The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-12-21
COMMUNICATED.

= Something Additional from "a Dlsintel
/, ested Obssryef"-The Plains and the Par
, Handie-tbo Agricultural and Pastora
Possibilities Of these Magnificent Sec
tlons-East Texas Taken In Hand by An
other Correspondent Who Furnishes ~
Appetizing Intellectual side Dish % thu
General Neutrality-suspicious. Article
OF Interest.
To the tditor Of the Herald.
My communication in yesterdays HER
AID suggests many thoughts in regard to
those interesting portions OF our state, and
purpose, with your consent, at leisure
moments to furnish brief occasional allu'
sions TO them. 1t is well known that certain
strong and respectable influences are in
terested in retarding or preventing the ag-
rcultural developments of that country
ami utilizing it only as a pastoral field for
large herds of live stock. 1t is not proposed
now to undertake. description OF the coun-
try, but to controvert the heretofore gem
eral idea for some years fostered by the in
fuences referred to- that 1t was
wholly unfit for anything but
grazing. That idea is true of the major
part of certain districts, as those bordering
the eastern and southeastern bluffs or foot
hills of the plains-the bluffs in which the
sources of the Big Wichita, Croton creek,
the Salt Fork of the .Brazos, (absurdly
termed by some the Main Brazos, while the
Rio Blanco and Double Mountain forks G
at least two hundred miles longer, 1.-THE Aqua
roro or Bull creek, tributary OF the Double
Mountain fork, rising in and draining
CARA county, and the dozen heads OF the
Colorado river, in Borden and Dawson
counties-in such districts, broken and
chopped into hills, bluffs and valleys, but
little of the land is adapted to agriculture;
yet some beautiful and fertile valleys ana
table-lands are found. But once fairly
on the plains north, northwest and west OF
this serpentine eastern boundary OF them,
as far north as the south line OF
Farmer, Castro and Swsher counties,
north of which | cannot speak from per-
sonal observation, there is as large per
cent. of rich, loamy land, easily plowed and
cultivated, as any portion OF Texas OF the
same size. speak of the soil itself, which
bears every indication of adaptation to
wheat, rye, oats, barley, cotton, fruits and
vegetables, and the broken lands referred
to seem inviting for the finest vineyards in
the Union.
1t is claimed that there is not
sufficient rainfall to produce crops.
We have no control over tAe
seasons but those whose interest it is
and become willing believers in thd theory
being tempted thereto. Yet. the same
idea was equally general in the first settle
ment of our own garden spot OF North
Texas, where for twelve years past, cover
ing the period Of my residence in it, every
farmer knows our crops have
been far more injured by too
long dry spells yet, but they do not do hall
the damage we suffer from long rainy
spells. May not settlement, cultivation,
railroads and telegraph wires work the
same favorable changes on our plains tnat
they have wrought in Kansas and Me-
braska? Have not such changes already
occurred along the Texas q Pacific on our
table.lands and plainsf Ii not, now
account for the bountiful crops oil
wheat, corn, oats, millet, vege,
tables, melons, pumpkins, etc., for two aud
three years past in Callahan, Taylor and
Nolan counties?
From few tests made on the plains, it is
believed that with the seasons as they are
certain crops can be bountifully grown
On uplands, Indian corn has been poor but
in valleys good crops have been made, as
by Mr. William Benson, on the Double
Mountain fork, in Lamb county and by Mr.
Henry Tor Hanks Smith, on the Rio Blan
co. in Crosby county, where cribs are
annually filed with corn, millet, sweet pc,
tatoes, pumpkins, variety OF beans and
many other articles of food.
But the most marked test is in the colony
of Estacado, in Crosby county, with e post
office of tat name, on the plains, midway
between the Rio Blanco and the Double
Mountain forks of the Brazos; or, strictly
! speaking, eighteen miles west OF the iornel
and twenty east of the latter. This is little
colony of Quakers, founded by Mr.. COY
from Ohio in the beginning OF 1850. inc
nearest water III dry seasons was the wv,
streams named. Now each family mas
well of pure water, abundant in supply and
ut depths of from thirtynine 10 eighty leet
This, pear in mind, is on quite level OF
/. | gently unduating pllin, 900 feet or more
above the sea, while Dallas is only go feet
The first year. on sod land, they made Q
good crop of Egyptian corn, sorghum
potatoes, pumpkins, melons, etc. In i99l
that destructively dry year throughout thI
country, they made bountliul crop o.
Egyptian corn, and vegetables in less pro
. fusion In this year Of loo2, everything
nlanied grew to perfection. They grew
kershaws, potatoes and the larger grade:
o, pumpkins Ia such quantities that thou
sands, seen by myself, were lelt 10 ROT IL
the fields for want of storage room Iheli
Indian corn, OF smal yelloN
variety, was fair. Their watermelons were
OF extraordinary size aud favor, SO abund'
ant and 50 remote from market, as 10 decay
by thousands in the fields. Their sweet
and Irish potatoes, beans aud garden veget
ables were hne. The yisld la Egyptian corn
was unusually large, but developed the fact
that with very little rain, perhaps simple
good shower, it natures better than with
abundant rains, as this yesr Mr.
Cox made 800 bushels clean grain and his
neighbors as full crops per acre. paid
81 20 per bushel for IL and found II excel
lent horse feed, preferred by our animals Il
corn. IL is small, round, oream-colorei
grain, with but the thinnest skin, whic
blows away on threshing, leaves the grail
as white and clean as rice. 10 makes goo
bread, having little or no bra
and boiled without grinding
makes excellent hominy, not uni
oat meal Its adaptation TO dry elm.
and It's value as food tor man and -
well established. Mr. Cox, DIR. Hunt,
Singer, Mr.. Underhill, and other intelli
men of the colony have no doubt OF pc
success In wheat, oats, barley, rye, M
etc.-of fruit and vine-growing-and
that the production Of sorghum, boil
forage crop and for syrup, will be enor
Their colony, heretofore OF nine
lies, has recently been en-
bv two brothers, the Messrs. Levi
nice and large families, from Ohio,
windmill for pumping water, and
settling 40 far from water and som
from frewood, these people are
with their success, and with rene
J. - aNHNI