The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-18

ultimately be very large. it is doubtful
whether it will ever again assume the
prodigious proportions of the ranch days.
The country settling up rapidly has
large homo market and although land
sells still at a very reasonable figure 1t
Is too high in price to permit the raising
of stock at former prices. For this reason
alone cheap meats seem out of the ques-
ton. TO raise beef cattle on the ranch
basis, land must not sell higher than So
per acre or have greater rental value
than 10 cents per acre per year. This
mark, however. has been passed two or
three years ago and today the average
price is little over S.. There is no doubt
that Texas will again enter the meat
market very strongly in a few years but
1t will not be with what may be termed
cheap meat. Good meat will be its clas-
sification, because it will be raised and
fattened on the farm.
What is claimed to be the largest orch
ard ever planted in one continuous tract
is now being laid out in La Sale county,
some forty miles south OF this city. The
property to be converted to this use is
now wild prairie land and comprising
1900 acres or little over square miles.
Among the fruits to be raised are apples,
pears, peaches, oranges, lines, lemons
and figs OF the latter nearly a thousand
acres will be set out, the fruit having
been shown to be q tremendous success
in these parts. About 600 acres of the
land will be used for the raising of ber-
ries and vegetables.
The tract is owned and will be operated
by the Attic Orchard and Preserving
company, recently chartered at. Austin.
A large cannery will be erected on the
land within a few months. To make the
land profitable while the trees are reach
ing maturity sugar cane and vegetables
will be grown. A contract for the install
lation of the Virgins system of sub-ir-
rigation, which is to cover the entire
tract, has already been let and a survey
of a railroad connecting with the Inter-
national g. Great Northern at Cotulla has
been made.
Speaking of tho usefulness of the aero
plane as q military meanss Lieutenant
v. d. Foulois of the United States sig
nal corps, in charge of an aeroplane at
Fort Sam Houston, said that the Wright
brothers were now working on a muffler
that would effectively deaden the noise
now made by the motors used in their
machine, and that an instrument was be-
ing perfected that would make it possi-
BILE to receive wireless messages on an
aeroplane in flight.
The impression prevails among army Of
ficers that improved to this extent the
aeroplane will become Of great impor-
lance. The noise of the motor would
make it extremely doubtful that the ma
chine could be used effectively In recon-
noitering either by day or night for this
reveals It's presence when other factors
might still keep it hidden. According to
Lieutenant Toulois 1t will be quite pos
sible to send. as well as receive. wire
less messages from the aeroplane, it
being in this respect the superior of the
dirisible balloon, experiments having
shown that the electric sparks of the WIRE
less have a tendency to explode the gas
in the balloon. condition that does not
exist In the aeroplane.
If the influence of Senators Burton and
Dick of Ohio, and Representative Ash
brook of the same state Is of any value
Col. John L. Glenn, chief quartermaster of
the department of Texas, will be made a
brigadier general in the near future. To
get that rank has always been the ambi-
ton of Colonel Glen, who by the way.
Ia better known as the Drummer Boy
of Shiloh" He participated in that SAN
culinary conflict while but eleven years
of age, beating the drum that stirred his