am fully satisfied that this plan will yield more corn per acre than any other that I know of. Oats and ry? do well; but little of either is sown. known. Yield per acre, not Neat Cattle are raised in great numbers on the prairies. Cost of rais ing a three-year old, not known; but next to nothing. Stock cattle generally sell for $4 per head, all ages counted. They are neither fed nor salted; and the only attention they need is branding, and occasionally collecting up those that stray off. No improvement in breed. Horses and Mules, from Mexican mares, are raised by a few; but, though the rearing of them is very profitable, yet enough are not raised in the county to supply its demands. The mares may be bought for from $5 to $10; they are never fed. The cost, therefore, of raising a three-year old mule or horse, would be but little more than the interest on the price of the mare; from $20 to $40 would be the value of the horse or mule at three years old. Sheep.-There are but few in the county. They do well; but little attention is paid to them. Hogs are raised abundantly; but little attention is paid to improving the breed. Cotton. This is the staple crop of the county. One bale, weighing 500 pounds, is the average per acre. More is raised, but that is the average saved. The question with the planters here is, not how much per acre, but how much per hand. Ten bales, of 500 pounds each, are occasionally saved to the hand, and it is the general opinion that eight bales per hand is the average crop. I do not think the average is more than seven bales. Great diversity of opinion exists as to the cost of production per pound-some say four, others six cents per pound. Their opinions may be reconciled by supposing that they base their calculations on different qualities of cotton. If a planter should tell his hands to rush ahead and take no pains in picking, he will get much more cotton saved, but will have an article that will rank as inferior, or ordinary. This will not cost him more than four cents. Should he require them to be more particular, he will save less, but the quality will be better-say raiddling, or good middling, which will cost him about five cents. Should he be very particular, he will save still less, but will have fair, or fully fair cotton, which will cost him six cents, or more. The quality raised here ranks, generally, as middling, and I think costs about five cents. The cost is difficult to estimate. A good manager can make it cheaper than an indifferent one, and a small planter cheaper than a large one; and there are other contingencies. Neither the rust nor the boll-worm has injured us enough to be noticed. The army-worm is our only dread, and against it we have no preventive. The best plan is to plant as early as possible, so that many bolls may be matured before they come. We have a periodical rain that sets in about the 15th or 20th of June, and generally lasts two weeks-raining nearly every day. The wormis never come till after those rains; and never, unless the rains continue much longer than usual. Half a crop, or more, of bolls will be matured by that time, if planted early. Sugar-cane.-There are but four plantations of cane in this county. One of them was commenced by Mr. Mercer, near Egypt, before the Texas revolution, and has been profitable. The others are about three years old. I have neither known nor heard of premature decay of the cane. The canes are planted in rows, eight feet apart, and a good stand of rattoons will come up yearly, for five or six years. Our experience will not justify us, as yet, in making any suggestions as to the culture of cane or manufacture of sugar. Cost of production about three cents per pound. I think experience teaches that the cultivation of cane, as a sole staple crop, cannot be relied on, with certainty, in this county. We never fail to have frost by the 12th of November. It has once occurred as early as 25th October. This frost always kills the cotton, and too frequently the cane; and it generally becomes warm soon after. The cane will be spoiled, unless speedily worked up. I think the most profitable plan would be to plant half a crop each, of cotton and cane; the cotton to be planted early, and of an early variety. It could be all saved carefully, and would therefore be a fine quality, before the cane crop would need working up; for, as there would be but half a crop of cane to take off, this operation could be delayed with great gain, both in quantity and quality of sugar, for the cane sweetens rapidly in the latter part of the season. The cultivation of the crop would be light; and I think the yield of five bales of fine cotton, and 5,000 pounds of sugar, might be calculated on, with almost certainty, to the hand. Average yield of sugar, about fifteen hundred pounds per acre. Rice. We have no lands suitable for the swamp rice. A small patch was sown last season of upland rice; it was very flourishing, and the grain filled well, but it was destroyed by the birds. Tobacco grows luxuriantly, but is not cultivated for