38 TEXAS STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



telligent and industrious farmer can gain independence with the small- 

 est pecuniary start. 



Yours very truly, 



H. NESS. 

 Professor Kyle's letter: 



THE IMPORTANCE OF EAST TEXAS AS AN AGRICULTURAL SECTION. 



For a number of years I have had great confidence in the ultimate 

 success of East Texas as an agricultural country. As a matter of fact, 

 it has been surprising to me that that country has not been settled 

 faster and has not made more rapid progress and development. It 

 seems to me that the principal reasons why the country has not de- 

 veloped faster have been due, first, to the lack of advertisement and, 

 second, to the fact that most of the country is rather thickly wooded, 

 and most of our homeseekers have come from the prairie States and are 

 naturally prejudiced against a wooded country. 



There are many reasons why East Texas should become a thickly 

 settled and prosperous agricultural country. 



The annual rainfall of East Texas is sufficient for practically all of 

 the agricultural crops grown in this State. In addition to this, I doubt 

 if there is another section in the United States where there is as much 

 running water coming from springs. In passing over the country, it 

 seems to one that it would be almost impossible to select a block of fifty 

 acres without having running water on some part of it. 



The soil in East Texas is a sandy, or sandy loam underlaid with 

 porous clay subsoil. This soil not only retains moisture exceptionally 

 well, but gives up plant food when applied in the form of commercial 

 fertilizer exceptionally well. These qualities make it possible to build 

 up the soil in East Texas to a very high state of fertility. 



The rainfall, an abundant water supply, and the ability of the soil 

 to produce crops the year round is destined to make of East Texas one 

 of the leading, if not the foremost, dairy country of the United States, 

 As a successful dairy industry is the best basis of all permanent and 

 prosperous agricultural countries, there should be no question as to the 

 future of East Texas. In a great many parts of the world where the 

 dairy industry has become of immense importance it is necessary on ac- 

 count of the extreme cold to house the dairy cow from three to six 

 months during the year. While bein^ kept under shelter, it is of course 

 necessary to use commercial feedstuffs. In East Texas there is hardly 

 a day in the year but what the dairy cow cannot only run in the open 

 but it can have green pasturage to feed upon. 



The success of most countries, agriculturally, is in direct proportion 

 to their ability to diversify in the crops grown. It is doubtful if there 

 is another section of the United States where as many crops can be 

 grown as successfully as in Fast Texa*. Peaches, small fruits, such as 

 strawberries, blackberries and dewberries, can be grown to perfection in 

 East Texas. In fact, these have all become staple crops. 



In the line of vegetables, the tomato, the Irish potato, cabbage, etc., 

 have become staple crops, and every year bring in large profits to the 

 careful and intelligent <rrowfr. 



