Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1896-04-03
DOWN IN TEXAS"
Plenty of Rain In tho Lone Star State
Geology and Vegetation of Texas.

seems more than superhuous. 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 atlength
of the acres Of ripening fruit one sees
in a short drive through the, country,
or to mention that we bought a gallon
OF peanuts for what at home would be
the price of half a pound. They only
smile in half amused way like we
would in Iowa if anyone should ask us
the name of growing corn.
The weather here is perfectly de-
Hghtful. 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 laAdlady could
spare the time to go with us down the
bayou in q boat.
It was a beautiful afternoon very
like the best October weather in Iowa
and as we walked down the grassy
incline fyoln the hotel veranda-only
they say gallery" in Texas-the boat
came round curve quarter OF a mile
away 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 a living than an inanimate thing.
The slow pulsation of the waves as
they struck automatically against the
bow, the waters as they danced and
sparkled in the glorious southern sun
shine, all the scene and it's environ
ments was SO truly poetical, SO sweetly
natural in it's beauty that for the
thousandth time felt it to be priv
ilege indeed to live in a land like this
One of the many beautiful living
pictures is the sunset after o rain.
The purple clouds pile mountain high
along the western horizon, the white
mists rise from the ocean in fieecy,
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
pearly rain drop with all the prismatlc
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 a melting, SHIN
mering, radiant mass of Respondent
whiteness verging into silver, which
mingles with the purple and gold OF
the clouds, forming a combination OF
gorgeous coloring almost too bright
for the naked eye.
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 leaden
mass, the prairie vast expanse OF
semi-twilight, and searth divides with
heaven the empire of your thoughts. y
1t will 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 few days since and returned
with prairie chickens and other small
.scatch' which are plentiful here.
Mr.. j. D. Boss, a young man from
Holland, Mich, who has just moved to
Gothland, shot at a deer. There are
a great many jack-ra bbits, 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 is 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 are
the result of the trampling of buffalo
and wild cattle; others credit them to
the roofing of wild hogs To my mind,
however, the most probable cause is
the action of water in the time when
this vast area was submarine tract,
for the knobs are more sandy than
the inter-spaces and at low water the
bed of Lost Bay presents exactly the
same appearance
We find growing here any quantity
of the canaigre plant, from which is
taken the tannin of commerce. The
drug, which is in very general use
with the medical fraternity, is made
from the ibro-tuberous roots and is of
great value.
The character of the soil here favors
the rapid growth of the plant, thus
preventing the woody portions from
developing in excess of the succulent
parts of the plant, thus lessening the
quantity of the medicinal part as it
does in the northern sections.
The ballng and shipping Of wild hay
will be one of the leading industries
of Gothland, as the hay, though com
manding good price, may be had for
the taking, and pays a handsome profit.
The Texas Colonization Company has
purchased fine new boat which will
run regularly FRI \ Amsterdam, Goth
land, to Orange n the Sabine river.
She will be empI d mostly to bring
lumber for the j yards at Amster-
dam. j + ANIME SWAIN,
= A i IL ].