USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 26
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 26
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The sandstones were deposited along the sea beach, and are composed principally of silica, being nothing more than fragments of quartz. This material is bound together by clay or lime, and sometimes by iron.
The clay beds were formed in the shallow seas and along the estuaries and months of
rivers, and are principally aluminumn silicate and carbonate of lime.
Soils arc largely indebted to vegetable life for their fertility and for their ability to receive heat and moisture and to transmit it to the growing crops. This vegetable material after it has reached a certain state of decay is called humus. This material has no fixed chemical constituents, owing to the effect produced and the combination formed with other substances in the process of decay. Many soils owe their dark color to this material. It renders a soil more susceptible to heat and moisture. It also causes the undissolved particles of rock material re- maining in the soil to disintegrate and give up their unused material to form a part of the soil.
Texas justly lays claim to greater variety and richness of soil than any State in the Union. The black waxy, black sandy, black pebbly, hog wallow, gray sandy, red sandy, sandy loam and alluvial soils are each to be found in the State, the majority of them in greater or less quantities in each section. About the best evidence of the richness and fertility of these various soils that can be offered is the fact that commercial fertilizers, now so common in the older States and con- stituting as much a fixed charge on the agri- cultural interests of those scctions as tlie seed necessary to plant the ground, are not used at all in Texas. Another fact worthy of mention in this connection is that there are thousands of acres in cultivation in this State that have been cultivated continuously for more than thirty years, which now yield as inuch per acre as they did when first planted. The principal soils of Texas are the black waxy, black sandy and alluvial lands of the river bottoms. The other varie- ties are minor divisions, and for the purpose
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
of this report a brief description of these only will be given.
The black waxy soil, so called from its color and adhesive qualities, is the richest and most durable of the soils of the State. It constitutes a large percentage of the prai- rie region, and is better adapted to the growth of grain crops than other soils of the State. It varies in depth from twelve inches to many feet, the average depth being abont eighteen inches, and is not appreciably affected by the washing rains so injurious to looser soils.
One of the largest bodies of upland black prairie in the United States extends from Lamar county, on the Red river, southwest in an irregular manner to a point south of San Antonio, in Bexar connty, with a width of 140 miles on the north end, 100 in the middle, and about sixty on the south end, and embracing twenty-three and parts of twenty-six counties.
The black sandy soil covers a very large - area of the State, and is very productive and easily cultivated. It is highly esteemed for gardening purposes and fruit-growing. It is very loose and requires care and attention to prevent deterioration from washing away the surface. Portions of the timber region, counties bordering on the timber belt of east Texas, and also the Cross Timbers, contain more or less sandy land.
The alluvial soils of the river bottoms vary in quality according to the territory drained by the streamns on which they are located. River soils east of the Brazos river partake more of the waxy character and are stiffer than those on the Brazos and streams westward that drain the sandy lands of the northwest. The Brazos river bottom is re- garded as the most valuable in the State, on account of its fertility and comparative im-
munity from overflows. The lower Brazos is in the heart of the sugar-growing belt, and its bottom lands in that section are consid- ered equal to the best in the sugar-producing region of Louisiana.
The variety of crops that Texas soils are capable of profitably growing is as yet un- known. For information in regard to the products that are grown, and the yield per acre of the soils here described, the reader is referred to the reports of the various counties under the head of "Agricultural and General Statistics."
TIMBER GROWTH.
The area of timber in Texas is much greater than it is generally supposed to be by persons not familiar with the country. By many people outside of the State it is re- garded as a vast "treeless" plain; but this, like many other opinions of the State formed at a distance, is wide of the mark. In the prairie region the bottomns along the streams and ravines are skirted withı timber, and in inost places there is that happy admixture of prairie and timber land that so delights the heart of the farmer. Besides this, eastern and southeastern Texas is covered with a dense forest of fine timber, embracing nearly every variety grown in the South. The re- ports to the State Agricultural Department show that there are 35,537,967 acres of timber land in the State.
The "Cross Timbers" is the name given to two irregular belts of timber varying in width and entering the State on the Red river on the north and running in a southerly direction across the prairie region.
