Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-07-31
ABILENE
AND SOMETHING ABOUT the Fa-
NOUS ABILENE CoUN CRY.
The Social Status of the People-A
Rich Country, Good People and
Every Inducsment to Settlers.

ABILENE lex JuiN s--tcptNlhi.l-
Cattle, horses, mules, sheep. goats
etc, have, until few years az consti-
tuted the principal wealth Of our country.
The magnihcence of our climate, togethef
with the rich nutritious grasses, first
induced the stockman TO locate his herds
and iocks in this gently rolling country.
The settlement Of the country by "the
man with the hoe" has pushed the large
herds and tiocks to the westward put
there still remains a large number. dig
trfbuted, however, in more hands, which
are constantly being improved.
The ease with which the richest kinds
Of forage crops can be raised makes this
one Of the finest 'farmer-stock coun-
tries" on the face of the earth.
AS fine horses and mules as the blue
grass regions of Kentucky can produce
are raised in the Abilene country. Ii is
natures home for stock of every Kind.
Incident to stock raising IL dairy farm
ing, which has proven very lucrative in
this section.
COUNTRY WELL WATERED.
Among the larger streams flowing
through the Abilene country are the
Concho, the Colorado, Dove creek, Val
| ley creek. Spring creek, Pecan bayou.
Panther creek. Elm creek, Brazos, Null
berry creek, Cedar creek and hundreds
Of smaller streams. In addition to the
streams which can be found everywhere
through the country, water can be had
by digging shallow wells, ranging from
twenty to forty feet deep. The water is
| pure and clear.
The pecan tree is native growth, and
| the nut grown in this section IN of lnrg
er size and finer flavor than that grown
elsewhere; in fact the nuts Of This sec
ton of Texas command double the price
Of nuts from other parts Of the state.
Recent experiments with English wal
nuts, chestnuts, almonds, flberts and 9TH
er nuts have demonstrated that these too
can be grown with profit.
MINERALS.
Copper, iron and coal exist. and traces
| OF gold and silver are to be found.
TfNIBBR
Consists of elm, pecan, black walnut,
blackberry, ash, cottonwood, willow. wild
cbins, burr oak, Spanish oak. etc. on the
streams and bottom lands post oak, live
oak and mesquite on the prlries and
cedar on the hills.
BUILDING MATERIAL. ETC.
Good clay for brick, and excellent
stone for building are found elsewhere.
Besides lumber from the pine regions OF
| Eastern Texas Is brought into the coun-
Try and sold At current rates elsewhere.
Barbed wire is used for fencing, and
cedar and mesquite trees are In great
abundance fol posts.
PLANTING SEASON.
The mild winters generally admit OF
corn planting In February and March
and cotton In Aprh. The most of oui
wheat is sOwn in the fall and harvested
IN May, so that Hour from new wheat
eau he delivered in Northern or Eastern
cities fully six weeks In advance Of lholu
from the older wheat-growng states
Oats are sown for the most part In Jan
uury, February and March, and harvest
cd in early June, but winter oats sOwn II
the fall do well. Sorghum. millet ans
Other forage crops are planted almost a
the pleasure Of the farmer. Field worl
can DO done at all seasons of tue year
and loss of thirty days from outdoor
occupations, on account Of heat cold OF
rain, ia any one year, would be an over
estimate. During the cold, bleak winter
months, when nearly all the farmers vi
the Northern and Eastern states ar,
busy in the effort TO keep the cold ou
and their stock from suffering, by con
slant attention, and feeding ont corn
hay and other fodder, gathered durini
the summer the farmer. In winter, herr
enjoys mild, pleasant weather, and h
hocks and herds are in good condition
feeding on the prairie, requiring only
little feed during the cold spells, whlcl
only last four or five days at time.
MARKETS FOR FARM PRODUCE
LIVESTOCK, ETC.
Food products, such rs corn, whea
and cereals of all kinds bring bette
prices In the Abilene country at al
times than are paid In the Northern
markets. Owing TO the great influx o
immigration as wen as the great numbe
Of persons engaged in the wool GROWN,
and cattle raising to the west, the HON,
demand for food products Is far abov,
the supply. If there should be surplus
the mining regions Of West Texas, New
Mexico and Arizona will consume al
of it at good figures.
There is home demand for gool
mules, horses and cows raised in til,
Abilene county, while the wool beef
cattle, etc, are shipped from the city o.
Abilene to Northern and Eastern mark
cts.
SOME ADVANTAGE TO THE FAI,
MER.
The farmer in the Abilene country cal
plow nearly every month In the year
He has four months time to sow spriJ
wheat. barley, oats and rye; four month
in which to plant cotton: three month
Ia which TO plant corn.