The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-04-06
A REVELATION TO TEXANS.
Practical Demonstration Of the Value
Of Indigenous Products.
FINEST FlBERS FROM COMMON WEEDS
Southern Pacific Industrial Exhibit Illus
trates Adaptablity OF Texas Soil to
Production OF Fibrous Plants.

the southern INcitlc lnnustflNl eNulnll'
that - now In Houston under the inalag'-
mcnt of Prof H. =. Attwater, is that
which shows up the possibilities OF Texas
as fiber producing territory. Piof. Att
water considers Tint this industry Offers
greater opportunities for profitable daycl
opmcp, to both producer and tho mnnu
factnrcr than any other branch Of agri
culture.
The hhrous plants that grow and flourish
~ Texas are almost countless rs to num-
Der and are certainly unequaled as TO quail
lty and the quantity OF possible produc
ton. In the Southern Pacific collection
many OF the different varieties ot nbcrs aud
nbrous plants are displayed In such man
Ter ~ 10 present II most Interesting study
tu those even who have no regard for or
appreciation of agriculture or Industrial ac-
compll ehments.
ghc collection Includes all the standard
nbrous plants, such rs hemp, lute, ramle.
fax, ttc. This department Is divided prop
prly into two divisions cultivated hbrons
plants aud these that nrn indigenous to
the soil that ls those that flourish in a
Wild stute without cultivation
1he species named above represent the
former division, ana Il Is a revelation To
See the specimens Of those In the collec-
ti,u N.hftlt huX... igtu r,rndu,tpd ,tupu IqNna
all M other diyIslnn emhraros common
weeds rushns mud grasses. which neonle
often regard as uuisntccs. with no nartic-
uInr mission except 10 worry aud try tho
patience oi those who TIL the soil lii
many instances. no doubt. they arc a hin.
drnnre "a the bcst results from cultivation
Of land, Int one who has seen Prof. Att.
nSvet be h,nrd TO- Uoni,litn of Their Worth
lpssnrss
In speaking of the production Of nbcrs
f. thc south and paitlcuiary I'm Texas,
which N univot. nIiv admitted 10 hn thn gar.
dci. suot of inc south prnf Attwntnr saws.
.irhc soil and climate nf rho southern
Stntes. and p0rticulnrIy in 'rcXnS along ,hr
coast seems 10 he rspEcinllv ndnntnd 10 The
tro,iuction of some az the most in,nortont
iher PLANTS some of Ma conn, onrst ,vnnda
growing wild on nulions of ncres from
The Nlisslsslnnl Ia thr MA Crnnde nrnLur,
vnIunblr rnn,,ncr,t,i hI'crs boya fo,,n1
hpnlp nud uaN rro.,inu viii ana iiovris Hin"
In some unris 81 Western 'rcxns fnt,iii
gent experiments with the growth aud cui.
| portl"ns Of thr Stntc "bow MI NH thcsn
| nlnnts pruW oven more luyurlnptiv thnn L,
/ ibrI, nntivn rItucs ''''' '''''" ."
| fiber Investigations If tho IfnitcG stotcs
! dcpnrtmrnt of nrrlculturr I'm n rnnort On
| tho adaptnhiity of his soil for finer prn.
! duclna tlnnts snvs, with nnt irnnrn,ot
! agricultural Nnplrmeuts rho pround rnn hr
| hotter preplrcd md undnuhtodlv Inc vtaI1
of Those plants viii be CONSIDERABLY higher
! thnn IN lnhla
| frot AttWatef slNs that the cotton plant
/ o. sloik pi9duces an rNeNcut nber aud
/ ne proves wlnt lac saws by exhibiting hhcr
/ made from lhat material which IL gen
| ulne marvel IN ~ line lie snNs he believes
I ihat the day VIII come when the nhcr from
! an acre Of cotton stalks will he worth M
much rs the hhci from ten acres OF cotton
/ pods.
/ continuing, Prof Attwnter said: Weeds
and Hbcr stalks seem 10 grow cvcrv,yherr
/ RAIN or no rain, ma thrive even without
cultivation. It Us the opinion Of those who
nave made careful study and estimate ot
the Yield ana cost or raising AMI market
Ing fiber products that the prost to the
farmer who grows nhcr crops VIII be much
grehtcr than ohtnlned FROM other crops
me great advantage IL THAT he win run
no RISK Of lrFing his crop from the raw
/ ages Of wcovils ana other Insects. lie viii
not be depending on tue quality nor The
number Of bushels OF grains seeds or pods
that he Win have TO sell but ON tho stalk,
alamo io" his money The growing OF the
STALKS win not exhaust the productiveness
"f the lnnd. either"
Prof, Ntwatcr shows these tihrouA mn.
tcrals In The various stages of DEVELOPMENT
ana his collection rs most interesting from
every rolnt Of view lie shows the mi
nctto Cher nu excellent substitute for hnji
TN MASTERING: obra. from which elegant
! cprpcts could he manufactured! wire grass
| which produces u desirable quality Of mat
! tive. silk u al, -.