Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-04-07
DOWN IN TEXAS"
olenty of Rain In the Zone Star State
Geology and Vegcta don Of Texas.

oienty of Rain In the "yone Star State"-
Geology and Vegetation OF Texas.
Any encomium upon Texas. here.
seems more than superfuous Words
add nothing to the value placed upon
the many advantages enjoyed by the
citizens who love their native south
with all the intensity of their passion
ate nature.
1t is needless here to speak at length
of the acres of ripening fruit one sees
in short drive through the country.
or to mention that we bought gallon
of peanuts for what at home would be
the price of half a pound. They only
smile in a half amused way like we
would in Iowa il anyone should ask us
the name of growing corn.
The weather here is perfectly de-
lightful. The spring rains, which
were warm, copious and refreshing,
| have left everything bright and beau
! tiful, and Lowells tribute to the
| month of June is quite fitting to our
! February.
Since the day of our arrival we have
| waited with what patience we could
| for day when the busy IL ndlady could
| spare the time to go with us down the
| bayou in boat.
1t was beautiful afternoon very
| like the best October weather in Iowa
and as we walked down the grassy
| incline from the hotel vcranda-only
| they say gallery in TeXas-the boat
! ca" round curve quarter OF mile
ava T. As the slender cleaning pad
| dies rose and fell with the regularity
! of machinery the little craft came SO
| swiftly toward us she seemed more
! like living than an inanimate thing.
! The slow pulsation of the waves as
they struck rythma tically against the
bow, the waters as they danced and
! sparkled in the glorious southern sun
! shine, all the scene and its environ
ments was so truly poeticai, so swcetly
natural in it's beauty that for the
thousandth time l felt it TO be priv
ilege indeed to live in a land like this.
One of the many beautiful Giving
pictures" is the sunset after rain.
The purple clouds pile mountain high
! along the western horizon, the white
mists rise from the ocean in fleecy,
! curling masses of vapor and clearly
define the shoreline for miles and miles,
when through all the sun bursts in
wondrous beauty, lighting the last
pcarly rain drop with all the prismatic
colors of the rainbow and transform
ing the whole surface of the prairie
into sheet of FURNISHED copper-and
| then the purple clouds are edged with
| gold, the miStS are Il melting, SHIN
mering, radiant mass of Respondent
Wilderness verging into silver, which
mingles with the purple and gold of
| la nln HS N
gorgeous coloring almost too bright
for the naked eve.
You stand on the prairie and look,
and look, and look while the light dies
slowly, reluctantly. but surely from
the scene and leaves the clouds q leaden
mass, the prairie vast eXpanse of
semi-twilight, and ''earth divides with
heaven the empire of your thoughts. J"
1t viii soon be dark and you have not
been home to supper. You go but you
don't forget the sunset.
A hunting party went out from the
hotel a few days since and returned
with prairie chickens and other small
catch which are plentiful here.
Mr.. j. ID. Boss, young man from
Holland. Mich, who has just moved to
Gothland, shot at a deer. There are
great many jack-rabbits, ducks and
geese, some wild cattle and hogs are
here vet, but most of the big game
has like the native red man fled at the
approach of the settler and the iron
horse and are seen only at rare inter
walls.
The farmers are breaking up most OF
of the land here for planting and the
! rich, deep, arabic soil il in the best
possible condition for a good crop.
There are many little knobs over the
surface of the prairie and scientists are
at variance as to their original cause
Many hold to the theory that they arr
the result Of the trampling of buffa.c
and wild cattle: others credit them tC
the roofing of wild hogs. TO my mind
however, the most probable cause i:
the action of water in the time wher
, this vast area was a submarine tract
for the knobs are more sandy thar
the inter-spaces and ut low water tht
bed of Lost Bay presents exactly the
same appearance.
We find growing here any quantity
of the canaigre plant, from which i
taken the tannin of commerce. The
drug, which is in very general ust
with the medical fraternity, is mad,
from the fibro-tuberous roots and is o
great value.
, The character of the soil here favor:
the rapid growth of the plant, thus
, preventing the woody portions from
| developing in excess of the sncculen
? parts of the plant, thus lessening tn,
) quantity of the medicinal part as i
does in the northern sections.
? The baling and shipping of wild ha,
will be one of the leading industrie
of Gothland, as the hay, though com
manding good price, may be had 70
the taking, and pays handsome profit
The Texas Colonization Company ha
purchased fine new boat which viii
run regularly from Amsterdam, Goth
land to Orange on the Sabine river
She will be employed mostly to brini
!. lumber for the new yards at AmSter