The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-11-27
THE INFINITE REloURCEs OF
TEN as WHAT A BOSTO ON
THINKER SAYs ABOUT lT.


Edward Atkinson, Of Boston, the
most accurate OF American statisticians,
has published graphical presentation
of the comparative areas of the States
and territories of the United States
and of Europe. OF all these Texas
stands first in area, even as Its climate
is most faultless, and land most pro-
ductIve. Texas has an area of 274 $50
square miles; Austria having 240. 943.
and the German Empire, 2l2, 091 !;
France, 204 900; Sweden, 1853 042.
Next comes California having 157, sol
square miles; then Dakota $780,
900; Norway, 12a, $50; Kansas,
80, s91; Minnesota, SO, 531; G orgis,
So, 900; Missouri, 5000; England and
Wales, So $50; New York, AZ, 900, and
Pennsylvania, 40. 900 square miles. It
will be seen that the area of Texas ex-
ceeds that Of any country in Europe ex-
cept Russia, and that it is one-six.h
greater than the German Empire, and
has go. 900 more fqIare miles than
France. Mr.. Atkinson's tables further
show that cotton occupies 10. 100 fquare
miles; wheat, 80, 10; corn, 80, 900; oatp,
90, 500; barley, $500; hay, AZ $50; rye,
2 535; potatoes, 2,776 square miles.
The number OF cotton bales produced
last year were 5,073. 531; of wheat,
400, 122, 400 bushels, of corn; 1885,
21S, ESQ; of hay, 30 COS, 2S6 tons; of
potatoes, 1874, 1875. $50 bushels. This
gives some inadequate idea of the en-
ormous riches of the country and of
its productiveness and wastefulnesa
The number of square miles in cotton
in Texas, Q,s0S. 1856 acres) 1925, pro.
duces $50, 900 bales of 4S0 pounds.
The whole cotton crop of the United
States for the same year, was !. 073, 531
bales, which Texas could easily pro-
duce, on 10, liz square miles, even ct
the present small product per acre,
when land is never MANFRED and only
Its topmost surface cultivated. The
vastness of the resources of Texas
may be partially comprehended by the
study of these wonderful facts. The
cotton mills Of The Unit, d States last
year consumed /, 56S. 060 bales, which
narId hoya baan Nroducad an AfRG IF
the 274, 356 square miles in Texas. The
whole world uses from II, 600, 900 to
10, 0o0. 600 bales of cotton, all of
which might grow in Texas on land
that will produce one bale per acre,
and this would require less than 90, 900
square miles of the territory of Texas.
Omitt:ng Alaska, the United States
contains 3. 034, 800 square miles. One
half is fit for agriculture, or /, 800, 900
square miles. Much of the rest is
adapted to stockraising. Mr.. At
kInson concludes that if We
throw off from Texas So
900 square miles of land not fit for
agriculture the remainder represents
an area equal to that now under culti-
walton in the nine principal crops, con-
sisting of hay, grain, cotton and po-
tatoes.
MI. Atkinson's tables tell more of the
vast extent of Texas than of the fecun-
dity of It's soil. Only in compare
lively narrow districts Is the soil as
poor as that cultivated in Massachu-
sets and Connecticut or in
Northern and Central Georgia
There are few stony hillsides and pine
barrens in Texas, and only along the
narrow mountain ranges, remote from
one another, is found that sterihty
which Mr.. Atkinson describes as
''uncultivable." The rspidity with
which Texas and its cities must grow
upon the intelligence and public spirit
and industry of the people and upon
the wisdom and moderation of those
chosen to make our laws.