36 
in Pecos County, and for nearly a week his horses had no food except 
what they could get from the mesquite and other bushes along the way. 
After traveling some distance from the Pecos we were cheered by the 
sight of a creek and spring; a short distance farther on we eame to an- 
other creek, and still farther on to the Escondido Creck and spring. | 
saw on the borders of each luxuriant growths of Agrostis verticillata, 
and Jess plentifully the Panicum obtusum. The clear water of these 
creeks is salty alkaline, similar to that of Comanche Creek, flowing by 
Steckton. On the 7th of June we arrived at Stockton, having been a 
little over a month in passing through these regions, in the most unin- 
viting time of the year perhaps; certainly as regards the presence of 
grass. Doubtless in the autumn all these portions of country are 
favored with the “yearly wave of rain-fall,’ and generally furnish 
through the fall and winter months a pretty fair pasturage; though 
perhaps not as good as that of the mountain regions farther west, where 
some of the grama grasses afford such excellent pasturage and hay 
through the winter. It wasa pleasant sight at Stockton—the large 
plantations, where corn, oats, and vegetables produce good crops, the 
result of the system of irrigation from the ereek. By the irrigating: 
ditches a rampant growth was noticeable in places, of Panicum obtusum. 
On the borders of the creek I saw several plants of Agrostis verticillata 
and Distichlis maritima, 
After spending a day in the neighborhood of Stockton we started for 
Fort Davis, taking the old telegraph road. After traveling a few hours 
we came to a swampy place, where I noticed a few patches of Hilaria 
mutica. Proceeding some distance farther we crossed a creek, and a 
few miles farther on camped at night by one of the tanks or water 
holes that are seen occasionally in this region. The next day we crossed 
a muddy stream, along whose banks the Sporobolus airoides was con- 
spicuous. We rode over a long flat, covered by large tussocks of this 
grass. “Where we camped the next night, by the side of a elear creek, 
I saw some luxuriant growths of Hilaria mutica,and Triodia albescens. 
Let it be remembered that I make note of the only grassy places I met 
at this season. The next morning we started towards Saragossa. 
From that place we rode along the side of Toyah Creek to Victoria. 
Both of these are small settlements, with Mexican adobe houses. Along 
the sides of the creek the Sporobolus airoides was prominent. In one 
place near the creek I noticed Hilaria mutica and Panicum leucophaum 
growing luxuriantly. Leaving the low prairie region by Toyah Creek 
we approached the picturesque Limpia Canon, through which flows the 
clear water of Limpia Creek. In a few places on the edge of the ereek 
I saw a few specimens of Panicum colonwm and Panicum crus galli, and 
at two or three places on the rocky slopes, among the bowlders, a few 
tufts of grass starting forth. We reached Fort Davis on the night of 
June 11, | 
The country around Fort Davis looked very barren in June; the high — 
