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TEXAS SUGAR LANDS, ETC.

portion, if not in greater, Texas may hope to be the leading, as she was once the Lone As a member of the Star' of the South. national confederacy, she will exercise the influence which will secure to her the rights and the patronage that all the large states have heretofore enjoyed; and if the extent of her territory may not inspire a laudable pride, she will still stand out in the history of the age, as covering all the ground claimed, prior to the Florida Treaty in 1819, as the south-western limits of Louisiana, and thus be entitled to the glory of having reclaimed, by her valor and enterprise, what had been necessarily yielded of the rich treasure acquired for the great valley, in the treaty of 1803, by the sagacious statesmanship of Jefferson and Monroe.

"In the second place, Texas offers eminent inducements in her climate. No consideration is, perhaps, more important to those seeking a country suitable for residence or enterprise, than the character of its climate. Health is the first, and comfort the next great object, in selecting a permanent abode. Tested by these qualities, Texas presents prominent inducements. Along the coast, wherever the position is free from stagnant fresh water, the most uninterrupted health prevails; and in the high table lands, commencing one hundred miles from the Gulf, and extending to the sources of the Trinity, Brazos, Colorado, Guadaloupe, San Antonio, Leona, Perdinalles, San Saba and Concho, the climate is as balmy and delicious as an altitude of five thousand feet from the sea gives in every district of the tropical region. The latitude, reaching from the 26th to the 34th deg., guarantees mild winters, and the altitude from the sea, as well as the cooling breezes from the Rocky Mountains, secures comfort, and a moderate temperature during the summers. The delightful character of the climate is, indeed, becoming so generally known and appreciated, that already invalids are hastening hither from all the northern and middle states, to reinvigorate their feeble constitutions. Northers, it is true, sometimes contribute to the marring of this beautiful picture, though they continue but for a few days, and their uncomforable effects are easily guarded against by suitable Some of the apparel and adequate houses. choicest fruits and grapes are indications of the climate. In our ancient city, founded as early as Philadelphia, we have as large and thrifty fig-trees as may be found in the tropics, and our peach is unrivaled our climate for that fruit resembling that of Persia, its native country. The grape, at present, if not originally indigenous to the country around the high plain of El Paso, on the Rio Grande, is beginning to attract the horticulturists from every part of our country, and its wine has as just a claim as any

other, to having been the Nectar' of the
heathen gods. We regard Texas, then, on
account of her favorable climate, as an in-
viting theatre for the enterprise of the im-
migrant and capitalist."

Judge

TEXAS SUGAR LANDS, ETC.-The greatly interesting and able discourse of the Hon. P. A. Rost, delivered before the Agricultural and Mechanical Association, in 1845, extracts from which are published in the December (1847) number of the Commercial Review, is well calculated for and worthy the perusal of sugar planters, and of all others disposed to cultivate the sugar-cane in Texas, as it is full of much valuable information and careful observations. Rost has most likely never visited the neighborhood of Galveston city, Galveston Bay, and its tributaries. If he had, he would not have fallen into the error in his address that sugar-cane would not ratoon here. The information, it appears, came to the Judge from a Mr. John C. Marsh, who, as is stated in the article, is said to have planted sugarcane in this neighborhood for five successive years, without ever obtaining ratoons. the incorrectness of such a broad prove assertion, I have only to state that there are now growing at New Washington, Col. Morgan's plantation, sugar-cane which has ratooned the fourth year. New Washington is at the margin of Galveston Bay. Some four years ago, a number of stalks, the third year of their ratooning, were taken to this city and exhibited, and were then and there seen by hundreds of living witnesses. These stalks had matured full seven feet, and were of an equal height the preceding year; they were what is called "ribbon cane," and were pronounced by old and experienced planters equal if not better than any grown in the United States, and not inferior to any grown in the West Indies.

