The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-04-03

0uul, WulCu ! tOoa0 OhA
eastern and south eastern part of the
State. The hills and uplands abound
in cedar and oak of the different
kinds, while the bottoms and rolling
lands are covered by the pecan. hic-
kory, elm, ash, walnut, blackberry,
cypress, bois dare, mesquite and cot
tonwood.
The good farming lands embrace
about ve-eighths of the area and
only about one-fifth of this is under
cultivation. The varieties of soil are
very numerous, a dark or brown, red
loan, and a black tenacious waxy
land being the most prevalent, The
land in the river bottoms is an al
%luvial deposit'of inexhatstible fertil-
ity and is especially noted for the
great variety of crops to which it is
equally adapted. The black lune
soil of the prairies is also very pro
ductive and has the qual.ty of resist
ing drowth to a marvellous extent
The mean annual rain fall is $3.50
inches, and the seasons are somewhat
irregular, but are generally mor
propitious for Autum, Winter and
Spring crops than for those maturing
in summer. The precipitation is
gradually growing more uniform year
by year. Under proper cultivation
the usual yield per acre is, OF cotton
in the seed, 800 to 1000 pounds; of
corn, about 80 bushels; of wheat 16;
of oats, 45 to rs; of rye, IL to l5; of
barley, 40 to 60; of sweet potatoes,
200; of Irish 90; of sorghum syrup,
8 barrels; miilet, 8 tons, and prairie
hay 1 ton.
Garden vegetables, melons, fruits
and berries Of almost every kind
common to the temperate zone do
well, apples, however, have never
been successfully raised, but peaches,
plums, figs, apricors, &c, are parti-
cularIy fine and abundant. Wild
lands of good quality can be bought
for about 81 per acre and tracts with
one third in cultivation at from SIC
to $25 per acres according to location
and character of improvements; OF
rented at from So to SIS per acres
cultivated, or one-fouth of the cot
ton, and one-third of the grains and
other crops. Farm laborers are PAID
from SIS to $40 per month, with
board. The cost of ordinary fence.
ing per mile is about 5000, but the
bsrbed wire and plank fence is rapid
ly supplanting the old rail and plank
style of fencing. Considerable atten
ton is paid to stock raising either as
a separate pursuit or in connection
with farming. The number of stocl
in the county assessed in 1882 wa:
of cattle 36,65S; horses and mules
12,S1S; sleep, 1865; goats, 1926
hogs, 1857. Cattle, horses, mule:
and goats are raised on the range a
small expense and require very little
care or attention. Sheep also are kap
for the most part on the range blu
need some feed in inclement weather
with reasonable care the increase Cal
be set as 60 per cen and yield
fleece of four to six pounds per an
mum, worth in Austin, the home maj
ket, IS C. per pound. Hogs are rails
ed successfully with little IT no at
tention. Work horses are worth $3t
to $50; mules, $50 to $50; and oxeI
$50 per yoke. The usual retail mar
ket price of beef and mutton is from
8 to II C. per pound; pork, 10 c. pc
pound; bacon, Is e.; corn, Is c. pei
bushel, (sometimes SD -four, 81 tt
$40 per barrel. Domestic fowls of al
kinds are probably raised and bring
good prices; eggs average zoe. The
year around, spring chickens sell fol-
from 35 to so c. each. Wild game i:
still abundant, such as de r, turkeys
wild geese, ducks, quail, plover ant
rabbits. Common day laborers ger
from $3.50 to $40; brick layers
from 81 to So, carpenters, from So tt
81; plumbers, So to So. so, and pro
portionate amount is paid for al
other labor. The new capitol now III
process Of construction will give err
ployment to a large number of labor
ers, but they have got about rs mucf
help as they need, l would not ad
wise a man to come here without
something to start on. Ifhe has a lit
tie money, he can make money, ant
make il faster in Texas than any
place lever saw. :
Respectfully,
M. r. SwEENY.