486 GEOLOGY OF NORTHWESTERN TEXAS. 



dry and hard ; yet if attention is given to selecting the proper varieties, a good 

 fruit can be raised. 



Peaches. — There is no country that can produce a better variety of peaches 

 than the northwestern part of the State. The varieties that thrive best are 

 those that mature early, or at least before the dry summer comes on. The 

 cultivation should be thorough and the trees should be trimmed very low, so 

 that the winds will not injure them. If possible the orchard should be in 

 such a locality that they will be somewhat protected from the winds. Yet I 

 have seen very fine orchards where there was not the slightest protection. 



The fruit that matures early finds a good market in the North, and at good 

 prices. Canning establishments have been put up in various localities that 

 purchase all the fruit brought to them. 



Plums. — The several varieties that are planted all prosper. They are in 

 their native country, and fruit well. The fruit is liable to be injured by the 

 curculio, unless care is taken to prevent them, and when once they get posses- 

 sion of an orchard it takes years of constant watchfulness to get clear of them. 



Pears. — Pears have been raised very successfully, but the trees are sub- 

 ject to blight, and the fruit raisers have not given much attention to this 

 kind of product. 



Grapes. — Those who have tried raising grapes in this part of the State 

 have been very successful, and there is no reason why it should not always 

 be the case if the proper location is selected. The greatest trouble has been 

 that the vine has produced too much wood, and the result has been that the 

 fruit rotted before its maturity from being shaded too much. This trouble 

 can no doubt be remedied by the proper attention and cultivation. 



I have not given the subject enough attention to make any practical sug- 

 gestions. 



FISH. 



All our streams and lakes have fish in them to a greater or less extent. 

 Nearly all of them are excellent for food. No particular study of the fishes 

 of the State has ever been made, and what is known is the result of accident 

 more than anything else. In making our expeditions over the State collect- 

 ing data for our Geological Report it has been our custom to take along fish- 

 ing tackle in the way of hooks and lines, seine and trammel net, for the pur- 

 pose of supplying ourselves with an occasional mess of fish. When reaching 

 a stream at noon it was the habit of some of the party to take hook and rod 

 and, with a grasshopper for bait, proceed to catch a mess for the party, if 

 the fish would bite; or if we remained for a day or two in a place, some of 

 the men would take a turn at seining, catching only enough to supply the 

 camp for a mess or two. Sometimes at night the "gill net" would be 