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As far back as 1830 to 1832, the sugarcane was cultivated with success on the Trinity River, by Judge Williams, and the ratoons of the third year were nearly equal to the growth of the first year, and the sugar there from made was equal, if not superior to any ever imported from Louisiana, in sweetness, color and grain. The place where this sugar was planted is about twenty miles from Galveston Bay, on the Trinity. It is conCaney ceded by all impartial men, without any hesitation, that the lands on the " are superior to any of the sugar lands in the Union, and I could name many who are, and have been cultivating the cane there on a large scale, with great success and profit. Amongst the largest planters, I would name Mr. Duncan and Mr. Sweeney. Both of these gentlemen are well known to the sugar planters, and samples of their crops have repeatedly been sent to your market. These

gentlemen, I have no doubt, would willingly regions where tropical plants love to grow. give any information to sugar planters as to The writer of this has yet to learn that in whether cane will ratoon in that neighbor- the State of Louisiana tropical plants love to hood, being only about forty miles from Gal- grow in the winter season, they being exposed veston Island. Mr. Solomon Barrows, near to those unmitigated furies of northwesters, Cedar Point, on the shore of Galveston Bay, which the writer has often experienced in has now a fine field planted with cane (ribbon) Louisiana, but the writer does know, that all which has ratooned for several years past, southern plants, leaving tropical plants out of and will vie with any ever planted in Louisi- the question, cannot grow there unless artifiana. Mr. M. Dunman, near Bolivar Point, cial means are resorted to; and a traveler from has now, and has had for several years past, New Orleans would only be under the necesas fine a field of cane as ever was or may be sity of a one half hour's ride to visit the garseen, in Louisiana, and which has for several dens up and down the river, from Carollton to years back ratooned, Mr. Dunman's resi- the battle-ground, to inquire for what reason dence is about twenty-five miles from Galves- you Louisianians have so many hot-houses ton. Mr. McMillen, in the neighborhood of and hot-beds in your gardens ?" Houston, and about twenty-five miles from answer will be, "Because the frost destroys Galveston Bay, has had last year, and a the southern plants, and they cannot be exyear before last, cane which matured, being posed to the cold weather which we regularthen the fifth year of its ratooning, sevenly have here every winter." And as every one feet high. The facts are here now well knows, New Orleans and its neighborhood established and ascertained, that the sugar-" is not built on naked lands, but on the fercane on the prairies, near the bay, furnishes by far more saccharine matter than the cane on the bottom lands, although not so luxuriant in its growth.

The cane of Mr. Sweeney's plantation, on the Bernard River, has ratooned, as I am credibly informed, the sixth year. Mr. Duncan, who also plants on the Bernard, has made sugar which was considered in Galveston by judges, equal to any ever imported from New Orleans, or offered for sale in that market. Col. Jackson has planted sugar for some three or four years on his plantation, which is at about a distance of from five to six miles from Galveston Bay, and as I am informed, with success, and obtained his seeds of planting from Colonels M. T. Rodgers and Amasa Turner, both of whom had their plantations on Cedar Bayou, in the immediate vicinity of the bay. I could and might cite a very large number of other planters in this neighborhood, but believe that the "facts" set forth above will satisfactorily prove the incorrectness of Judge Rost's statement concerning the sugar lands of Texas generally, and those of Galveston Bay, and the lands as far south as New Orleans, and its neighborhood, in particular. As to the individual from whom the Judge received his information, and the credibility of the informant, I can say nothing, except that after a diligent inquiry of those residents of the vicinity of Galveston Bay, who have resided here for twenty years or more, I have not found any one who was acquainted with any individual of the name who resided in this part of the country.

It would here not be amiss to mention that any Louisianian who has traveled in midwinter through the prairies of Texas, which the judge denominates the "naked lands," would not find that he has changed climate, and that he has traveled out of the

The

tile soil of southern swamps," which luckily for New Orleans, encircles it nearly the whole extent, and prevents the northwesters from striking the tropical plants with their unmitigated fury. The year 1837, I think, gave a good example to Louisiana, that southern plants cannot well prosper there in winter, and every inhabitant will recollect that in that year every orange tree was killed. Now, in such weather, a traveler just from the northern States riding out on the Louisiana prairies, would find and certainly say, that he has not come to the Elysian fields of Louisiana, but would believe that he was somewhere near his own home. And I do candidly believe, that the northwesters coming from beyond the Rocky Mountains, do not go south in their travel through such a vast country, for the sole purpose of giving to this portion of our Union, Texas, the monopoly of keeping their unmitigated fury within their own state limits, but I must believe that they cross sometimes the boundary line, the river Sabine, and pay some visits of respect, for old acquaintance' sake, to our neighbors, the sugar planters of Louisiana.

In conclusion, then, I am bound to state that the furies of the northwesters are in Texas not looked upon and felt as much as the northeasterly winds, and by a glance at the map it will be seen that they come from "Louisiana," that is to say, a region of our Union "where tropical plants love to grow." H. W. W.