sale. Potatoes, both Irish and sweet, are raised in the greatest abundance. It is said that the yield per acre is from two to five hundred bushels. As they are never measured, this is but guessing. Cost of production about one cent per bushel. Fruit. With but few important exceptions, the peach is the only fruit cultivated. They are grown abundantly, and are of superior flavor. The best preventive of disease in the trees, is to plant them in a situation exposed to the north, and to cultivate the orchard. Meteorology. As no observations have been regularly recorded in the county, the questions under this head can only be answered generally. From the 15th of July to the last of August is our warmest season, during which Fahrenheit's thermometer ranges at 3 p. m. from 88 to 94°; I have occasionally seen it as high as 96. Frost occurs about the 12th of November, after which there is much pleasant and even warm weather; and in some seasons there has been no more frost during the winter. Most commonly we have a succession of changes, from cold to pleasant, and back to cold, the time taken up in making the revolution being from one to three weeks. There are seldom more than two or three days of cold weather together, during which the thermometer, early in the morning, will frequently fall below 32°; I once saw it at 20°. Spring opens about 1st of March, or earlier. Latest frost known was on the 7th April. Our only cold wind is from northwest. Our winds are variable in winter and spring From 9th of May to last of August we have a regular wind from southeast-a deflection of the trade winds. We have frequent rains in winter and early spring: a periodical rain of about two weeks at the summer solstice. Fall is generally dry, though we have much windy weather; yet I have known but one dangerous wind. Very respectfully, yours, Hon. THOMAS EWBANK, M. L. WEEMS, M. D. Commissioner of Patents. SEGUIN, GAUDALUPE COUNTY, TEXAS, November 15, 1851. SIR: Your Circular, dated August, is before me; and I will, in as brief a manner as possible, give you such information as I can from my own knowledge communicate. Wheat. On wheat we use no manure of any kind. Average crop, 20 bushels per acre. Time of seeding, 1st of January. Time of harvesting, 1st of June. We use one bushel of seed per acre; plough once from 4 to 6 inches deep. The yield is increasing. We are not troubled with flies or weevil. Price, $1 50 to $2 per bushel. Corn. No manure used. Average crop from 40 to 50 bushels per acre. Cost of producing per bushel, 12 to 15 cents. The best mode of producing is to plough deep in winter, and plant about the middle of February. We hoe our corn once, and plough twice. By the time this is done, corn is too large to work. Experience has taught us that to plant late, or cultivate too long, will not produce a good crop. Oats yield from 35 to 50 bushels per acre. Rye about the same. Peas and beans-but few raised; few plant only for table use. Clover and Grasses.-We have none except the grasses which grow spontaneously upon the wood-lands and prairies. We often cut here from mezquit prairies, but I do not know the precise yield per acre. It is immense. Dairy Husbandry.-There is no regular system among us; consequently I cannot tell the yield of cheese or butter per cow. We churn in the good old way. Put butter down by washing well, then salting sufficiently in casks, without exposure to the air after salting down. Average price of butter 20 cents per pound; cheese, from 8 to 15 cents per pound. Neat Cattle. The cost of rearing till three years old, $1 per head. This is for the attention to them, as we do not feed at any season, and but few salt. Price at three years old, $10. The value of good dairy cows in the spring is from $10 to $12; in the fall, from $12 to $20. We have but little trouble in breaking our steers to work. Our usual mode is to neck them together a few days, then put on the yoke, and put them in the swing of the team. In 19 cases out of 20 they work at once. Horses and Mules.-They are very profitable. The expense of rearing until three yeras old, exclusive of cost of season to horse or jack, about the same as that of a steer-say $1. Brood mares do best to be turned upon the prairies, driven up and salted once a week. We take up our young horses or mules and teach them to lead by the rope or halter, then saddle and ride them. This I consider the best mode of breaking. Many, however, catch them up from the prairie and ride at once, which generally results in the abuse of the animal. Sheep and Wool. They are profitable. The cost of growing does not exceed 2 cents per pound. We only use hay during the cold weather in winter, which usually lasts from two to seven days; then turn them out upon pastures or prairies. Large sheep are more profitable for wool or mutton. It costs nothing more to raise fine than coarse wool. Average number of lambs, one to each ewe. My own sheep, however, have averaged something over this since I have adopted a method of taking the bucks from the ewes, so as to let them have lambs but