New-York tribune., 1879-05-10
TEXAS AS 1T is.
STOCK-RAISING IN TIE SOUTHWEST.

DRIVE"
IFRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUSEl
SAN ANTONIO, Tex. large part OF the
surface of Texas is good for nothing else
than stock-raising and for this purpose is unques-
tionably the finest region in tie world. 1t is too
dry for agriculture. The rainfall amounts to from
twenty to twenty-five inches a year. which would
be sufficient for crops were it distributed over the
seasons when moisture Is needed, but it is apt to
come at the most inopportune times and to refuse
TO come when the thirsty land is in greatest
need The long droughts do not, however inter
fere with the growth of the nutritious mesquite
grass, which covers the plains with rich green
heritage during the Spring and Summer and cures
itself where it stands in the Fall, ready for Winter
pasturing No care is given TO animals during the
Winter. They range the pastures just rs IN the
Summer. and get tolerable living from the dried
grass Toward Spring. however, they grow thin
and weak, and few die during the prevalence OF
unusually severe northers, but the losses are seldom
serious and the herds fatten rapidly as soon as the
new grass begins to grow in March. As 1t costs
practically nothing TO keep cattle, the profits from
their growth and increase must necessarily be
large There is no business in Texas as fascinating
as stock-raislng. If a man goes into 1t with a
moderate capital and is content to banIsh himself
from civilization for few years he Is pretty GER
tain to reap handsome fortune Tho risks are
tIihing and the gains very large.
The cattle ranges of Texas begin on the coast
near Galveston. and extend westward to the Rio
Grande, widening constantly as the coast line
trends to the southwark mp to point about mid
way across the State where they sweep away to
the northward clear to the Red River Practically
the grazing region may be said to embrace the
southern portion of the State west of the Brazos
,.I,,,Ia Ia
lupe except the extreme western section which is
too rugged and arid to produce much grass. In
area the good grazing country, not adapted for
agriculture is about as large as the entire State of
New-York. Besides, there Is an almost as large
now used for grazing, which is being gradually
encroached on by the farmers, and will eventually
be brought under cultivation. As the settlements
progress westward the herders move farther into
the interior. but many of them already occupy
lands from which they will never be crowded
unless The climate changes and the rainfall in
creases This Is the case with those occupying the
country from San Antonio westward TO the Rio
Grande and southwark to the Gulf. II is a pretty
enough country to see. undulatng in bilowy
swells. dotted with little groves of live oak and
larger groves Of post oak, black jack and mes
quite and the soil looks rich and inviting but it Is
too dry for cultivation, save where irrigation Is
practicable.
COST OF Starring a CATTLE Rancho.
Most of the stock men own no land EyerybOdy's
land is theirs as long it is unfenccd They select
locations for their ranches where there water
holes or streams and where the range is not already
stocked pretty well up TO its capacity, and their
herds roam over the open country for miles around
In Southwestern Texas, however, the business is
undergoing great change. Herdsnen are
An, oil
tealnster tells ME there are now so many fences be-
tween here aud Eagle Ford on the Rio Grande that
the country is hardly recognizable and II is diff
cult TO find the way across H. The object Of fencing
is to save the expense Of hiring herdsmcn. Lum-
Der is cheap since the railroad came here, and
fence of a single board and DaTbed wire, which
will turn cattle, is an inexpensive affair The land
can be bought for from 30 cents TO 81 90 an acre,
and "A large tract lying i'll a compact body can be
enclosed for 80 cents an acre with single fence
thrown around it. StOckmen, where they have the
means, beginning to think it wise to LOOK to the
future and provide themselves with ranges from
which they cannot be expelled by the settlement OF
the country about them. A New-York gentleman
who came here to escape death from consumption.
and who has been quite successful in stock-rasing,
gives me some figures relating to the expense of GO
ing into the business. Supposing you buy land and
8, 600 acres for "A herd of 1000 head--we allow
three acres per head. This will cost you about
So 600. and the fencing about 81 800. You buy,
say 500 cows each with n calf. costing about So,
OOO-a cow and calf bringing about S12 THEN YOU
Will want to invest q couple of thousand
dollars in Durham bulls to improve your
stock The tendency among stock-Taisers
now is to strive for constant improvement In the
breed Your house. stable and pens yon can reckon
at 81 1000, and your outfit of horses, saddles
wagons, supplies, etc, yO can put down at about
81 900 more. Here you have capital of S1S,500
invested YOu keep your helfeT calves, sell some of
your steers when year old and keep some, and in
three years You have mixed herd of 1,2OO head,
from which you can sell every year $4,000 or $S,-
600 worth of cattle without diminishing in the
least the value of your remaining investment.
yearng is worth t. and every additional year adds
from 81 to 81 TO the value of the animal If you herd
instead of fencing, you will need six herdsmen for
900 head of cattle, and they will cost You from
S20 to 80 q month wages apiece, and their board.
1t is better TO fence but man with small capital
say 900 or 50, ,OOO can into the business with
out buying an acre Of land. In few years he will
De able to buy a big rancho and fence it,"
THE ANNUAL DRIVE NORTHwARD.
Few cattle are shipped by rail from Southwestern
Texas, Most of those which 20 to Eastern markets
are driven clear across the State and the Indian Ter
ritory to Junction City the Kansas Pacific Rail-
road The great Texas drive begins in March, as
as the cattle have picked up alitie the new grass
1t will not do TO wait till they have gained much
flesh, or they Will be too heavy to travel well They
must fatten on the way and arrive at their desti-
nation in good condition. The business of driving
is separate from that of stock-raising few
ranchemen drive their own cattle, but these are
ceptional cases. The driver makes his arrange
ments for the purchase of his herd in the Winter,
visiting the ranches and selecting the cattle He
paws cash for them, and brands them with his road
mark The selected cattle are driven through a
narrow lane called chute" and the branding