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SOUTHEEW CULTIVATOH. 
■ m il ii w iii i i i i irriitii/iTr'r ^Ailfl^g ha aLTO^^ i iiii mm i i ii ii t m mm tt tmum p 
-xceate too niuch dampness. But just trees enough to 
vaakea sprightly contrast between sunshine and shade 
— between heat and cold. 
B(it trees are not enough. There should be vines — an 
vjitKteidance of vines, those beautiful emblems of affection, 
•tboti't every home. A home without vines, is like a man 
without a wife, or a bird without a mate. It wears a look 
of desolation. Vines come creeping about so lovingly, 
SQ thriftly, bloom so profusely, can be trailed into so 
'^ssatiy bea-utiful forms, and are withal so fresh and fragrant 
tliat they should be about every home to remind its in- 
states of industry, sprightliness and affection. 
Then eome the flowers, close along the walks, beside 
tJ:ie doors, under the windows, in the corners of the fences 
— sprinkled in profusely and 5 ^et orderly, so as to give an 
tidea of finish as well as of beauty and hapiness. A home 
wkhottt flowers ! No, let it not be. Let every woman, 
’SV'cry child with tiny hand and growing taste, plant flow- 
■er seeds and roots in little nooks and recesses and beds 
■•where they can as well grow as not. They love to grow 
■ ■sad blossom. Who does not love to see them I Let the 
buildings all be painted, then let the flowers challenge 
to a contrast of colors. When all is in order, let it 
'be kept in order. And when the outside is beautiful, let 
rihe inside be, with order, neatness, comfort, taste, virtue, 
foeace, good will, love and happiness. — Valley Farmer. 
TEXAS AGXIGULTTJEAL ITEMS. 
We c-uli the following from the Gonzales In([uirer of 
-rlpcil 19 : 
No Su^ar Crop . — The State Times says, Ex-Governor 
lEoitoa anived in Austin on Thursday. He is of opinion 
fJtere will be no sugar crop grown in Texas this season. 
Me thinks the sudden transition from winter to summer, 
'witlioctt any intermediate spring weather, has been fatal to 
cjUccane. As far as he has heard,in this State and Louisiana, 
rrite failure of the crop is rendered almost certain, from the 
cHeatcuiction of the cane. 
'C-rmtels in. Texas.— These animals have just arrived in 
Bay, and with them their keepers. There are fifty 
iea-cfe.) of these. Most of these animals were purchased 
wa. agent of government, expressly sent for that pur- 
The others were intended as presents to the Pre- 
But gifts to public functionaries, from foreign 
pt< 5 tecLtates are regarded as public, or government pro- 
We feave long thought that these animals, if carrying 
r-tke mails exclusively, might be a great acquisition to this 
i&ipartKient of our public service. The object the govern- 
u&m:t probably contemplated was to test their usefulness 
t.ixt a. military way. We can see no reason, before the ex- 
has been fairly made, why they should not be- 
-as indispensable to our comforts and necessities as 
tfcas &ocse, the ox or the cow. 
will be seen that the Gonzales County Agricul- 
Society are about to make arrangements for a Fair 
fail, and that the Executive Committee will attend 
regular meeting of the Society for that purpose, 
members evince much interest upon this subject. It 
Ts 'ss:pa;ted that there will be a punctual attendance of all 
tiije saembsrs. 
■■MtisrGeolGgi.st.—Amor.gthe many good deeds which 
r^iUirj mticEpated of the next session of the Legislature, the 
tjf^fi 3 .ktment of a geological survey of the State stands as 
least, in the calendar. The value of our soil de- 
GS much upon its quality as its extent. We care- 
jasasure the latter, mark its bounds and establish its 
< We can see no just reason why this work should 
longer delayed. 
7'ke Veallicr . — Although we have had no rain for a 
month past, yet the crops'^ where stands have been pro- 
cured, look well. The atmosphere for ihe week past, has 
been quite humid and cloudy, yet invigorating to animal 
as well as vegetable life. These are favorable circum- 
stances, and should content the farmer fbr the present. 
Rain wdl come when it will be needed more than at pre- 
sent. Now is the proper time 
“To plow deep 
While the sluggards sleep.” 
T/ie Mexican Cotton Market . — We learn from the San 
Antonia Ledger that several carts laden with cotton, have 
passed through that city for Saltillo, Mexico. There is 
but little doubt that quite an important article of export to 
our neighbors, mightbeourstapleof cotton. Inall the large 
mining population the manufactured cotton is an article of 
large consumption. With a favorable government on the 
other side of the Rio Grande, here, in Western Texas, w'e 
might manufacture cotton shirtings and sheeting for this 
trade to the amount of several hundred thousand dollars. 
A very intelligent Mexican informs us that ithas been long 
a favorite idea with many citizens of Durango, to engage 
in manufacturing with some company on the east side of 
the Rio Grande. They have more confidence in our 
ability to do the work than their own, and were we in 
possession of some manufacturing establishments, we 
should soon find it true that our best market would be in 
Mexico, notwithstanding the high tariff. 
PAPER FROM THE BARK OF COTTON. 
We called attention some months ago to specimens of 
hemp made from the bark stripped from cotton stalks 
and left at our office for public inspection. We now learn 
from the New York Dojj Book, that specimens of bark 
have been exhibited to paper manufacturers at the North, 
which is found to be of a fibrous character, and is con- 
sidered to be well adapted for the manufacture of good 
paper. 
The best period for preparing this cotton hemp vvill be 
as soon as practicable after the picking of cotton has been 
finished. The plants should then be pulled up and dew- 
rotted like hemp or flax, and afterwards broken up and the 
bark separated from the wood of the stalk. The speci- 
mens of cleaned bark exhibited to experienced paper 
makers was considered equal to good rags worth 6 cents 
per pound, or about ^120 per ton, and was pronounced 
the best substitute for rags of any raw vegetable material 
known to the trade. 
The importance of an abundant and cheap material as 
a substitute for rags, from which good, cheap paper can 
be made, may be judged of from the fact that the United 
States consume as much as France and England combin- 
ed, There is no element in the progress of civilization 
more important than cheap paper. 
For some years, the consumption of paper has been 
gaining on the supply of rags, and fears have been felt 
that the advance in their cost would ultimately be serious- 
ly felt in every department of literature, so that shouldfihe 
discovery of cottonffiemp realize the anticipations of pa- 
per makers, it will not only prove valuable to the South 
but also to the civilized work!. 
The magnitude of the paper business may be conceived 
when we take into consideration that there are 750 paper 
mills in the United States, employing 3000 engines, and 
which produce annually at 10 cents per pound, $^27,000.- 
000 worth of paper. To manufacture this amount of pa- 
per require 405,000,000 pounds of rags, 1 1-4 lb. of rags 
being necessary to produce 1 lb. of paper. The value of 
