The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-08-27
TEXAS TOPICS.

Well 1 will try to write you few
thoughts as sit here In the house O
a friend in Dallas this warm but breezy
and pleasant afternoon. On my way
Southwark the effects of drouth be-
came more plain as the Indian Terrific
ry was reached. What little corn is
grown there was parched and by thu
time / reached Musc)gee, the fields
were quite dead and brown without
ears Of good size. The drOuth came
too soon or rather the late rains wer,
not soon enough. The prairies were
burned over for many miles. but are
now quite green and the streams full
The Arkansas was swollen and as
muddy as usual. Red River seemed
|ifpossible to have an added deepness
to its color. Its waters seemed at al
times as if they might make good
paint and has been most truely named
Red River.
No peaches were seen for many miles
below the Texas line, A late spring
frost cut off not only the entire peach
crop Of the Territory and a part of Tex.
as, but their plums and injured other
fruit. Grapes are plenty 80 were black.
berries. Cotton is just beginning to be
picked little and it too is short and a
poor crop must be gathered. This is
one of the worst years known in Tex.
as.
At Dennison stopped of to exam.
inc the fruits and was welcomed by the
friends Of horticulture there. In COM
pany with T. V. Munson, who is the
most patient and skillful investigator
and experimenter with grapes lin
America, we spent day hunting the
sandy ravines and ridges for choice va
rieties Of the wild POst-oak grape
which now is the season. This is MOTH
ing new, but it is only very recently
that even the most advanced of scien-
tiffc pOmologists have taken pains to
investigate its merits. This species is
found wild in many parts of the Inid-
an Territory, Arkansas and Missouri
There are countless thousands of vari-
cites of this species of the grape family
and many natural chance crosses of it.
with other species in these Post-oak
woods which vary as to size, quality,
shape and color; but are generally as
large as Clinton or larger, nearly as
good as Concord in flavor and black Or
red. Some that we found were as
large in bunch as Concord and all are
free from that foxy flavor which it has.
Their chief advantage is a hardy and
drouth resisting vine coupled with
the above good points. 1t is thought
that we may be able by crossing with
varieties of high flavor like the Della
ware to produce seedlings combining
the good qualities of both. All such
as are judged worthy We mark and re-
cord so that cuttings may be procured
i'm proper season. There is not a drop
of the blood of this species in any of
the cultivated varieties and there is
no reason to believe that there may
not he raised new crop of seedlings
which will be great addition to those
now grown.
But the annual meeting of the Cen
trail Texas Horticultural Society was
held at TT. Worth and | passed on
there and was greeted most cordially
by a few old and many new friends.
Although the attenance was not large
the interest was deep as these Texas
fruitgrOwers are in earnest. A large
open airy pavilion was selected in the
park for the meeting and display. I'M
aglne ten years ago the prospect of an
exhibit of horticultural products in
that cattle country. But there saw
fruit not only upon the exhibition ia
bles, but peach trees bending with
large specimens. and VINEYARDS loaded
with ripe grapes where not many years
ago the cowboy held sway with his
whip and..sixshooter. 1t is true they
have suffered from a severe drouth es-
pecially in Western Texas; but with
all there is much to encourage the
farmers and fruitmen.
From there l passed OH to Dallas
which is n city of importance amidst
the rich farms of this country. Ber-
muda grass is fresh and As yet is the
only grass that has succeeded for pas
ture. 1t is very thrifty and tenacious
of life through wet and dry. When
/ have looked about here little ex-
pect to spend some days in the Terri
tory near Red River hunting among
the Post-oak grapes. am here rest
ing and writing at the home of Mrs.
J. II. Johnson the Sec, of the Texas
Horticultural Society and if anyone
thinks woman is not able to fill such
an office they should visit this little
woman and become converted. The
weather is not warmer than in Kansas.
and the nights are cool and sleep re-
H. T.. VANDEMAS.
Dallas Texas Aug. Is, 1856.