82 
THAN S ACTION'S OF THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
American cotton must be planted annually. One irrigation per year — 
or even one in two years — will insure a good crop of cotton. Corn and 
other crops must be irrigated annually. Cotton plants are spaced about 
two meters each way, being planted in checks; corn is sown in the fur- 
rows as the soil is turned in breaking it up. No importance seems to be 
paid to cultivation after planting, save to cut. down the grass and weeds 
once with hoes; yet, notwithstanding this, splendid crops are raised when 
even a single irrigation can be had. The planting season is much longer 
than with us, it being no uncommon sight to see corn ready to be gath- 
ered standing alongside of that just peeping through the ground. 
No evidence of the boll weevil that has invaded Southern Texas was 
seen, but a peculiar fungus-like disease attacked the cotton leaves in 
spots, especially after much water had been applied, and to this disease 
the natives give the name of viruela, or smallpox. 
The geologic formation is limestone that has been classed as creta- 
ceous, but so much transformation has taken place that characteristic 
fossil evidences are hard to find. Immense faults run from northeast to 
southwest, and the dip is to the southeast. From these faults issue, in 
places, fine streams of limpid water that are used for irrigation — being 
taken in some cases many miles across the plains, and in one instance 
across the Aguanaval in a steel-tubed aqueduct before being utilized. 
On account of salt and other mineral matter contained in this water, 
it is not so good for irrigation as the river water, but the Supply is surer, 
and in the long run land so irrigated yields as much, perhaps, as the other. 
The land must be changed every few years, as the salt kills the soil. 
Cotton, corn, wheat, barley, beans, chile peppers, etc., are grown, of which 
chile seems to pay best, but requires much care in curing. 
All farm and ranch products bring good returns, and agriculture is 
favored by the laws. Labor is cheap, an ordinary field-hand receiving only 
37 cents, silver, per day— and that in supplies from the store of the haci- 
enda. Separate farms, or ranchos, are controlled by local managers, who 
receive $1.50 per day in silver — the whole being under the direction of 
one superintendent. 
Some of these haciendas are of enormous size, the one referred to here 
containing nearly 900,000 of our acres, much of it mountainous and fit 
only for raising sheep and goats, of which they keep hardy mountain 
varieties. The sheep yield but little wool, but are sheared twice a year, 
and with the goats supply meats for the neighboring towns of Torreon, 
Villa Lerdo, etc. 
Labor is scarce and unskilled. The workmen, however, soon learn 
when shown how to do a thing, but it is very difficult to make them do 
correctly something they have been accustomed to do otherwise. In 
