52 GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES 
In the region west of Eagle Lake much of the land is prairie with 
scattered clumps of timber, especially along the streams. Post oaks 
(Quercus stellata) are the most abundant trees and some of them reach 
a diameter of 2 feet and a height of 30 feet. Small hickories and live 
oaks (Quercus virginiana) are fairly common, and the yaupon or 
scrubby southern holly (lex vomitoria), hawthorn, buckthorn, and other 
small trees are widespread. Spanish moss festoons many of the trees 
in the lower lands, where also there are afew palmettos. Large ‘‘syca- 
mores,” or buttonwoods (Platanus occidentalis), live oaks, white oaks, 
pecans, black walnuts, cedars, and soapberry trees are widely scat- 
tered. A few shortleaf pines occur, notably in a small clump 3% 
miles north of Alleyton. In the vicinity of Alleyton and Columbus 
cottonwood trees (Populus Meee appest along the larger water- 
courses, a feature which is characteristic in central and western 
Texas. There are also many ilies in the lowlands, but cypress 
disappears. Yuccas begin, but they are not abundant. 
Near Alleyton there are deep gravel pits from which a large amount 
of material has been excavated for railroad ballast and road metal 
rom an alluvial deposit of a terrace built by the Colo- 
Alleyton. rado River at a time geologically not very remote. 
— feet. The gravel pits are marked by great mounds of 
New Orleans 445 miles. refuse stripping. 
About 3 miles west of Alleyton the Colorado River 
is crossed; Columbus lies on its west bank. Nearby at Beason’s ford 
the Texans under General Houston camped for a while prior to their 
victorious battle at San Jacinto. The Colorado River rises in the 
central part of the State and empties into Matagorda Bay with a 
total length of about 715 miles: The name Colorado (Spanish, red) is 
appropriate, for when the river is in freshet the red beds which are 
traversed by its upper waters give it a large amount of red mud. 
About 75 miles above Columbus on this stream is Austin, the capital 
of Texas, founded in 1839 on 7,735 acres of land bought for this 
purpose by the Republic at a cost of $21,000. 
Columbus is a local business center for diversified farming interests, 
rice here giving place to a variety of crops and more extensive cattle 
igs raising and dairying. On the edge of the town is a 
Columbus. flowing well of excellent water in small volume said 
onset aaeep a feet. to come from a depth of 1,400 feet. In the west bank 
New eae, miles. Of the river half a mile below the railroad bridge are 
conspicuous ledges of moderately compact gray sand- 
stone overlain by softer gray sandstone, all of the Lagarto formation, 
* The Lagarto formation is largely | fied, plastic, and usually jointed, and 
@ calcareous clay with a few soft, thin, | their cleav vage with 
irregularly bedded light-colored sand- | They are common- 
stones loosely held together by a ealea- -ly mottled in pastel tints of green, gray, 
cc. Teous cement. The clays are unstrati- | and brown and near the top, where 
