Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-01-03
tain has labored and brought forth a

tain has iabored and brought forth a
mouse" He need not have made
such an effort. We never denied but
they were good for sheep, and goats,
and jack rabbits. We said it on our
return from that country and have
always maintained it. And now how
about the cactus. 1t seems to go
very much against the feelings OF
Co-tenant to believe there is cactus
there. Observe, the gentlemen whose
letters are before us do not mention,
the word cactus. They keep IN omi-
nous silence in regard to the vegeta-
ton of that region. They are lex
ans and they know that to say any
portion of their country is covered
with cactus would be to speak very
disparagingly of it and hence they
say nothing about the productions Of
that portion. Only it is a good sheep
country. Yes it is a good sheep
country, and it is q cactus country.
Those lands known as grazing lands,
to a great extent are cactus lands.
And l believe it is owing to this very
fact that this is a sheep country, and
these lands good for anything.
That is an arid soil, anG there are
times when the tender vegetation
fails, and nothing but the cactus sur
wives, this never fails, and sheep and
goats will keep fat on it when there
is nothing else, hence the reason it is
such q fine sheep country. We saw
a practical. illustration Of what we
speak of. We visited a rancho the
proprietor of which owned 10000
sheep and 5000 goats, and his rancho
was a wilderness of cactus. 1t ap-
peared to have been chosen with
special reference to this species of
vegetation. When we were there,
the middle of January, there was no
other vegetation on the face of the
earth for his focks and they were all
fat. l would say to Co-tenant don't
worry about the Cactus. The wealth
of that country does not consist in
its agricultural nor horticultural re-
: sources nor in its mineral lands, nor
t fine timber, nor mill sites, nor town
+ lots, nor its wharf nor ferry nor 9th
or commercial advantages, but in its
inexhaustible. and indestructible and
never falling cactus. 1t is the wealth
l Of that region. The sole wealth !
| may say. Our second point is Co
tenants first, viz, title. He brings
forward n great amount Of evidence
TO establish this. 1t is about the
: same nature as that used TO establish
e his other point. We have given oui
, ground for what we said in our form.
er article and the occasion calls fol
nothing more. But before we close
\ we have q word to say rs to the value
; of these lands. We did not as Co
: tenant says pronounce them ''worth
/ less" but we do say that the sllael
I lands of orr country are the mos
u worthless of all lands that have any
; claim to value. To say that lands ar,
: good for sheep is almost to say the,
are good for nothing. As TO thei
I value where they are known we coul(
l hardly find a man who would sa,
, sHtf WIZ "oi III ditN LllAltA, oiA w
| heard many say they would not tax,
. them and psy the taxes, and we ar
l free TO say with our knowledge Of tn,
i people and the country, its produc
l tons, its resources and facilities, w
{ We would not accept them as a gift
{ OF those who purchased those land
not One is on them, and those whit
Il went out to view them got off Of then
| as soon u they could.
X Co-tenant winds up by giving II
{ some gratuitous advice which per
: maps WI do not appreciate as W
) should. nor feel as thankful for as W
/ ought, and We will simply say tha
t when we want counsel or advice W
; are accustomed to seek it from
> competent source and one that emit
ties it to some consideration.
: CoLoNIsT.