The "Lower Cross Timbers " run from a point on Red river north of Gainesville, in Cooke county, south to the Brazos river, in
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
McLennan county, a distance of about 135 miles, and has an average width of from ten to fifteen miles, interspersed at irregular in- tervals with small prairies.
The "Upper Cross Timbers" leaves Red river at a point further west, passing south through Montague county, at the lower edge of which it divides, the eastern portion pass- ing south through Wise and Parker counties to the Brazos river, the western veering farther west and extending south into Erath county.
The timber growth of the Cross Timbers is principally post and black-jack oaks. On the streamns and lowlands ash, hackberry, pecan and cottonwood trees are found.
On the gray sand hills in eastern Texas the timber growth is inainly serubby post and black-jack oaks. On the black sandy land the timber is generally of the same kind, but of more perfect growth. The red lands are covered with hickory, red aud post oaks, with a few sweet and black gum and elm trees interspersed.
In Newton, Jasper, Tyler, Orange, Hardin, and parts of Sabine, Angeliua, Trinity, San Angustine, Nacogdoches, Polk, San Jacinto, Shelby and Panola counties, long-leaved pine grows in great abundance.
It is found singly or in clumps on the prai- ries and in the edges of the bottoms.
The mesquite is a tree found more gener- ally in western Texas than any other. It is a common growth on the prairie. A prairie with a growth of mesquite six or eight years old resembles a peach orchard very much in appearance. The mesquite is a small, scrubby tree, and produces a bean similar in size and appearance to the eommon cornfield bean. It is very nutritious and highly prized as food for horses and cattle. It has spread rapidly over the prairies within the last few years, and now furnishes firewood in many localities where a few years ago there was not a stick of any kind of fuel to be found. Cedar of stunted growth also forms a large part of the timber north and west of the Colorado river, and it is nsnally found on the sides and apexes of the hills and monntains.
The pecan tree, which produces the deli- cious pecan nut, is found on nearly all the streams, but more abundantly in southern and western Texas, where there are numerous pecan groves in the valleys and on the up- lands. Gathering and marketing the pecan crop forms no inconsiderable adjunet to the industries of that seetion. The pecan crop of 1887 was estimated at 9,000,000 pounds, valned at $540,000.
Short-leaved pine, interspersed with hick- ory and the various oaks, is found from West of the one hundredth meridian the timber growth is very limited, being almost exclusively confined to the ravines and water- ways until the outlying ridges of the Rocky mountains are reached. Bowie county, on the Red river, south along the eastern edge of the State, finally merging into the long-leaved pine region. The area of the pineries, both long and short leaved, is estimated at 25,000,000 acres, capable of The mesquite tree is a species of gum- Arabie tree (Aeacia), has very durable wood that shrinks but little in drying, and is thus well fitted for posts, rails, certain parts of wagons, carriages and furniture. The bean is nutritions, fattening live-stock. This tree producing 64,587,420,000 feet of merehant- able Ininber. Along the streams, especially the larger ones, walnut and ash timber is abundant. . In the southern part of the State, near the gulf, and west, bordering on the plains, the live oak is a prominent growth. is taking possession of prairie tracts and
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
gradually rendering the land more valuable. The whole body of the wood is also rich in tannin, thas rendering it a good tanuing material. It is said, indeed, to be better than any of the old popular materials, as it better preserves the leather.
ARBOR DAY.
In response to a growing public opinion in favor of forest planting, and to encourage aud promote that object, the Twenty-first Legislature passed an act designating Febrn- ary 22 of each year as " Arbor Day." If it shall result in aronsing a greater interest in preserving from unnecessary destruction the magnificent forests in the eastern part of the State and the planting and cultivating of forest trees on the bare prairies of the. West, it will become a moment to the wisdom and foresight of the Legislature more en- during than any ever made of marble or brass. And this is the main purpose to be subserved by the setting apart of one day in the year for planting ont trees. The number of trees planted ont on such occasions is in- considerable compared to the requirements of any community necding the influence exerted by forest areas on the climate. Bnt a be- giuniug must be made and the people grad- ually educated up to a proper appreciation of the importance of tree planting on a scale commensurate with the importance of thic work. The beucficial influence of forest cover in precipitating rainfall and preserving moist- ure is now acknowledged by the best authori. ties on the subject. The effect is seen in this State in the greater average rainfall in the timbered regions of east Texas as compared with the prairie regions of the west. The situations of the two sections with refereuce
to other conditions of rainfall, such as prox- imity to the gulf, topography, etc., are sub- stantially the same.
