The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-08-03
FARM NOTES.
Edited by John c. Edgar Duval to whom all
communications for this column should te adj
dreSSed.l

| Edited by John G. Edgar, Duval, to whom all
communications for this column should &c adj
| dreSSed.l
The "dry spell" has developed into
a we'll marked case of droLth, equal to
any that has ruled in Texas since 1879.
The country is certainly in very dry
condition and the outlook for cotton
and cattle is far from bright. Through
central Texas the cotton crop is, even
now, a fixed quantity. A rain would
do the crop little if any good. EARLY
planted cotton has stopped growing
and has shed its topmost bloom, so
that new growth of wood will have
to make before more truiting is posi-
BILE. Where late planted cotton is on
moist land and has received thorough
cultivation good rain within few
days might do .ome good, but such
cases must be very rare, and late cot
ton is quite as hopeless as the early.
Beyond any doubt we are going
to have crop far short of last
years. This will not be an
unmixed evil, if it only disgusts
farmers with the crops enough to
cause them to curtail it in the future
and substitute something more profit
able.
A much more serious matter than q
phontage in the cotton crop is the
failure of the water supply and the
burnt up condition of pastures. Cat
tie are beginning to suffer and ii the
draught continues until the usual
time for rain, in September, the con.
sequences will be very serious.
But it is not farmers and their stock
alone that are likely to suffer. A few
days ago The STATEASMN published
the alarming news that the water in
the water compaDy's reservoir in the
river had fallen to within two inches
of the top of the suction pipes aud
without assistance, would soon fall
below the serviceable point. Fortu-
nately for Austin the water of the
lake was brought to the rescue
and the much feared calamity for
a time averted, If anything was
needed to justify the action OF those
who are responsible for the damming
of the river, it is found in the part the
lake has just played in saving the
city Of water famine and all the hor-
rors contingent thereon.
The drought has demonstrated the
total inadequacy of the water com
pany's supply to the public require
ment and should strengthen the re.
solve and increase action of all
interested in the safety and welfare OF
the city.
A few weakened citizens have
been heard to grumble and predict
ruin to the taxpayer and general
smash up of the dam-if not the total
of the city-because of
the little difficulty being encountered.
1t is unfortunate that such difficulty
should have arisen and il is possibly
the result of bad management on
somebody's part and might have been
avoided by the exercise of
reasonable foresight, but sits no use
crying over split milk" To everyone
familiar with the difficulties attend
lug the construction of works of the
of our granite dam, it is
not surprising that the present trout BILE
has arisen, but rather, that the under
taking should have been so nearly
carried out ithout many and much
greater troubles. 1t is matter for
congratulation that the great work is
so near completion and has reached
its present stage with SO few Interrupt
lions.
A he falling waterf1ow in the river
which would have left the city with.
out protection in case of fire aud the
people and their stock in very thirs-
ty condition, but for the supply inn
pounded by the dam; has been very
fortunate for the prosecution of work
behind the Golfer. Altogether the
drought is not an unmitigated cal
aInity.