Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-11-22
NORTHERN TEXAS.
Letter from z. II. Stoneman.
DENIsoN, Texas, Nov. II, '78.


DENIsoN, Texas, Nov. II, rs.
EDITOR BULLETIN:-Wil you allow
me once more the use of your columns
in which to give my old friends of Blu
chanan county few items regarding
this part of Texas, and our experiences
the past summer? First, to correct some
mistakes in my letter of Oct. I'd to the
z. r., of Quasqueton, about the grain
crop of this locality l stated in my
letter that the yield of wheat was from
80 to 90 bushels per acre, but it was
printed 80 to 100 bushels. 1t may look
odd to figure downward, but l am ac-
counted rather odd.
When | left Iowa l promised to let
people hear from me and Texas at diff
ferent seasons. regarding weather, eli
mate, products, &c. l have learned that
small grain is not a sure and steady crop
in Texas, but it yields largely in good
seasons. Vegetables are more sure, and
fruit quite so. Cotton is sure crop,
and cattle, sheep and poultry seldom
fail to pay. There is but little money
to be made in raising hogs at present
prices, q to 3 cents per pound. Eggs
are 25 cents per dozen, butter % to 30
cents. Cows and hens are doing well, as
the weather is still pleasant. We still
pick string beans, tomatoes, and dig new
potatoes. Watermelons, green peas,
peaches, apples and persimmons are
abundant How does this compare with
your snowy and icy weather in Iowa?
Still l would like some of Iowa's cold
water in exchange for our green leaves
and flowers. However, as the nights are
growing cool, We get cool drink by let
ting the water stand over night.
Texas is probably second to no other
State in the production of fruits. We
have just commenced, and we know not
what we can do, but we do know what is
being done and the figures are large.
One man in this city. whom l saw my
self, reports 1925 as the proceeds of the
sale of peaches from one acre, and this
is common. A Mr.. Shenly, who lives
five miles from here, has $40 acres in an
orchard of apple, peach, pear and plum
trees, and his reward has been such that
he has set the stakes for 80 acres more
the coming season. | got some very
fine, large apples there. His pears, first
fruiting, were very large, the largest
weighing 20 ounces. They sold for 50
per bushel, 40 pears to the bushel. An
other man reports a blackberry stalk 10
feet high. and another man reports an
apple tree bearing the third crop this
season. | have some splendid stalks Of
the Ketitine blackberry, but not so tall
as my neighbors. They look like little
trees. | have some 500 of them and as
many grape vines, also some 80 peach
and plum trees, and have budded 5000
sweet potato crop of $50 bushels. The
average is large, some weighing 6 pounds.
l have raised crop of 6 bushels of pea
nuts from 8 square rods of new land,
not fortified. We have some excellent
corn, some of it so bushels to the acre.
Texas has many advantages coupled
with some disadvantages, such as
the necessity of sending North
for our tools, farm machinery,
wagons, and such vegetables as
cabbage, onions, Irish potatoes, &c.
Some Is trains are loaded and dispatch
ed from Denison daily. There is no
trouble in growing large crops of grain
and vegetables here, but the trick is to
save them from rust and depredations
of the moth and weavil, But so it is
all over the country, some evil follows
the good. This country has largely of
the good and of the bad, too Some
people here find life very hard, while
others are full and fat, proud and gay,
and live sumptuously every day. We
have every class except the Samaritan.
Cannot you send us one?
Regarding products and seasons in
Texas, they are larger and better than
| expected to find them, but the climate
is not so healthy This season was un-
usually hot and sickly My family
have Jared very we'll for new corners,
and are, at present, in excellent health.
We regard our prospects for the future
as bright, and this city is going steadily
onward. The great number of loads of
lumber and other material constantly
going into the country, show that it is
improving as well as the city. Every
thing betokens thrift and improvement,
but not, as yet, equal to Iowa. The
Denison & Pacific r. r. is being pushed
west through some splendid country,
and will add largely to the trade of this
city. This will give us the terminus of
four roads. | have been 8 months in
Texas, and have not seen one rough day.
1t has been long summer, and in two
or three months it will be planting time
again. Who next of our Iowa friends
comes to visit our land of flowers?
When you come, stop at the Gate City,
and call on H. P. SLOVENIAN.
P. S.-Here are the prices of few
leading articles: Lumber, ST per
thousand; coal, 50 per ton; wood, 81
per cord; corn, 30 cents per bushel; APP
pies, native, Is cents, imported, $50;
sweet potatoes, 30 to 40 cents; Irish po-
tatoas 81 90