COTTON.
As will be seen by the reference to the summary of totals published elsewhere, the cotton crop of 1890 amomited to 1,692,830 bales -- au increase of 119,424 bales over the crop of 1889. The average production per acre was .41 of a bale, the largest number of bales ever reached in the State, and excecd- ing that of any State in the Union.
A fact worthy of note in this connection is that Texas lias the largest acreage in cotton of any State in the Union, and would, under equal conditions of soil, climate and seasons, fall below the average production per acre of other States. On the contrary, however. as the above figures show, the average yield in this State exceeds that of any of the cotton- growing States, and thus the superiority of our soil and the adaptability of the climate in the production of the fleecy staple are clearly established. It may be stated with- ont fear of contradiction, that no fertilizing materials were used by any Texas farmer, ex- cept in cases where experiments were being carried on, while in most, if not all, of the other cotton-producing States commercial fer- tilizers enter largely into the expense account of the cotton producer.
During the past four years the average yield per acre for each year has been as fol- lows: 1887, .34 of a bale per acre; 1888, .38; 1889, .41, and 1890, .41. The average value of an acre of cotton, including cotton seed, for 1890 was 816.64. It will also be seen by reference to the previous reports of this department that there has been a con-
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
stant and steady increase in the acreage de- voted to the cultivation of cotton. This is partly due to the abandonment of wheat- growing in portions of north Texas hereto- fore devoted to the growth of that cercal, and partly to the opening of new cotton farins in the sonthwestern and western parts of tlic State, but not entirely. The increase in the cotton acreage has been much greater than the increase in population, showing con- cinsively the tendency to an expansion of the cotton acreage to the exclusion of other crops on farms in cultivation during that period.
The fact that this has been going on in the face of strennons efforts on the part of the agricultural press and some of the lead- ing farmers of the country to induce the farmers to diversify crops and raise more grain and less cotton, would indicate that the average farmer thinks he knows best what crop is snited to our soil and climate and will yield the greatest return for the capital and labor invested. It is true there are other crops that yield a larger average money valne per acre in cultivation, but as a rule they enjoy only a limited market, and are sure to entail loss on producers when the demand is exceeded by production. Sugar cane is about the only exception to this general rule in this State, but the heavy expense necessary to the manufacture of sugar prohibits a rapid de- velopment of the agricultural interests of the State in that direction. Another very im- portant consideration in accounting for the steady increase in the acreage in cotton is the fact that it is a sure money crop, and can be realized on at any time, even in markets re- mote from the great marts of trade, for its value at the inills, Icss tlie cost of transporta- tion; but the producer retains but little money in his hands after paying the cost of production.
Much time and attention is being devoted to the discovery of the cause of cotton blight, or root rot, which damages the crop and en- tails considerable loss on farmers every year. So far no satisfactory conclusions have been reached upon the subject. While this sub- ject offers a wide field for investigation and research, and one worthy of the best efforts of the scientists, a more important question to the cotton-growers of Texas is the dis- covery of a cheap and efficient agent for the destruction of an insect commonly called the boll worm. The valne of a remedy for the boll worm will be better understood by the following carefully prepared estimate of losses from that source for three years:
Years.
Bales.
Value.
1887
297,499
$11,897,960L
1888
342,560
13,359,840
1889.
428,572
17,578,832
Total
1,068,631
$42,836,632
The boll worm destroys cotton in all stages of growth, from the formation of the bud and appearance of the bloom to the boll ready to open, and is equally destructive in its effect at all times.
CORN.
