798 [Assembly 



from which he emigrated j he also pointed out the important fact, 

 that the straw was much stronger, and resisted wind and rain better 

 than in more northern latitudes. My attention being called to this 

 circumstance, I examined tiie straw, and observed that it had much 

 less hollow, and was decidedly more woody than any I had ever seen in 

 " the States." The country of which I speak, is situated above the 

 lower iron, or mineral belt, and is itself a silex and lime region. It 

 extends to the hills, is an average of 50 or 60 miles wide, and about 

 300 long, ranging N. E. and S. W., and expands to a great width 

 as it approaches the upper Colorado, Gaudalupe, and San Antonio 

 rivers, embracing the San Saba, Perdinales, Puesco, and other 

 streams. I did not take my pen to heap encomiums on this most de- 

 lightful region of Texas, (which is needless to you) but to afford 

 to others, through you, that tangible evidence, that wheat of the 

 best quality, in large quantities, can be raised in Texas. The grain 

 itself will speak more directly to the understanding of men, than rep- 

 resentations of any other kind. It is an argument addressed to the 

 senses, can be seen, felt and tasted, and may perhaps move some to 

 seek out the truth, who would otherwise look upon the representa- 

 tions concerning this country, as idle dreams, or the result of over ex- 

 cited imaginations. 



I also send with this a parcel of the seed of the Bois d' Arc, or 

 Osage Orange, now so much desired for raising hedges, and which 

 abounds on the upper Trinity. Try it, or let some northern friend 

 do so. If it succeeds as well as there is every reason to hope, it 

 will not only prove a great blessing to this State, but perhaps to all 

 North America. Our millions of prairie can at once be rendered 

 subservient to the wants and necessities of man. 



Having extended my communication much beyond what I intended, 

 I will now cease to tax your patience, and remain your friend. 



J. 0. TRUEHART. 



Judge Van Wyck. Our farmers understand that kind of draining 

 which they usually want, but they call it ditching; a mode of car- 

 rying off surplus waters, much cheaper for most places than under- 

 draining. Our farmers are, and they feel it too, perfectly indepen- 

 dent. They have always been used to plenty, and not one of them 

 in a hundred will hazard regular draining, as practiced in Europe. 

 Some lands might undoubtedly be benefite 1 by drainage on the most 

 approved plan. Col. Skinner quoted the drainage of certain kinds in 

 England, as costing but $12 per acre. The cost of drains in England 

 that I have seen estimates of is considerably more than this. Sir 