once a year, and all at the same time. I prefer my lambs to come from the 1st of January to the 1st of March. The lambs grow with astonishing rapidity, the ewes having young at 12 months of age. Hogs-Irish Grazier. The method adopted in procuring bacon is to take care of the pigs until they are three or four months old, then let them shift for themselves until two years old, when, generally, they will fatten on mast of pecans or acorns. The usual mode of putting up bacon is to take the bone out, and salt down in bulk from 15 to 30 days; then wash, hang up, and smoke well. Those who take great pains save the ham without taking out the bone. Cotton. The average yield is one bale (400 pounds ginned cotton) per acre, and cost of production more than cotton is now worth. We have no rust, and have never had the army or boll-worm in this county. Our land is so rich that it will not require rest for many years. no manure or fertilizer of any kind. We use Sugar-cane is only planted in this county by way of variety, or for experiment. So far it has done well when planted on low bottom-lands. Rice.-I am of opinion that rice will not do on upland. At present I know of none being raised in the county. Tobacco is only grown by a few individuals for their own use. It grows luxuriantly, and is said to yield well. Hemp. We have none. Root Crops. We only raise beets, carrots, and turnips, for table use. Potatoes (Irish) yield from 100 to 300 bushels per acre; the cost of raising, very trifling. We plant by breaking up land deep; then open a deep furrow; put down the potatoes about 8 inches distance; throw over them a small quantity of hay, or trash of any kind; cover by throwing two heavy furrows on the potatoes. If they come up too early, we keep them from frost by covering them lightly with loose dirt drawn up with the hoe. Sweet Potatoes.-We bed out seed in February or March. As soon as the slips are sufficiently large, make up hills or ridges and transplant. Average yield, from 250 to 500 bushels per acre. We do not cultivate either only to keep down grass and weeds. Fruit. I greatly fear this is not a good fruit country. I have been about 13 years in the county, and find there are many difficulties in the way of an orchard of any kind. Grapes do well here; but it is with much difficulty the large red ant can be kept from destroying them. Manures.-We save none. Respectfully, Hon. THомAS EWBANK, T. H. DUGGAN, COLUMBUS, COLORADO COUNTY, TEXAS, SIR: The postmaster of this place having received your Circular, asking for information on the different subjects of agriculture, and thinking that I, being "assistant marshal" for this county, would be better able to give the information sought than he himself would be, handed the Circular over to me, and requested me to answer the different questions therein contained. Some of the information I can give correctly; some will be guess-work; however, I will keep strictly within bounds. Wheat.-None raised; and I would say, to begin with, guano is not known here, nor any other manure used. Corn. I have known 75 bushels raised to the acre; but 50 bushels would be a safe average. Oats, Barley, Rye, Peas, and Beans.-The three former have never been raised to any extent. Peas and beans, however, I should suppose, grow as well here as at any place on the globe. The amount per acre I cannot give, as there are no pains taken in the cultivation. I, myself, have raised, this year, three crops of peas from the same seed, on the same ground. Clover and Grasses.-Not raised here, as we have an inexhaustible pasture without that trouble. Dairy Husbandry.-No attention given to it beyond home consumption. Neat Cattle. We have an abundance, and the cost of raising is nothing. Such a thing as feeding cattle is not known here. Our beef is always fat stock cattle, worth $4 per head. Beeves worth $10, all, or nearly so, Mexican stock. Horses and Mules.-Cost the same as cattle, and no more, to raise them, and they sell for about three times as much. The stock run at large in the prairies. Sheep and Wool.--It is generally thought that wool-growing would be profitable. There are a good many persons just entering on the business, with some energy. What wool has been sold was of the coarse kind, and averaged 35 cents per pound. Hogs.-The same as cattle; cost nothing to raise except some trouble, and there is no pork or bacon put up but for home use. Cotton. An average yield of cotton is about 3,500 pounds to the acre. The cost of cultivation per acre I am not able to give you correctly. We have not found out yet any successful remedy against worms; and as for improving the land, I may observe that we have not found it necessary as yet. Sugar cane. The average production is two hogsheads to the acre, but the net cost I am not able to give you; and we know nothing of the seed here-whether it would be better than rattoon or not. Rice is not grown. Tobacco is cultivated, but at how much per acre I am not able to say. Hemp is not grown. Turnips, Carrots, and Beets all grow finely, and turn out well. |