In 1890 there was a decrease of 135,655 acres in corn compared with the area of 1889. This is accounted for by the low prices at which the crop of that year was marketed. In many places farmers could find no sale for their surplus corn at all, and it was left at the mercy of the weevil, which injures the crop more or less every year, especially in the iniddle and southern portions of the State. A heavy corn crop is usually followed by a decrease in the acreage in corn the following year and a corresponding increase in the acre-
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
age in cotton. The average production per acre was 14.38 bushels, which is an average yield during an unseasonable year, when we consider that Texas is not classed among the corn-producing States as a source from whenee the demand for inaize may be supplied. The average production in the corn-growing States for years, according to the National Depart- ment of Agriculture, was 24.2 bushels per aere.
The estimated annual consumption for the past ten years was 28 bushels per capita. On this basis the account of the State, so far as it relates to the item of corn, would stand as follows: Bushels produced, 41,812,904; bushels necessary for home consumption, 62,594,644; detieit, 20,781,780.
WHEAT.
The returns for 1890 show a slight decrease in the acreage of wheat compared with 1889. The acreage in wheat for the four years past. has been as follows: In 1887, 520,219; in 1888, 386,120; in 1889, 402,154, and in 1890, 359,440. There has been a constant deerease in the acreage in wheat in the north- ern portion of the State, where formerly the bulk of the wheat grown in the State was produced. This decrease has, in a measure, been compensated for by the opening of new farms iu the Panhandle, which is fast be- coming the granary of the State. The soil and climate of that seetion are admirably adapted to wheat-growing, and with favorable meteorological conditions that section will supply the demand for home consumption and furnish a large surplus for exportation. The Secretary of Agriculture, in his report for 1890, estimates the consumption of wheat at 43 bushels per capita. On this basis of
consumption the account of the State on the item of wheat for 1890 stands as follows: Bushels necessary for home consumption, 10,432,442; bushels produced in the State, 2,365,523; bushels imported for home con- sninption, 8,066,917.
The value of the wheat imported, at 65 eents per bushel, the average value of the erop, amounted to $5,243.496.05, which is approximately the sum sent out of the State for flour during the year.
The average. production per acre is quite a decrease front the previous year, being 6.58 bushels, against 13 for 1889. There was a material decline in the average price per bushel, it being 65 cents, as against 71 for the previous year. The tendency to lower prices and consequent diminution of gross returns per acre in wheat has been very inarked during the past teu years, as shown by the reports of the Secretary of Agriculture for 1890. The decline has been from $13 per acre to $9.97.
OATS.
There was a large decrease in the acreage in oats in 1890, attributable to putting oats land in cotton. The average value per bushel of oats in the United States in 1889 was 22.9 cents, and the average value per aere was $6 26. In this State the average for 1890 was $9.46 per acre, and 48 cents per bushel. Owing to the fact that there is no means of knowing what the average annual consump- tion per capita of oats is, it is impossible to determine exactly whether the supply ex- ceeds the demand or not. The vast amount of open range and enclosed pasture land cur- tails largely the annual consumption of oats in this State.
-
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
RYE.
Rye is sown mostly for pasturage in this State, there being little if any demand for it in local markets. The average yield per acre in the United States for 1888 was 12 bushels, and the average value per bushel 58 cents. The crop of 1889 in this State averaged 14 bushels per acre, and the average value per bushel was 85 cents.
BARLEY.
The barley crop is of small importance in this State. In fact the yield is not a fair average of what might be produced under different conditions. Most of the barley sown is planted for pastnrage, there being little or no demand for it except for seed. The yield, therefore, represents what is har- vested after the pasturing season is past, and gathered mainly for seed.
ΗΔΥ. ·
Upon this crop the language used in the report of 1888 is still appropriate:
"Under this heading is included sorghum cane cut for hay, cultivated hay, millet and prairie hay, standing in valne per acre in order above presented. Sorglmim cane hay is most profitable, showing the highest aver- age yield per acre. It is affected less by drouth than any other cultivated product, and in favorable seasons two crops can be easily grown. The acreage in cultivated hay indi- cates the extent to which farmers are turn- ing attention to the various varieties of grasses that mist soon become a part of the erop on every weil conducted farin."
