The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-11-06

products shown were grown entirely
under irrigation.
This exhibit was in charge of DR.
j. j. Inge of Pecos city, gentleman
who has perhaps done more than any
other man in the state to prove thu
value and practicability of irrigation
All the products on view were grown
in the Pecos Valley, where they have
now perfect system of water works
Pecos City is on the Texas and Paci-
fic railroad 214 miles from Ell Paso
and 400 miles from Fort Worth. IT.
elevation above the sea is 200 feet
AS the annual rainfall is from twelve
to eighteen inches, and that at time
when of little advantage to Vegetation
crops can only be raised by irrigation
An inspection of the various products
and the yield per acre prove the value
of irrigation over precarious rainfall
For example, this year they have
raised bale of cotton to the acre
800 bushels of onions from the seed
Meditterean wheat 60 bushels, Sonora
club wheat, Mexican variety, 60
bushels, alfalfa seven and a hall
tons to the acre. Tobacco eight feet
high, beet twenty-seven pounds weight
and sweet and Irish potatoes in per-
fiction.
A squash was on show weighing 40
pounds. 1t was sown Aug. Is and
pulled Oct. 10.
The variety of products appears only
to be limited by the wishes of the peo-
pie. Every cultivator of the soil who
saw the Pecos exhibit will long to
make himself independent of rainfall
and seasons by the aid of irrigation.
The enterprising publishers of the
Texas Farm and Ranch, with char
acteristic liberality, offered premium
of $500 for the best individual exhibit.
This called forth considerable COM
petition, but the collection shown by
DR.. Slell of Paris was so far ahead of
all others as practically to make the
race "a walk over" As this exhibit
merits more than a passing notice, it
must stand over till more conven-
lent season.
The show of cattle was large and
equal in quality to any fair in the
United States.
The Holstein and Jersey breeds
were in the majority, and their re-
spective friends never wearied in pro-
claiming the superiority of their favor
ties for milk or for butter. In some of
these classes the competition for the
blue ribbon was keen and close. Cable
and Castleman of San Antonio showed
a herd of Polled Angus cattle which
were perfect types of their kind, and
captured everything in sight. This is
q beef breed and is becoming very
popular, as it has proved we'll adapted
to our climate and valuable for
grading up native cattle. Stockmen
are beginning to learn that horns are
not only not essential to an animal,
but positively hurtful, and dehorning
has been extensively pra' ticed, but
they now realize that it will be better
to breed off rather than saw off the
dangerous appendages.
The use of polled Angus bull
produces this effect. His offspring
luNdIldDlO Ul1C1l DllC
in color and hornlessness.
Mr.. John Strand the manager of
the ranch, informed me that while
the cattle are only bred for beef, a
COW is sometimes developed OF rare
milk and butter giving qualities. He
says the milk is extremely rich in
butter fats, and has the peculiar char
acter of retaining the cream in the
milk instead OF allowing it to float to
the surface.
Walton & Co. of San Antonio,
scooped in every premium but one,
with their herd of Devon cattle.
They were magnificent lot of ami
mails and commanded the admiration
of every visitor to their quarters.
The Herefords, or "Bald Faces" as
they are commonly called, were there
in force and seemed to have an army
of friends, but the short horn was
CONSPICUOUS by its absence, showing
the tickleness Of fashion.
There was q grand show of hogs,
comprising Berkshires, Poland-China,
Essex and Jersey Red. j. A.
Hubbard, Wellington, Kansas, had
an immense herd of Berkshires,
and Poland Chinas, perfect types
of their kind, and ranging in weight
from the sucker of 20 pounds to the
porker of 800 pounds.
To do justice to the horse depart
ment weuld require more space than
allowed me, and / must for the pres
ent briefly refer to a few that "took
my fancy" The fashionable horse at
present appears to be the Clevelan
bay, and they were strongly repre-
sented. There is d greater diversity
of type in this breed of horses than
in any other, indeed such is the va
rlety that even experienced horsemen
often fail to recognize them as belong
ing to the Cleveland class. The best
Cleveland on the ground was a 4-year-
old from California, while Pearson
Brothers, of Round Rock, took second
premium with one of their imported
horses. They were, next to the Pa
citic coast horse, by far the best OF
their class at the fair, and their own
ORC hoya reasOn tn feel nrOIld of them