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BANDERA, TEXAS. 



Bandera County, Texas. — This county lies northwest of and adjoining 

 Bexar County, and is about nine hundred square miles in area. It is 

 abundantly supplied -with streams of pure water, including the Medina 

 River and its several tributaries, and numerous smaller creeks sustained 

 by unfailing springs of wholesome limestone water. The Medina 

 River, averaging one hundred and twenty feet in width, furnishes many 

 eligible sites for manufactories, some of which are utilized, there being 

 in operation three saw-mills and one grist-mill, the latter located at 

 Bandera City, the county seat, a prospering village upon the left bank 

 of the Medina, forty-three miles northwest of San. Antonio. Ten miles 

 above Bandera, on the river, is Mound ville, a thriving village, located 

 upon a beautiful prairie, the settlement of which was commenced about 

 one year ago. The lands of the county are prairie, timbered over two- 

 thirds of its area with live, Spanish, and post oaks, elm, cedar, walnut, 

 cherry, sycamore, &c. The Medina and some of its larger tributaries 

 are fringed with highland cypress, the manufacturing of which into 

 lumber is quite a lucrative business. The soil of the valleys and some 

 of the ui)lands is very dark in color, friable, and easily tilled, and is 

 well adapted to the growth of cereals as well as cotton, tobacco, and 

 various garden vegetables. The average yield of corn is thirty bushels 

 per acre, and other crops yield a generous return for the slight labor 

 and attention usually bestowed upon them. The price of unimproved 

 arable laud ranges from one to five dollars per acre. There are no 

 marsh or swamp lands in this region, and probably no healthier climate 

 known, fever and ague and epidemics being unknown. The Gulf breezes 

 prevail during the warm months, giving a cool, pleasant temperature, 

 and the small mountain and forest growths break the cold northers of 

 winter. The Indians have at times committed depredations, but since 

 the frontier troops of the State have been ranging around us we have 

 been free from molestation. The population, which is nearly all white, 

 is increasing by immigration and otherwise, and is peaceable and law- 

 abiding. Stock-raising is the i)rincipal business, the ranges affording 

 sustenance throughout the year to all classes of farm animals. 



TRIALS OF SEEDS. 



Mr. H. Bowen, of Orleans County, New York, writes as follows : " I 

 herewith send you a sample of White Touzelle wheat, from imported 

 seed, furnished by you to the New York State Agricultural Society in 

 the fall of 1869, while holding the lair at Blmira. The whole amount, 

 1^ bushel, was drilled after barley, at the rate of a little over two bushels 

 to the acre. The season was very bad here, but the yield was sixteen 

 bushels. I received it rather late in 1869, so that it was not sown until 

 the 21st day of September. It is rather a short, fine straw, bald wheat, 

 and, I think, it is well adapted to this climate, it being a little earlier 

 than the Treadwell variety. I sowed fifteen bushels on the 1st day of 

 September last. It is now looking well." 



Seth S. Barnes, of Olena, Illinois, writes that, " On the 20th of May last, 

 I planted a peck of the Peerless potato. By dividing the eyes, I made 

 460 hills, but on account of the drought not more than 300 grew. These 

 were planted on about 11§ square rods. The land was very rich, and 

 was worked to the depth of fifteen inches, and thoroughly pulverized. 

 One handful of manure was used to the hill, composed of two-thirds 

 hen-droppings and one-third leached ashes. The crop was worked three 



