, 1877-06-30
RANCHES IN TEXAS.
How the Grazing Lands are Held, and
How Obj. aimed.

HoUsroN Tex J, April 2S--Mr. Butler s
ranch is under the management, OF young,
practical, iutelligenr Scotchman, extends to
over tweuty seven thousand ceres, all inclcsed
and Is held in connection with an arabic
farm of over nine hundred acres few miles
farther west, where Indian corn and sugar
are grown extensively and successfully. 4
flock of msriuo sheep are kept here, and for
two wears Mr.. Butler has been raising i'm
proy.d cattle at this farm. His system Is to
procuee shorthorn bnlls from Kentucky for
about S75 a head, and mate these with the
best native cows he can select, the male pro-
geny being retained to improve his general
herd Within the past two or three years
large number Of shortborn bulls have been
introduced into Texas, but of these good
many have died. it is supposed from the In
fuence of the climate. Mr.. Butler. however,
finds that the calves. if carefully treated,
seldom show signs of sickness or die, and
therefore he now buys no old bulls.
Not having as yet visited the great centre
of stock raising, which lies west from here,
cannot now speak fully of The general system
of stock management but have aready learn
ed enough to enable me 10 give some idea OF
how the grazing lands are psstured and poss-
e--s-d. Almost the whole of the State overrun
by cattle or sheep, or occupied H. arabic land,
Is owned either By private individuals, by
rail way companies, or by the State IN behalf
of the Texas School Fund, the unsettled
State lands lying chiefly away west in the
frunsier. 4 man desiring 10 squat on
school lands can select his spot, erecr his hut,
and by virtue of residence of three years be
is entitled to d grant of l69 acres on paying
some small fees which amount TO barely %
cents an acre. Some OF the railway cOmpa-
MES have selected their lands, and are Offering
them Mt spacific rates; Others simply hold
certificates fer Il Certain extent of land, and
these certificates they now sell at about 90
cents, or %, for each acre aud having OBJ
tanned a certificate, Il settler can select any
spot he chooses IN unOccupled land, Snd there
carve out his home. Many OF the private
land owners, especially in the Southwest OF
the State, hold titles tor the lands direct from
the Mexican Government, or what are called
s'orlpinal granrees,' while Others possess GER
tificates or titles from the Texan Republican
Government which existed before the union
in 1915. Settlers ought to DO very careful
to sen that the titles they receive to their
lands are valid or ireal patents" as false
titles fOa: about on all hands
The system under which the grazing lands
are held Is somewhat peculiar The law OF
the STATE DEGREES that every piece of land not
fenced, though owned by private indIviiu-
al, railway company, OF The State iiself, Is
common property 20 all az pas ure laud. Sup
posing a man wishes to become an extensive
Texan stock raiser, all he has to DO Is 10 Sc
lect aud purchase some unoccapied, conven-
lieut. spot OF ten OF twenty acres, or even les,
and there erect homestead for his 'boys,
and peas for rhe cdrrie al branding seasOns.
and buy as many cattle as he chooses, brand
them with AN advertised brand (If not already
brandrdJ, aud send hem away through the
ura;rirs 10 ga her their food ar best Ib-.y may
should man desire the exclusive USE Ot the
land no legally owns. he must enclose 1t
with substantial fencing. Oiherwl-e hls
r. hit to itr pasture IS only equal to the rights
Of his ue!ghDOTs.