275 
exclusive system of rural industry, which, though it brings to a few, 
and only a few, very great profits in some years, yet largely reduces the 
annual average of profits by the very great losses it brings in other 
years, and which militates against almost all other forms of industry in 
the same section, necessitates a sparse population, and prevents internal 
improvements generally. 
The following extracts will show the changes in cattle-raising now 
taking place in Texas. Some of them also point to or suggest the fur- 
ther changes and the ultimate advantages to result from them: 
Hunt: The raising of cattle in this county is rapidly decreasing ; owing, first, to 
failure of range, the settling up of the county, and the disposition of owners to turn 
their attention to agricultural pursuits; second, to the prospect that a fence law will 
be passed by our legislature. Milan: Grass is giving out, and stock-raising is falling 
off 35 per cent. yearly ; in its stead agricultural interest is advancing rapidly. Mer- 
cer: The cattle men will have to buy land and put cattle upon it so as not to overstock 
it, or abandon the business. Public opinion and the rights of other parties will not 
submit any longer to this buffalo mode of raising cattle. The whole country is now 
eaten out by wandering herds of cattle and horses, and where beautiful grass formerly 
grew nothing but weeds can be séen. Burnet: The yearly increase of herds from some 
causes, especially the scarcity of food during winter, has not been as large of late as in 
former years. The size of cattle is also diminishing. Grayson: The cattle-herding 
system of our State has very materially changed in the last six years, and large herds 
are no longer found in this county. The most of them have been transferred to Wich- 
ita County, some one hundred and fifty miles west of this. There are no cattle fed 
here except a very few milch-cows and oxen. But the old programme must now be 
changed. Our wild grass is rapidly giving way, and as yet we have no tame grass 
that we can rely upon, and our cattle will have to be fed from our fields. Fine varie- 
ties are now being introduced, and they will take the place of our long-horned or Texas . 
cattle, provided they acclimate well. Lyon: Cattle-raising, which has never been ex- 
tensively carried on in this county, is gradually on the decrease, owing to the fact that 
the people are devoting almost their whole attention to farming. Grimes: A small 
herd of cattle will not pay well, as without strict attention they would all bestolen or 
killed out. It is a safe estimate to say that this county (now estimated to have 23,000 
head) ten years ago had over 50,000, if not quite 60,000, head of cattle. Farmers are 
now turning their attention toimproved stock; but not much can be done in that line 
until pastures can be fenced. Fayette: This county is ceasing to be a stock-growing 
one, and is rapidly being settled and fenced up for agricultural purposes. Austin: 
Many of our stoek-raisers are getting discouraged, and are of the opinion that cattle- 
raising is no longer profitable, and are selling out. ' 
SIZE OF HERDS.—A large portion of our correspondents overlooked 
the request that the number of cattle in the herd be given, with the 
name of the owner. The following are names of owners and numbers 
of some of the larger herds reported: Kaufman: Bailey Dougherty’s 
numbers 2,000; J. Nash’s, 1,500; John Moore’s, 1,000; J. Hardin’s, 
1,000; Dr. Pyle’s, 800. Refugio: Thomas O’Coner’s, 3,000.; John H. 
Wood's, 17,500; John Linny’s, 17,500; J.and R. Dushel’s, 9,000. Hunt ; 
J. Harris’s, 5,000; Jacobs & Black’s, 2,000; Frederick Black’s, 1,000 ; 
Thomas King’s, 2,000; E. J. Jacobs and E. Cox’s, 1,500; McDonald & 
Co.s, 1,500. Cooke: Samuel E. Doss’s, 5,000; William Downard’s, 
4,000; Widow Loring and sons’s, 2,500; W. J. Morris’s, 2,000; Mrs. 
Brother’s, 1,500; rank Gooding’s, 1,200; Elijah Parry’s, 1,000; Mrs. 
Long’s, 1,000. Mason: Ben. F. Gooch’s, 20,000. Austin: E. Johnson’s, 
3,000; The brothers J. and J. Hill’s, 4,000. Fayette: James Reynolds's, 
4,000. Grayson: Burrel Yolooroo’s, 10,000, scattered over ten or fifteen 
counties. 
TOTAL NUMBER.—The following table shows the total number of cata 
tle, and the proportion in the several classes specified, in the counties 
named: ‘ 
