536 GEOLOGY OF NORTHWESTERN TEXAS. 



what is known as "curly mesquite." While it is a short grass there is none 

 more nutritious, and is a grass that keeps well through the winter months. 

 It does not stay green during the winter, but retains its nutritive qualities 

 even after being killed by the frost. Unless there is a good deal of rain 

 during the winter to rot it, the grass will be almost as good in the latter part 

 of the winter as at the beginning, and stock cattle do well on it without any 

 other feed. 



TIMBER. 



This county is entirely within the "Upper Cross Timbers," and has the 

 same kinds of timber as are generally found within that belt. Along the river 

 and the larger creeks there are many fine groves of pecan trees of large size. 

 The overcup trees are large, and in the creeks and river bottoms are ash, 

 hackberry, and wild china. The county may be said to be well timbered for 

 this part of the State. There are large prairies in different parts of the 

 county, but all within easy reach of the timber. The mesquite timber is fast 

 encroaching upon these prairies, and in a few years, if the fires are kept out, 

 there will be an abundance of this timber everywhere. 



WATER. 



Outside of the river and creeks there is a scarcity of water in the county. 

 The clays of the Coal Measures are thick and are impervious, and no water 

 can be found in them. The sandstone beds do not seem to be water bearing. 

 It is only occasionally that water can be had by digging. No deep wells 

 have been put down, and if there had been it is not probable that good water 

 could have been obtained. Resort has been had to open tanks for water sup- 

 ply on the farms. Very often after a tank has been built a well would be 

 put down below the dam, and the water from the tank would filter through 

 the dam and underlying beds, and by this means a very good supply of very 

 good water would be obtained. Generally these tanks are too small, for when 

 the long dry seasons come, which is almost every year, the water gets very 

 low in the tanks and is not good, or dries up altogether and forces the farmer 

 to drive his stock to water and haul supplies for domestic purposes, sometimes 

 a distance of several miles; and then perhaps have to get his water from a 

 tank or creek that is used by large herds of cattle and is anything else but 

 healthy, to say nothing of its uncleanliness. 



By proper efforts water in abundance can be had by some of these meth- 

 ods in every part of the county, and at small cost. 



