39 



charming views' of varied scenery from their tops. It is 

 just the place for invalids to get strong, and for the healthy 

 to become more robust. Much time and money is spent 

 annually in visiting places abroad far less attractive. 



AGRICULTURE. 



The agriculture of Texas has made rapid and decided 

 improvements during the last ten years. Large plantations 

 have been divided into smaller farms, and those farms have 

 been better cultivated and better managed. Improved 

 agricultural implements and machinery are now in common 

 use. These things lessen the labor of the farm and make 

 it a pleasurable pursuit. One man and two or three horses 

 or mules can now plow from three to four acres a day with 

 a sulky or riding plow, sitting under an umbrella if he 

 chooses; besides the plowing tan be done better and at a 

 more uniform depth than by the old method. The in- 

 creased crops resulting from the use of these plows is often 

 more than sufficient to pay for them ; besides, there is a 

 saving of time and labor, one man being able to accomplish 

 more work than was formerly done by two or more. With 

 improved plows, cultivators, etc., 6ne man can cultivate 

 fifty acres on the prairie lands of the State, and more than 

 this has been done. 



ViEven now the old, very old methods of farming are preva- 

 lent in Texas between the Pecos and Rio Grande. In that 

 region the plows in common use are similar to those used 

 by the old Greeks and Romans. The plow consists of a 

 long stick or pole, of from four to six inches in diameter. 

 Another short stick of a little larger diameter, and some- 

 times no larger, is joined to the first at an angle of aboiit 

 forty-five degrees, and on the lower portion of the short 

 stick a small shovel plow is fastened, and at the upper end 

 are one or two handles. This is the Mexican plow. With 

 this and the hoe, crops are made, and very good croj)S, on 

 light soils, but on stiff clays, not so good. Grain is cut 

 with sickles or large knives. One Mexican (an expert) will 

 icut and put up, in little stacks, about five hundred pounds 

 of hay in a day. Twenty-five cents, without board, is the 

 ordinary price per hundred for cutting and hauling to mar- 

 ket. Four hundred tons of hay for the Government (mili- 

 tary) at Fort Davis was thus supplied last year. This was 

 the price paid by the contractor. Wl^at he received, I do 



