Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-07
WESTWARD,
rhe Star Of Rainfall and Piows Take Their
Way.

Way.
San Angelo Standard.
When stock country begins to settle
up, the question Of how few acres can be
made to produce more becomes the one
upon which the prosp ,ri.y of the country
in crest measure depends. Farming is
| the wsy, but stockmsn years ago hsd 3
dread OF "grongers," and opposed their
settling IS fsr IS lsy IN their power. They
argued in the FIST place shat the soil was
! not Fl. to ra!se anything but grass; geo.
| ono 2, thas the rainfall WAS not sufficient
and ths. thu little rain that did fall came
st the wrong time; and thirdly, that II
| crops were raised there was no
msrset fer the product. These
are the oh actions-so-c alled--which have
had to be overcome during the period OF
transition from grazing to . farming
country. Now slmost every stockman
has his irrigated or dry land patch on
which he raises forage for his stock. That
Tom Green soil can raise something be.
sides grass Is admitted by au-that San
Angelo Is market and good one for sll
kinds OF produce, Is also sssented to; but
the opinion that rain sufficient does not
fail to make crops, is still held by some,
Before the drouth ran enough fell to
bring forth in their season an abundance
Of crops In ut that time plenty of money
was made in the stock business slone,
and no one WAS willing to test the capa-
bilities OF the land. Then the drouth ckme
and msnJ think that il still continues hers,
forgetting that the same dearth OF
rain prevailed at the same time in the
best farming regions OF the United States.
Since the drouth. or in the past eighteen
months the rainfall has been very large.
and is steadily increasing We have not
OATS for this entire year, out in the
months Of May and July-the months
when rain is most needed, when it is gen.
orally not to be had II and 2 so incaes
CT rain fell. This season has been re-
markedly wet one, and the ground is now
in etste thst will insure moisture far
into tina summer, even though the rains
the coming season are light. The feeling
that Tom Green county lacks rairfsll
enough to make it an agricultural country |
IS rapidly being dissipated. With |
the turning up CT soil comesii
no more rain but 8 better distribu- |
ton, and blowing that will throw up(
deep burrows capable Of receiving and
resaining this moisture Is what Is needed |
to insure beyond a doubt good crops on |
dry land in this country. By such thor
cugh cultivation slone, csn the r.chl ess Of |
TIE sell be brought forth. Nature Is will
ing TO DO, and does her part, and the
farmer should not blame the rainfall,
when the secret OF failure lies in the neg
lect to properly care for the soil. San
Angelo has heE railroads.&c. hSs forged |
ahead, but symmetrical development is
wanted. The surrounding country must
be populated, new lsnd broken up, and
the same general ratio OF Advancement
made in the section OF county which,
supports our city. So we urge
thsE with tie Increasing rainfall
more dry land be turned over this fall,
and with q numb.r Of rich farms yieldingI
their bushels Of grain on ne land, eight
acres OF which are used a. present TO sup.l
port scrub COW worth $40. Ssn Angelo
all ou.striD al western towns aud fall
In line az c stroCg competitor with the
cities OF Dallas G1d Fort Worth. These !
places years ago we're jus. situated as
San Angelo is 10 day. The same Gharsc-
Ter OF things existed ten years ago With
TT Worth SIS exists with Ssn angelo I,
Aaa. 1t has passed tie transition period
re efsspissing, but We hsve no hesitslcy
n saying Shat ten years from today we
Nh not ave to point "a any city as an
* Mplesfor there will be more In Texas
'has we Shall not successfully rival.