The average vale per acre of the different
hay crops was as follows: Sorghum cane hay, $17.75; cultivated hay, $10.88; prairie hay, $5.27; millet, $12.87.
POTATOES.
Sweet Potatoes .- There was a decrease in the acreage in sweet potatoes as compared to 1888, and a decrease in the average yield per acre. The average value per acre of this crop in 1889 was $57.50, and for the past four years was $57.83. The average yield per acre for the past four years was 123.11 bushels. The demand for the pure yellow yam has never been fully supplied. While not so prolific as other varieties, it bears a higher market value and can be readily sold.
Irish .- There was an increase in the acre-, age in Irish potatoes in 1890. Owing to the inability of preserving them for any consider- able length of time in this climate, the pro- duction of Irish potatoes for the general market is not undertaken at all. The local markets are supplied with them when the crop first matures, but beyond this their pro- duction is adjusted to the demands of the farm on which they are cultivated. Our soil is admirably adapted to the production of Irish potatoes, and the average yield per acre is considerably above the national average. The average annual yield per acre in the United States for the ten years ending in 1888 was 87.7 bushels, while in this State the average annual yield per acre for four years past (which is as far back as we have an accurate record) was 101.67 bushels.
SORGHUM CANE.
The large decline in the acreage of sorghum cane devoted to the production of sorghum cane syrup is not easily accounted for, unless
195
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
it be on account of low prices and the grow- ing tendency to supplant sorghum cane syrup with syrup made from sugar cane. It is partly accounted for from the fact that here- tofore more of the acreage in sorglmm cane should have been credited to the hay crop, having been planted for that purpose alone. Sorglim cane syrup is not so generally used as formerly, and in time it will doubtless be practically eliminated as a syrup crop.
SUGAR CANE.
One of the most promising fields for de- velopment is the vast area of alluvial soil in the middle, eastern and southern part of the State adapted to the growth of sugar cane. This territory is varionsly estimated at from 500,000 to 1,000,000 acres. From informa- tion collected in this office the conclusion has been reached that there is not less than 1,- 000,000 acres in sonth Texas alone where sugar cane can be successfully grown every year, and on the river bottoms and along many of the smaller streams, as high as the 33d parallel, it is successfully growu for the manufacture of syrup.
The total value of the sugar and syrup erops amount to $1,260,650, and the value per acre $88.62. As stated in previous re- ports, ouly a small portion of the area in sngar cane is devoted to sugar-making, owing to a want of facilities for manufacturing sngar. The larger part of the crop is con- verted into syrup, which is less profitable than sugar, and consequently the value of the crop per acre is thereby considerably redneed.
The following observations in the report of 1887 are still trne:
"Estimating the area in which sugar cane can be profitably grown at a balf million
acres, and valuing the product at $100 per acre, a fair idea of the possibilities of de- velopment in this industry may be gained. It would yield a crop annually worth $50,- 000,000-a sum greater by $1,500,000 than the present valne of the cotton crop of the. State. It is as staple an article, and less liable to fluctuation in prices. The supply in the United States is far below the demand, and there is, therefore, an unlimited market for the product.
"The only difficulty in the way of the rapid development of the industry is the cost of machinery necessary, which practically limits the advantages presented to men of large means, the cost of a plant ranging from $60,000 to $100,000. Co-operation has been suggested by some as a remedy for this, while others have thought that the purchase by the large mill owners of the cane grown by small planters would solve the problem."
Messrs. Cunningham & Miller, of Sugar- land, Fort Bend county, have recently refined a quantity of granulated sugar, as good as any in the market, but their efforts have been cramped by opposing trusts.
FLAX.
Flax has been raised in Texas as fine as any in Ireland. It will produce here about two tons to the acre, worth abont $45, while it costs less to market it than cotton.
BEE CULTURE.
The production of honey has received bnt little attention in the State, although it pays more to the capital invested than any other business. Unlike the interest on money, which silently piles up the indebtedness of individuals, bees, with but little attention, day after day, store away hundreds of ponuds
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