
The chain of title are missing, and de-
signing parties have taken advantage
Of these circumstances to locate fraudu-
ent claims that are we'll calculated to
deceive even the Initiated.
Last winter the Legislature passed
III act invalidating the title to all
hese ancient claims unless tie title is
proven during the present
'ear. This will do much toward end :
ng a distressing litigation involving
he dearly purchased homesteads Of '