Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1907-05-17
REGAN SAW TEXAS

As that state is.-.Not an Agricultural
Country
Peter Regan, who returned
some time ago from Texas, has
many interesting and valuable
r facts to state about that country.
The following was told to an
Inter-Ocean reporter:
"When I left for Texas" said
Mr.. Regan, lit was with the idea
of thoroughly investigating that
state from a farmers point of
view, as I had no idea of purchas
ing land for purely speculative
purposes. Therefore, when the
division Of the special which
carried me and many others to
that region arrived at our des-
tination, was not satisfied with
only listening to the land mems
talk, but hustled around for and
by myself to see what the coun-
try looked like, and to decide for
: myself whether or not l thought
it was fit for farming. This the
land men tried in every manner
to persuade me from doing. Af-
ter they had shown me around
over the land they controlled,
which was not in the least adapt
ed for farming, they endeavored
to get me to return with them to
Iowa, from where another spec
ial was soon to run. They Of
fered to pay all my expenses on
this trip.
81 was down there, however, to
spend my time on the train or
in Iowa, and remained in Texas
several weeks, during which
time l drove hundreds of miles
over the country.
The land is extremely level, land
the climate was delightful, the
warm rays Of the sun seeming
especially inviting to one just
coming from a snow covered
state.
"As drove along occasionally
I would see a huge, rugged ra
vine sometimes six to eight fee
deep. These were on the leve
prairie, and denoted much to me
asked several farmers abou
the rainfall, and when definit'
answer was required several O.
them acknowledged that when i
did rain it came all at once; tha
they had seen the prairie cover
ed with water from one to thre
inches deep, and that when thi
water started to move it rushet
in torrents from the prairie
Then it wouldn' rain again fo:
months.
"The ground is PRACTICAL.
barren, excepting where clump'
of Russian thistles thrive, and
honestly believe that if horse
was turned loose in the morning
to pick feed on the prairie tha'
he would be very much hung
rier horse in the evening than HI
was in the morning.
II asked land man if thai
was a sample of the grass 60
: they grew, and received a re
!. ply that a herd of thousand
head of cattle had grazed there
!. last fall, and had entirely tram
+ ped out the grass! But he tol
T. that to too old a cattleman
!. why, my good man. I said
I there is no manure on Sth
+ ground I was then standing
II alone. mr.
There is no hay ir#=that coun
. try. If you say anything abou
III. hay to the old time farmers they
look at you in astonishment ant
commence telling about the KAT
fir corn. Everything = dow
il j.. there is Kaffir corn. When tn
men congregate they talk abou
Kafir corn. Well, happen t
know a thing or two about KAT
ffr corn, and what they showed
me there was fit for nothing
1= s.5 We can beat it North Dakota.
The soil is dry as bone, ant
of course while in that condition
ttsis absolutely impossible t,
raise any crop. Water is yer.
scarce, and when asking hov
deep they had to dig their wells
was told that in some places j
was only necessary to go down
. about hundred or a hundret
and fifty feet, but that generalE
70 Il god from t,xo To- ii y hin