The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-25
Favored with a Diversity Of Soils
and Plenty Of Water, the Earth
Richly Rewards the Labor Of
the Farmers. Z.
H.
AMAZING RETURNS ON
SMALL TRACTS OF LAND
Products Of the Temperate Zone,
as Well as Of the Tropics,
Thrive with Equal Success
Cheap Land Attracts Immi-
grants. b -,
az HERBERT vANDERHooF.


BY HERBERT vANDERHooF.
When an enthusiastic friend travelling
leisurely through southern Texas, in the
months Of December and January writes
you that In that country the fall melts
gradually into spring. with no Intervening
winter, that the farmers plant and har-
vest all the year round, you are very apt
t to take gu9h With the trad
doesn't freeze and snow they have sew
eral months Of "disagreeable' weather,
to use a mild term, 1t Is. very hard for
the Northerner to get any adequate con-
Texas really is until he goes there and
learns by experience. The pure: clear air.
the warm, bright sunshine make the win
ter months delightful, and the cool
Gulf Of Mexico during eight months of the
year make the long summer or spring,
summer, and the early fall, as we name
them In the North, an exceedingly, pleas
ant season. - 81. .-S5*.'@, - F.sfs'-.i
. When h one considers i chat, combined with
Texas has variety OF exceptionally fer
tile soils, which are watered by rivers
and streams or supplied artifically by
artesian wells or irrigation with the need
full moisture, 1t Is not to be wondered that
diversified farming is each year growing
with rapidity which Is truly astonish-
ing. In the last few years improved rail-
road facilities and the recognition in
Northern markets Of the great ,desirability
away, with the two greatest difficulties
of the pioneers In truck farming. The
railroad companies offer every possible
inducement to farmers FOR increasing the
state, and modern refrlgerating devices
make it possible for them to transport
the vegetables and berries with little loss
of their pristine freshness It is not neces-
co trs.h oE oY,4 uo1 yx,{fh
to see the great wealth which Is sure to
come to the people. of southern Texas
| within the next decade. or to prophesy
that this section of the Empire state will
sources Of the supply Of green stuff and
North during the long winter months
San Antonio's Great Fairs.
If, any one is at all skeptical of the re-
sources Of this wonderful region, he
should visit one of the international fairs
held at San Antonio and make a careful
study Of the display of fruits and vege-
tables, cotton, rice and grains which lie
| will see there. It is certainly a revelation
to the stranger in Texas, and he. cannot
help but feel amply rewarded Tor the
time which such a visit may have con-
sumed. The specimens Of cotton and rice
| are not to be excelled by the best which
| states long acknoowledged leaders in these
staples can M; produce: The wheat RIVALS
while the corn ieprsd in tie warm sun,
shine, can cornmand tie highest prices
in the. market. Other grains hay and
| forage crops, give a bountiful yield to
| the acre, and are Of a high standard OF
| excellence r@ a a.te z T@-s 49,.
The visitor at one of these fairs at
San Antonio, IS almost dazed at the
abundance and variety of the vegetables
and fruits which are there displayed. All
| the staple articles of vegetable food-po-
| and
peas-are shown in seemingly endless pro-
| fusion, while radishes. lettuce, cauliflower
and tomatoes add their touch to the at
Effectiveness of the exhibits. Melons, figs
water, SO tempting Is their appearance,
| while pears, plums and Japanese persim-
mons are close seconds in their claim for
ones favor. Dewberries. strawberries and
blackberries also take prominent place
| in all this wonderful showing of. natures
bounteous harvest in this favored coun-
try. 20 r,.- sre ~r,r+a ~ ~ -: =
What is the secret Of such remarkable
produc tiveness? you ask Of any one well
acquainted with southern Texas, and the
answer will be, the fine climate, the sup.
ply of water, sufficient, but not excessive
and the unusual variety in the soil. The
rivers have brought down rich soils from
the northern portions Of Texas, an6
mixing them with the son already there
with marvellous results. Near the coas
and in the higher sections the fine, sandy
loan Is combined with rich deposits O
cultivator almost unlimited choice IL
products. Following the courses of tn,
| rivers, the soil is a black alluvial of re
markable fertility . .svs.,.-;, J. i. - .>
Wide Variation In Soils. -
This great variation in the types Of tn
soils to be found throughout the southern
cessfully almost every known kind 0
vegetable and many fruits, while the ap
parently inexhaustible fertility OF the lan'
and the fine climate enables the farmer
to plant and harvest several crops year
It is not at all uncommon for one plO
to yield four or five different crops in tn
twelve months, thus making a very larg
net profit to the farmer. In a recent tril
through this territory surrounding Sal
Antonio and southwark to the coast
met several men who told me that the.
had been able to pay for their land from
the net gains Of one year, and have It'd.
sum to spare besides; this too, when the.
had paid the higher price per acre, which
the development of the last few years ha
! brought about in many of the counties. !
Land which was bought years ago TO
81 or S. an acre, with its present improve
ments, finds ready sale at $50, and from
that to s75. or even higher, per acre. Un
improved land can be bought at price
ranging from 81 to $50 or $40, according
to the character or location.
| Marvellous Yields Of Land.
! was much. interested in hearing me-
tell what they had been able to do wit
their land, for it all seems SO Wonderfu
! to person from the North, where tn
winter months arrest all vegetation. II
one instance man who had been or
dered to southern Texas for his healt
related that he had secured the mos
surprising results from the ten acres {
improved farm land which he purchased
He planted peas on two acres in Octobe
! bushels to the acre Another acre he de
voted to lettuce for the winter, and fron
this tract he counted an income of nearl
5000. .s "a
| From two acres Of radishes he obtaine
three crops which netted him an enormou
profit The rest Of his farm was de
| voted to tomatoes, potatoes and onions
all of which yielded abundantly. As thes
| vegetables passed their maturity the Ian
was replanted Ito cotton and when th1
was grown, picked and marketed the ne
profits of the year showed enough I
pay for the land and all. the Improvement
cient to provide for all the living e1
penses Of the family and yet leave
little as a nest egg for another year.
81 When we compare this account wit
4 the stories we often hear Of our Norther
farmers who struggle half lifetime I
4 pay Oft the mortgage on their farms, an
after denying themselves all that goe
to make life conf Portable find themselve
\ at last in their old age possessed Of
small farm which will only yield fal
+ living IL worked to its. utmost, and wi
u constantly decrease In value unless IL
!: Gated near some large city or summe