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eate issued from the land office at Austin. Where lands are held by individuals 
under Spauish or Mexican grants, they may be bought-in large tracts as low‘ as 
124 cents per acre, while small tracts’ held under patents from the State are held 
at 50 cents to $1 per acre. As a matter of course much of this class of lands 
is equal to any under cultivation, and capable of producing as good crops as can 
be raised in the State. Being found in almost if not all the counties in propor- 
tions greater than the improved lands, these tracts. possess the peculiarities of 
soil and resources common to their respective locations. _In Hopkins county, 
in the northern part of the State, the average price is about $3 per acre, the 
southern and eastern portion being timbered, the northern and western prairie. 
Ellis, Navarro, and Dallas, $1 to $5; soil black, waxy, capable of producing 
large crops of corn, wheat, rye, oats, barley, cotton, tobacco, &c. Anderson, 
value nominal, not exceeding 50 cents per acre, and capable of producing 1,000 
pounds cotton to the acre, 40 bushes corn, 20 bushels wheat, 30 bushels oats. 
Hardin and Cherokee, $1 to $2; either timber or prairie, much of it very fer- 
tile. Houston, $1; will produce 25 bushels corn or 900 pounds:seed cotton to 
the acre. Trinity, generally held at $2 to $4, some large tracts to be had at 50 
cents ; lands good for cotton, corn, potatoes, tobacco, sugar, rice, &c. Falls, $3 
per acre, suited to corn and cotton. McLennan, in tracts of 160 acres $2, and 
$1 50 for larger tracts, one-third timber, two-thirds prairie, rich in quality. Bell 
county, $3, rich bottoms with or without.timber, black loam with or without 
sand. Williamson county, $1 to $5 per acre, claimed to be equal to the best 
in Illinois, the soil on the prairies ranging from 3 to 15 feet in depth, under- 
laid with a species of potter’s clay, 90 per cent. good tillable land. Wash- 
ington, $5 for light sandy soil, fitted for fruit culture, and $10 for good black 
land suitable for cotton. De Witt and Goliad, 50 cents to $5, embracing all 
varieties from timber bottom and rich valley prairie, to light sandy post-oak and 
sandy upland prairie. .Cameron has much back land that may be purchased at 
124 cents per acre, but generally in large tracts, five leagues, (4,428 acres,) or 
else in undivided rights in tracts of that size or larger ; and even though the 
right be not over an acre, the owner has the run of the whole tract, in some 
instances over 100 leagues. » ; 
3. The resources of this State have as yet been but slightly developed beyond 
the capabilities of the soil and the extent and quality of her timber. Of the 
former extracts from the reports of a few counties will give the reader a general 
idea in the whole State. Grayson county, in the north, reports: “This is one 
of the-best counties in the State, the land being capable of producing almost all 
classes of crops, cotton, corn, wheat, rye, oats, &c.”” Collin: “Soil uniformly 
deep, jet black, very rich.” Burnet: “ Our soil is peculiar to the culture of 
such species of cactus as furnish sustenance to the cochineal, which insect, dur- 
ing certain months of the year, may be seen in great numbers on a broad-leaved 
variety (opuntia) which thrives here in great abundance even on the most sterile 
lands, affording at the same time a valuable food for cattle.’”? Williamson, in 
the central part of the State: “Our soil is well adapted to the production of 
corn, wheat, barley, oats, sorghum, millet, Hungarian grass, &c. We also raise 
cotton, but do not get more than two-thirds as much per acre as upon the large 
river bottoms. We are subject to drought and partial failure of crops in conse- 
quence.” Gillespie: “Our soil is generally a mixed, sandy loam, in the val- 
leys and bottoms alluvial, and several feet deep.” Fayette: “The soil of this 
county is adapted to every vegetable suited to the climate; soil from the poor, 
rocky hill, to the richest valley ; from the sand bank to the most tenacious mor- 
tar when wet.” Washington : “Our soil, for the most part, is so fertile that 
without any manure there are large crops raised every year.” Cherokee, in the 
east, reports: “@ur upland: soil is very fine generally, much of it being red 
land and very productive. There is a large quantity of creek and branch bot- 
tum landj very fertile and easily cultivated.” De Witt, in the south : “The 
