Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-08-13
summer and fall months as a rule, but
generally are dry in the spring and win

/ summer and fall months as rule, but
generally are dry In the spring and win
ter.
GRASSES.
The entire surface of the county Is
covered with luxurant growth OF
grasses, representing about all the
varieties known to Western aud North
western Texas; of those most proni-
nen,ly recognized are the curly, VIE,
running and iine mesquite and buffalo
grasses = all good summer grasses,
which afford pasturage in abundance
in winter, and are never more than
partially killed by the frost. Then
there are tn bunch mesquite, big
bearded mesquite or wild oats, ard a
winter species of mesquite - all of
which are essentially winter
grasses. The gramma grass
is very superior. Sedge grass grows
on the high, level praiIies, and affords
an excellent range for twO-thirds of the
year. There is also on the high prai-
ries what Is locally called antelope
clover, "a species of wild pea that is
above the ground In February and il
much relished by all classes of stock,
and is very nutritious.
cRoPs-FRUITs,A AND VEGETABLES.
To date almost no efforts have been
made to develop the agricultural re-
sources OF Tom Green except in local
tiles where irrigation is practicable
There are, however, quite number of
irrigated farms in the county. AT
the head of Spring creek there are
nearly four hundred acres of
irrigated land In cultivation, owned
by the Lackey brothers, Mr.. Stone
house, Mr.. Thomas Mcdonald and
Others whose names do not now re.
member. Mr.. II. f. Tankersley has
about $50 acres on Spring creek, below
the head waters, The late Mr.. Eli Still
son had about 400 acres on Dove creek,
now controlled by his Sou. The Baze
farm on Dove creek, now owned by
MT Scott, contains about $50 acres.
Messrs. @. w. DeLlng and his
brothers have about $50 acres on the
South Concho.
The Bismarck farm IL also OIL the
south Concho, near Ben Ficklin, and
contains about $50 acres. There are
other but very much smaller farms
scattered over the eastern end of the
county, but the above named are the
most important. On all these farms
are grown heavy crops annually of
corn and all kinds of small grain,
the different varieties of nillet, sugar
cane, Johnson grass, all kinds OF veget-
aoles grown i'll Texas and all variety
OF melons. | am not able TO give the
average, yields Of these various crops,
out VIII state generally that they
wiil compare favorably with similar
crops grown in the older
and hest a ~ ri ttt,raI rp
Duling my recent visit to Tom Green
county saw and ate fruits and veg
etabies that were as fine as any to he
seen in any other section OF the state
Mr. Gri2sby, whose farm is about
twelve miles east from San Angelo.
Is farming and fruit growing without
irrigation. He has n large VARIETY of
fruits, and says they are doing as well
as the same varieties do in California.
rom which state he moved to Tom
Green, county. His grape vines.
scarcely two years old, are full
OF grapes that are ma
turing well and promise To
give u large yield. He has also many
varieties OF forage plants, such as oats.
rye, barley, Johnson grass, Durra-
corn, sugar-cane, millet, all of which
are looking well and will yield good
returns. lie is very confident that
Iom Green county will speedily de-
veiop into good agricultural country
The Berendo Stock company Ia
Lipan Hats, eighteen miles south of
san Angelo, had forty acres in oats
the past season, which yielded sixty
bushels per acre. The managers, who
are from Illinois and Missouri say
they rarely, II ever, saw better oats In
these states.
In the spring of 1883 Mr.. G. d. Foote
planted field of Alfalfa grass on his
place, without irrigation. June %.
1854, he cut from II crop at the rate
Of one and one.half tons per acre
Five weeks later he cut 1t again and
got the same yield, dry feed. Twenty
eight days after the first cutting he cnt
some specimen lunches that measured
upwards OF three feet In length. which
he proposes forwarding to the New
Orleans exposition.
might enumerate many other such
Instances of success in these lines. but
] apprehend the above are sufficient IN
satisfy those who will read this report
that, on the principle what has been
done may he done again. Tom Green
county offers substantial inducements
10 farmers, and even fruit-growers and
gardeners.
LIVE STOCK IN TOM GREEN.
While Tom Green promises 10 be. IN
the nesr future, u good farming conn
Try II Is already one of the very best
i've stock counties In Texas. Indeed.
l scarcely think l risk anything 10
say ing mat II Is par excellence the
Cattle and sheep county OF Northwest
Texas. In 1850 / first visited the
county. IL was then considered on
the extreme frontier. There were q few
cattle ranches and fewer sheep ranches