24 LETTEBS FROM TEXAS. 



(" bottoms ") of her rivers, is decidedly ahead of her in this respect. 

 But the prairies of Eastern Texas, though often large, are inter- 

 iiipted, chequered, diversified, by clumps or groves of timber, as I 

 never saw any other. Wherever water finds or makes a course, no 

 matter how shallow or how generally dry, there trees spring up and 

 struggle resolutely for existence. And, since these prairies and 

 glades have been fed down by innumerable cattle, the annual prai- 

 rie-fires, if not prevented, are so enfeebled, by the relative scantiness 

 of their aliment, that they no longer charge upon and drive back the 

 timber as they formerly did. It is plain that the forests are steadi- 

 ly extending their boundaries on every side,while every tree cut out 

 of them is replaced by half a dozen young ones. I judge that the 

 increase of timber throughout the region I have traversed has been 

 very great during the last ten years, and that it will continue for 

 the next twenty, in spite of the rapid increase of population. 



As to quality, this timber is not what I could wish it. Oaks, ot 

 almost every known variety, with two or three species of Pine, are 

 most abundant ; while Cottonwood, White Ash, Pecan, Elm, Gum, 

 ifec, garland the rivers and bayous. The Live Oak is quite common, 

 and is a good timber-tree ; the long-leaf Pine is of tolerable quality, 

 though not equal to our White Pine. But most of the Oak is 

 " brash," as the woodmen say — that is, it lacks toughness and elas- 

 ticity. Much of it is low and scrubby, but the young trees, growing 

 thickly, promise to be tall and comj^aratively limbless. I hope 

 their timber will prove more elastic than that it replaces. I would 

 gladly hear that Hickory, Locust, Larch, and other desirable spe- 

 cies, are extensively planted ere long. As yet, more sawed Pine is 

 imported (especially for bridge-building) than I wish was needed. 



II. As to the Soil, I have seen few acres that would not yield 

 good crops to good cultivation ; but this is exjjected of a prairie 

 country. Some of the pine-covered lands, especially near the Gulf, 

 seem but moderately fertile ; a part of the upland " Oak openings " 

 only a little better. On the other hand, the river bottoms, espe- 

 cially those of the Brassos, are very fertile, as annually overflowed in- 

 tervales are apt to be. Here, however, the inundations are frequent 

 and of enormous extent, so that I judge the intervales of the Trinity, 

 Brassos, Colorado, &c., deeper and richer than those of the Connec- 

 ticut, Hudson, Delaware, Susquehanna, or Potomac, ever wei-e or 

 could be. I never saw better soil than the Brassos bottoms. 



] was more surprised, however, by the remarkable fertility of the 



