CATTLE BREEDING. 119 
Water is plenty, the whole country being intersected with 
creeks and rivers, and although the season was unprecedently 
dry, we met with no scarcity even on our narrow line of 
march. 
The grass remains green and nutritious throughout the 
winter-months, and there.is plenty of timber for building or 
firewood for the herdsman. 
There are in Texas between one and two millions of horned 
cattle, and the same management prevails throughout the 
State. The plan is to sell out all the beeves from four years 
old and upwards. The saves are never sold or killed for 
beef, but kept expressly for breeding. The increase in stock 
cattle is twenty-five per cent. annually, and in some instances 
more, This compounded yearly will produce ia a series of 
years immense results. This increase is certain, for cattle 
seldom die except from old age. The territory is large 
‘enough to cut five states as large as New York out of it, 
and with such economy in management and such facilities of 
range, who can realize what immense herds will eventually 
roam all over these prairies, or the immense income Texas 
will receive from this source alone. 
After breaking up camp, we gradually ascended in a north- 
west course, over a rolling country, covered with buffalo 
grass and mesquite timber, stopping every few miles to 
admire the fine panorama stretched out. before us, vast and 
picturesque as it was, and enjoying the delicious breeze, 
which though the thermometer stood at one hundred in the 
