59 



less than ten dollars per acre. Were it accessible by rail- 

 road, property there would be inade higher, because it is a 

 a delightful valley, amid fine mountain scenery, a fine, 

 mild, liealthy climate, where the Texas northers do not 

 conle. It is said these northers do not prevail in the valley 

 of the Eio i&rande west of Fort Davis. 



Mr. Corbit, ot Fort Stockton, has a vineyard of El Paso 

 grapes. The vines are three years old, look very flourish- 

 ing and bear a few excellent grapes. The El Paso grape 

 will succed wellin the Comanche valley, at Fort Stockton, 

 also on the Toyah and Pecos, all of which have brackish 

 or mineral waters, ' resembling those of the Rio Grande, 

 whose salts agree remarkably well with this peculiar 

 grape. 



HOGS. 



West of Mason counf^r, but few hogs are raised, because 

 there are few oak trees and but little "mast," besides 

 there are no fences to keep hogs away from the crops. 

 The few hogs that are kept are not permitted to run at 

 large. 



In 1870, the number of swine reported to be in the State, 

 was 1,302,415. The number in 1874, is said to have been 

 1,147,400. 



Texas imports annually, large quanties of bacon, hams, 

 lard, etc. Last year the value of these imports was about 

 $5,000,000, an amount which might and ought to be saved 

 to the State, because with our fertile soil, these articles 

 should be exported instead imported. 



IIOESES AND MULKS. 



Texas has 'many fine horses of imported breeds. Were 

 it not for the thieving Indians and bad white men, large 

 numbers 6i. horsea could be profitably raised on the prairies 

 of western Texas. The number of horses reported for- the 

 State in 1874, was. 720,000, and of mules 101,000. 



CATTLE. 



Texas has more cattle than any State in the Union. 

 The number reported in 1874, was 2,367,400. Most of the 

 large cattle owners have their cattle under the care of 



