Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-06-17
Letter from Texas.

days ago / passed from Dennison to
Dallas on the Houston &c Central rail
road. For dozen miles from Denni-
son the region is somewhat broken,
though there are very fine farms and
groves of timber. The soil, soon after
leaving Red river, changes from red
to a black color, and is styled the
waxy soil. It's very deep, and appar-
emily inexhaustible in fertility. It
would seem equal in richness to the
best Illinois soil. The main objection
to it is, that it is difficult to pillow when
wet, as it runs somewhat like tar
When it dries it becomes hard and
forms a crust; this crust however, soon
Stacks and becomes quite friable. The
cultivated fields appear in very good
order and quite free from weeds.
A very large part of Texas on each
side of the Houston 81 Texas Central
railroad is mainly of this class of land.
1t produces very NITROUS grasses in
the greatest abundance; mesquite, wild
clover and ordinary prairie grass pre-
dominant. The crops are in excellent
condition. Harvesting Of wheat has
May 22) commenced and the promise
is of great yield. Oats are headed
out. Some fields Of corn are two feet
high and will not be cultivated much,
if any more; the stand is good and
the color dark green. Cotton is an
important production here and the
rows are distinctly visible.
Though this is backward season,
it seems to me like midsummer; the
most beautiful flowers abound on
every side. 1t is cheering to reach a
region that betokens such abundance.
New mealy potatoes of large size we
have daily on the table. 1t would be
difficult to find region more pleasing
to the eye-the prairies, groves and
timber form an evor varied landscape.
The surface of the prairie in this re-
gion is gently undulating. The soil
does not wash badly. The delicately-
leaved Mesquit and oaks scattered
here and there, relieve the view on the
lare er prairies.
In a ride of fifteen miles across the
country | passed vast numbers OF
Usage Orange trees. In the bottoms
of the Trinity river there were some
of them from one to two and a halt
feet in diameter-the largest ones had
fallen in every conceivable direction
AS they do not decay, it was almost
impossible to proceed off the main
roads. The fence posts here are
largely made of this wood. They sell
at from six to ten cents and are more
durable than oak or cedar, they are
extremely valuable. The greatest
trouble here in the hedges IS that they
grow so rampant that a closely pruned
one is a rarity. Pecan trees Of i'm
mense size also abound in the bottoms
The hooking birds ehliven the groves
with their unceasing, ever varying
notes.
The waxy soil, thickcns in drying
sticks closer than ordinary clay, and
so loads wagon wheels and the feet Of
pedestrians that locomotion is almost
impossible. But this annoyance, ex-
cept in mud holes is of short continu
ance, often OF only few hours.
The water question is one of the
most important in any, but especially
in a warm country. My range Of
travel thus far in Texas, over hun
dred miles, will not allow me- to speak
only Of small part of this imperial
State. So far as | can learn, the main
water courses are permanent. On the
upland prairies, / find it here as in all the
Western states, some regions have an
abundance of well water at a moderate
depth; here at Terrell at from twelve
to twenty-five feet, while at Lawrence,
a town four miles distant they are in
trouble to find it. As the soil will
hold water when banked in ravines,
they thus make what are here called
tanks, which afford ample water for
the countless cattle that range out
on the dry upland prairies. The well
water is hard in most cases.
The price of unimproved land lit
tie out from the towns and cities OF
this part Of the State ranges from two
to five dollars per acre. Let no one
imagine that he can secure with State
script good land near any existing
railroad, nor any central or settled
portion of the State. Such lands are
in the the frontier regions, where no
doubt good grazing and mineral lands
can be found, but at present they are
too remote for settlement.
The elevation of this region, it's rolf
ing surface, its mild climate all con
spire TO render it salublious. see not
why it should not compare favorably
with the very best regions of our coun-
try. Very good Texas raised corn was
selling at 81 per bushel at Dallas The
cattle, horses and mules have become
fat and glossy. III them and wheat
and cotton lies the present and pro
spective wealth of Texas.
Terrell, Texas. Ia. BENT.
.@"Yes, you may come again
next Sunday evening, Horace, dear,
bnt"-and she hesitated. "What is
it, darling? Have given you pain ~
be asked, as she still remained silent.
"You didn't mean TO, I'm sure" she
responded, "but next time please
don't wear one of those collars with
the points turning outward they
scratch So"
s@ C9sarism is no more. 1t was
a child without friends, the offspring
of those who abused it most, q waif
laid at the wrong mans door, kept