Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-07-28

in proportion raised to adolescence
But, after all, it would seem that the
rich resources of Texas are only now be-
coming properly known, thanks to the
energies of those railway companies and
private individuals who have procured
possession of large portions of its land,
and advertised it or sale on favorable
terms. Probably "mean" may have to
be struck in this also.
The total area under the various kinds
of farm crops-Indian corn, wheat, rye,
oats, barley, potatoes and hay-in 1873
was about 100000 acres; the area I'M
Ger Indian corn being about 100000;
under wheat, 100000, and hay, $4,000
acres. Indian corn yields an average OF
40 bushels per acre, which, according to
the market rates of 1875, were worth
f3 IS; wheat averaged IS bushels, worth
"a s.; rye. Is bushels, worth f3 los;
oats. 81 bushels, worth "a lbs; barley,
30 bushels, worth IS Us; potatoes, 100
bushels, worth f24 IS, and hay, about
one ton, worth co.
On the lst of January, 1876, the num-
Der of cows in the state was 500, 100, and
their estimated value about 60 head !;
oxen and other cattle, more than
2343, 700, but were worth only Fl lSs.
on an average; sheep numbered ,69l, 400,
and were valued at IS; and hogs about
| /, 900, 900, worth los.
Regarding the history and characters
tics of the Texan cattle a sentence or
two will suffice. They are indeed none
else than Spanish cattle, direct descend
ants of these unseemly, rough, lanky,
long-horned animals reared for so long
and in such large herds by the MOors on
the plains of Andalusia. The Spaniard-
who discovered Mexico, and afterwards
settled in Texas, brought cattle with
them, and 50 exclusively have the de
scendants of these been reared in Texas
that the Texan cattle of to-day may bt
called full.blooded Spaniards, inheritine
and displaying all the characteristics o
the herds that rOamed on their native
plains. In Texas these imported cattle
though comparatively tame and quiet al
home, had such unlimited ranges to wan
der over that they very soon became pei
fectly wild, bounding off with fury a
the sight of human being; and even ye
many herds are in a semi-wild state, ant
so furious that man on foot could no
venture to approach them. The herd
bows are all mounted, and the wild cattl
know a man on horseback, and run iron
him; but man on foot is a stranger an
an enemy to them, and they at once Civ
, battle. Under these circumstances, it
not at all wonderful that the millions {
cattle now roaming at large in Texas dc
serve no higher praise than was bestowe
on the original breed. The characteri
tics of the Spanish breed, as general
recognized, may be summed up thus
long, spreading, half;turned backed horn
long legs, thin lanky body, big, ill-pu
together bones, throwing the body big
at the hooks and low on the rumps an
Ioins; coarse head, thin thighs, ligl
waist; great amount of offal compare
IS to the weight of beef; and various color
a generally yellow, red, roam, dun an
e black, with very often an iron colore
T. stripe along mixers, and their beef, as
. rule, is inferior. have already SET
q nearly twenty thousand cattle, al
'e though there certainly were few vel
4. fair beasts among them. l could n
IL modify any Of the above terms in desert
H. H. ing an average Decentralization Ca
Il ~