The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-12
AGRICULTURE
AND HORTICULTURE
IN EASTERN TEXAS.

(An address delivered at the Texas
Farmers congress, College station. Texas,
by R. X. Carldge immigration and in
dustrial agent of the international and
Great Northern ralroad)
Considering the fact that eighteen
months ago | had never set foot in East
ern Texas, l feel that a rare compliment
to the knowledge l may have gained in
chat time regarding this great region
has been paid to me by your programme
committee In assigning TO me, for
talk at this meeting, the subject OF
agriculture and Horticulture in Eastern
Texas" Like many other people who
have heard Of Eastern Texas, l thought
l knew something about it. 1t is with
humiliation that l acknowledge my mis-
take, and going further in the direction
of -abasement, am ready to say thai
for Texan as proud Of his State as l,
to have for so long remained in the most
utter ignorance OF so great "a portion OF
it as is East Texas, furnishes forth
cause for humiliation, II not for shame
Having for the past eighteen months
Travelled extensively in Eastern and South
ern Texas. studying closely industrial con-
ditions therein, by observation and by
talks with representative people in the
various lines OF industry, that which I
have learned has been a pleasing revela
ton to me, and which to the best of my
ability ! am endeayoring to make known
to the world. as slight stonement for the
unjust impression | had formed from
hearsay of this great region,
MY subject IS a great one. and IN the
time at my disposal must OF necessity
be treated briefly, and in general terms.
While horticulture Is in reality branch
I of agriculture. the latter term embrace
ing all phases of the great occupation Of
extracting wealth from the soil, for pur-
pose OF convenience 1t may be we'll to
/ treat eepamtely such branches Of the
main subject as may have time to touch
upon.
GENERAL FARMING.
The history of farming in Eastern Texas
lends emphasis to the observation Of
many that the first people to a country
rarely find out much ,dbout it. They
merely pave the way for the later in
coming Of people who, by the discovery
of new possibilities and by the applica-
tion of new methods. not only find out
more. about the country out get more
out Of II, which accounts for the fact
reneated several times in tire history OF
America. that 1.-THE best pore mans ken
try en- arth" becomes great rich man
country
The old idea OF farming in East Texas,
prevailing too much 10 this good year,
was to take everything off the land and
nut nothing back; in other words, to SIX n
a hill until it would no longer ahord
more Twin and then hunt another nh
to skin. But thanks to the educating IN.
nuence OF our great farm school, and
the press of Texas, ! find in every neigh
borhood a leayening influence AT work
In the shape Of few thrifty lhteillseht
, noney-maklng country people VINO are
putting into practice system OF sou
; Improvement and crop rotation wnlch "
the near future promises to make OF East
|. ern Texas the richest and most populpus
|, portion OF our great State. In other words
while too many still permit the CRAB grass
and corn and cotton stalks 10 dry up ~
the aeld 10 be raked up and burned prior
10 the spring scratching Of the SOIL and
while few even burn the oea-yines II
) the spring, another few prosresslve iAI,
merg are steadily increasing their ven
, by the judicious working into tne SOL o
] cow-peas and other things tending 70 us
betterment -,
In the matter OF soil Improvement me
. cow-nea which term has come 70 embra'f
most varieties nf the pea FANNY: =.
to mean more 10 the soll-nuslpsls
! Eastern Texas thar does red clover 70 ~.
: improver OF the lighter lands ~,
North and East. In point Of 'aiue 40 IVY