114 Frederick Law Olmsted 



San Antonio and San Pedro Springs. The latter is a 

 wooded spot of great beauty, but a mile or two from the 

 town, and boasts a restaurant and beer-garden beyond its 

 natural attractions. The San Antonio Spring may be 

 classed as of the first water among the gems of the natural 

 world. The whole river gushes up in one sparkling burst 

 from the earth. It has all the beautiful accompaniments of 

 a smaller spring, moss, pebbles, seclusion, sparkling sun- 

 beams and dense overhanging luxuriant foliage. The effect 

 is overpowering. It is beyond your possible conceptions 

 of a spring. 



SEGUIN 



About a mile from the river we entered Seguin. It is the 

 prettiest town in Texas ; at least of those we saw. It stands 

 on elevated ground, in a grove of shaggy live-oaks, which 

 have been left untouched, in their natural number and posi- 

 tion, the streets straying through them in convenient 

 directions, not always at right angles. 



The following selections are from the Back Country 

 book : 



THE LANDSCAPE — ROSE HEDGES 



For some miles about St. Francisville the landscape has 

 an open, suburban character, with residences indicative of 

 rapidly accumulating wealth, and advancement in luxury 

 among the proprietors. For twenty miles to the north of 

 the town, there is on both sides a succession of large sugar 

 and cotton plantations. Much land still remains unculti- 

 vated, however. The roadside fences are generally hedges 

 of roses — Cherokee and sweetbrier. These are planted 

 first by the side of a common rail fence, which, while they 

 are young, supports them in the manner of a trellis ; as they 



