San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-10-26
Texas Again.
Prof r. A. one, in National Educator Alei
town, Pa.

Texas Again.
p,o, R.A. ome, in National Educator Allen
town. Pa.
The notes on Texas, in previous is
sues, have been eagerly sought by our
readers in Pennsylvania, and we have
been asked to give additional inform
alton regarding the great Empire State
of the South, which we have visited
in the interests of education ON three
different occasions since July 1881.
THE CLIMATE.
The general impression prevails
that Texas is a very hot country. We
have been asked how we could endire
the heat in the months of July and
August. We have had our face close
" examined on our return to ascer-
tain whether it has been burned black,
and many persons in the North have
even an idea that the inhabitants OF
Texas are dark colored.
Texas has beautiful climate, not
cold in winter, nor oppressiyely hot in
summer. There are few exceptions
in localities and days. We have been
in Texas in midsummer and mid
winter and have not encountered any
of these extremes, though we have
travelled from the Red river to the
Gulf, and from the Sabine to San An
tonic and the western plains. Last
February, while at Tyler, on the cold
est mornings there was some boar
frost observed ON the board walks, and
ice, probably an eighth of an inch in
thickness, on the ponds. The year
previous, which was one of the coolest
on record, they had some snow in the
northern parts, but by nine o'clock III
the morning it was all melted. There
is not day in the winter on which
farmers can not pillow and work in the
ground, provided it does not rain.
Vegetables grow in the gardens all the
year round. Two and frequently three
crops can be raised on the same ground
during year. People sit in the parks
in January and February. A person
can sleep out of doors during the en-
tire year, except in January and Feb
ruary. Strawberries begin to ripen by
the latter part of February. Peaches
ripen from the beginning of May to
the end of November. Corn is plant
ed in February and March, and gath
cred in July and August. Cattle, even
sheep, Craze at large all the year round
and need no shelter. We bought rad
ishes at San Antonio in the middle of
February that were raised in gardens
near the city. The boys go swimming
in January. We saw young ladies
out picknicking and crowning the May
queen, at San Marcos, on the 10th of
February. On the same day we saw
corn three inches high at New Braun
fels, and garden truck of various kinds
fully as far advanced as in Pennsyl-
vania on the LIST of June.
We spent the greater part of the
month Of July and part Of August,
both in 1881 and 1882, in Texas.
The summer of last year was excess
sively hot and dry everywhere. Yet
after our return to Pennsylvania we
found the heat much more oppressive
than in Texas. The mercury had at
no time reached 100. During the
past summer the weather was delight
full. There was scarcely what might
be denominated a hot day. The sun
shines almost perpendicularly at noon
and it's rays are hot, but there is a
constant circulation of air, which out
on the prairies become a pleasant
breeze. No one is known ever to have
had sunstroke. People working in
the sun are constantly famed by the
breeze and are relieved insensibly of
the perspiration. The nights are de-
cool and pleasant. By nine
o'clock in the evening there is usually
a strong breeze, which becomes cool
enough to make thick cover feel COM
Portable by midnight. No one is ever
known to catch cold, even in
strong draught, because the air is dry.
Horses driven on the prairie do not
become hot, though used an entire
day.
Now, how is the fact to be account
ed for, that in latitude from ten to
fifteen degrees farther south than
Pennsylvania, where the cold of win
ter is almost unknown, the heat of
summer is less oppressive, though of
longer continuance, and the people
have fairer complexion than here?
The entire State of Texas is one great
slope from tlfe foot of the Rocky Noun
u 4hn G,-lf of Mexico Ernnn