Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-07

Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
AUSTIN. Tex, June 2s. 1905.
Texas is richer and more comprehensive
in natural resources than any other state
In the Union. II her people should be shut
off from all communication with the outside
they could take better care of themselves
and supply their own wants r'0re com
pletely than any other community In all
the world. They have plenty of beef and
mutton on the ranges; they raise corn,
wheat and all forms of fruits and vegetable
food for both man and beast, with berries,
peaches, grapes, watermelons and cante-
loupes galore for dessert. The gulf abounds
In fish. and there are oysters, clans and
crabs in plenty all along the coast. The
vineyards are extending rapidly, notwfth-
standing the impetus of the prohibition
movement; there is plenty of rye for
whisky and barley for beer; upon the rich
coastal plains the best qualities of rice are
raised. and they are also capable Of pro-
ducing any amount of sugar Tobacco
grows everywhere; half a million dollars
worth of honey was sold In 1904.
The tea plant will grow upon the eastern
slopes OF Texas, but so much labor is re-
quired that its culture is not profitable; and
believe that coffee orchards would thrive
upon the lowlands around the coast for
their soil is similar to that of Venezuela
atmosphere that coffee needs. The dairy
products of Texas already amount to more
than sixteen millions of dollars a year,
while last year her farmers sent 5S.040,S1O
dozens Of eggs to market and 1911, 1862
worth of poultry, besides what they con-
sumed themselves.
Thus, the food supply is assured and you
will acknowledge that Texas is independ-
ent, and need not call on the other states
for things to eat.
The oil regions produce plenty of fuel and
m OF oil hcrhf ar.I haI
beds of coal covering hundreds of thou
sands of acres. There are forty million
acres OF uncut timber along the streams
and the coast and rich beds of iron ore but
they have never been developed.
To clothe her people Texas produced last
year 2.4I1Os1 bales of cotton, 500 pounds to
the bale; 9,63S0OO pounds of wool, and half
a million pounds of mohair; while the null
berry tree. which is the staple food of the
silk worm. grows profusely everywhere and
might be utilized for growing silk If labor
was not so expensive and people did not
nave more profitable employment. There
are very few cotton factories in Texas but
they will come in time. There is an abund-
ance OF water power In many sections Of the
state; steaming fuel is cheaper and more
plentiful than in any other part of the
world: and the only element lacking for
manufactures Is labor which. 1 suppose.
may be obtained as the state fills UP with
people
The Most and Largest Farms.
The wealth of Texas is greater than that
of any other state In the Union, and 1t
comes from many sources. 1t is primarily
an agricultural community and has more
farmers than any other of the United States
In 1900, five years ago, when the census was
taken, Texas had 352, 100 farms. and sum-
pose they must have increased In number
very rapidly since Missouri came second
with e4SS6; then Ohio, with 27671g; Illi-
nols, 264, l5l, and Iowa. DDS 662 Thus YOU
Will see that Texas had is 600 more farms
thah missouri, $1,000 more than Ohio 9S-
Wo more than Illinois and $4,000 more
than Iowa.
similar difference appears In the size
OF the farms, as the following table will
show: