The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1909-12-23
TEXAS LETTER
Sudge Sullens Tells His Impress
siOns of the Gulf Coast.

San Antonio, Tex, Dec. 10th, 1909.
Editor Butler Times: Since NV
arrival in Texas April LIST have had
several letters asking my opinion Of
the Gulf coast as a farming country,
and if you will allow me space in The
Times will give some of my con-
illusions. | was at Corpus Christi
l65 days, during which time I was
down the Gulf coast 100 miles, up
the coast 80 miles and back in the
country 40 miles and was in most Of
the railroad towns between Failures
and Rockport.
The surface Of the country is rath-
er flat and level. In some localities
the soil is black and rich, in other
places it is grey and ashley and mixed
with gravel and in other places ii is
very sandy. All or nearly all of the
country is covered with chaparell
brush which grows in lunches and
usually from 6 to IL feet high. Then
there is musquite that grows singH
and bears beans that are good for
stock to eat The Musquite always
reminds me Of an old Missouri peach
orchard. There is live oak. post oak.
blackberry and other kinds ofscrubby
timber. The country is covered with
cactus and many other kinds of
thorny shrubs.
On my rounds | saw many fields Of
beautiful cotton, especially on the
Taft ranch. II takes from SIS to SIS
dollars an acre to grub the land and
burn the brush ready for the pillow.
On the Taft ranch | saw fifty Mexi-
cans and Negroes in one field grub
bling the land and getting il ready for
the pillow. Back came the steam pillow
and still back were long rows Of
beautiful cotton and a man with a
span Of Mules hitched to cart spray
ing the cotton to destroy the Boil
wevel and other insects. This locked
like business. Cotton is dry wealth.
er plant and it-grows and natures in
the same field where most any other
kind of crop would wither and die
for lack of moisture. There are
three elements absolutely necessary
to successful farming in any locality.
These are good soil, plenty Of water
and sunshine. The lack Of either one
of these elements will always be IA
tai to success in any country. Texas
lacks the water to a much greater de-
gree than many other states, 1t some
times rains heavily here, but 1t is SC
seldom and far apart that crops Of
almost every kind wither and die
under the rays Of the hot sun.
The fact is Icould not advise a Mis-,
souri, farmer to come to the coas1
country unless he expects to raise
cotton and nothing else, unless he
comes for his health. Texas is Ger
tainly healthy country. Those par
ties that are coming down her or
excursion trains and buying lane
from.these syndicates are payingfull,
double what the same quality Of land
would cost them If they would stoI
and take little time in looking
around and buy from the natives,
All this stuff you see advertised abou
a man getting rich in few years of
a few acres Of land raising fruit ant
vegetables is pure humbug.
Neither fruit trees nor vegetables
will grow here to do any geed unless
you give them plenty Of water, ant
as result nine tenths Of everything
consumed by man or beast in Corpu.
Christi is shipped here on the raj
roads. If Texas had plenty Of goot
water for irrigation she would sool
surprise the world with her products
But the water problem in Texas I
one very important and difficult o
solution. Five years ago in Graysol
county, Texas, l saw flowing well
that have now stopped flowing en-
tirely. The cause Of it Is large vel
with a strong flow on much lowe
ground had been brought in which