Since receiving the above paper some one has kindly sent us from Texas A Statement of the Relative Advantages and Capacities for the Culture of Sugar in Louisiana and Texas. By a Disinterested and Close Observer." We are delighted to receive and publish it for the valuable matter embraced. It is our desire to do full and ample justice to Texas

TEXAS SUGAR LANDS, ETC.

in every particular, and we invite the co-operation of her citizens.

The writer of the following article proposes to state his views of the climate, seasons, fertility and fitness of soil, product per acre, quality of the sugar, facility of getting fuel, of navigation and market, of supplying a plantation with teams, provisions and lumber, and the relative prices of the land, etc.,

etc.

The Climate. Not only from the fact of there being a full half of a degree of latitude in favor of Texas sugar lands on the average, over Louisiana, but from the range of the mercury and facts observed, I would say that the climate of Texas is milder. The mercury in lower Texas never falls below twelve degrees, whereas in Louisiana it has been as low as ten. The orange trees and tender plants are killed in both countries about once in ten years. The great bug-bear, a norther, so much talked of in Texas, is, on chemical principles, felt more by our nerves than shown by the thermometer, which shows nothing very cold, whilst animals suffer under it from the general sweep of the wind. It would be the same in Louisiana if the useless swamps, which are quite as large as the prairies of Texas, were as much exposed to the winds. The sea air has a greater effect in Texas to equalize the temperature than in Louisiana, from the extent The Palof the coast and numerous bays. ma Christi, the egg fruit, the okra and other tender plants grow with great luxuriance, and in Texas approach the size of trees. The sweet potatoe and sugar-cane flower in this climate, and the cane ratoons to such perfection that fair crops are made from ratoons of five years old. Of this more will be said in its proper place.

The Seasons. The seasons are a little more inclined to be dry in Texas than in Louisiana, which is an advantage, as crops are injured more by excessive wet than dry weather. In an average of five years in Texas, only one was too wet for good culture, and none too dry for good crops of The soil of Texas when sugar and cotton. pulverized, is an open texture which lets down the roots of plants to the moisture, instead of baking into a tight pan or crust, as is the case in Louisiana, upon the Mississippi River and on the Teche. The planters in Texas, if there be moisture enough from rain, to bring up the plant, feel secure of a crop.

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Storms. The tornado scarcely ever invades Texas, owing to some conformation of the coast, and gales are rarely strong or long enough in duration to blow down either cotton, corn or cane.

Fertility. The soil of Texas is better tempered, and therefore richer than in Louisiana. It seems preposterous to assert that

any soil can be richer than the alluvial of the
Mississippi river, yet that has often either
too much clay or sand, (oftener the former,)
The sand drifts from the overflows,
which renders it tight and unkind, or too
porous.
prevent it from having the substance neces-
sary to great fertility. In Texas the lands
of Caney, San Bernard, Oyster Creek, Bra-
zos, Colorado, and of many other regions,
are a black soil, mostly a vegetable mould,
for five or six feet down, and mixed enough
with loam and sand so as to be rightly tem-
pered for great fertility. Three thousand to
four thousand pounds of seed cotton are
about the average produce in good seasons,
and full four thousand have been raised to
the acre, and sugar in proportion. No lands
can be richer than the bottom lands of Texas.

Cost of Lands.-In Louisiana, the sugar
land on the Mississippi, Lafourche, Terre-
bonne county, Attakapas, and other places
suited for the culture of sugar, will cost on
In Texas, lands equally as rich
the average, when improved, forty dollars
per acre.
and better tempered, will only average from
three to five dollars an acre, making a differ-
ence of at least seven-eighths in the outlay
or investment, which would overbalance a
thousand inconveniences, if they did exist.

Navigation and Getting to Market.-In one-third of the sugar district of Texas, the navigation of the Brazos, Bernard, Oyster Creek, Colorado, Gaudaloupe, Navidad, Trinity, Jacinto, Neches, Sabine, Caney, Lavacca Bay, Matagorda Bay, Nueces, and other waters, let out the crop as easily as the average streams and bayous in Louisiana. In the other two-thirds, the cost will be something more for transportation, say one dollar a hogshead more than in Louisiana, which on the wide average for all the crop will be three-fourths of a dollar more to the hogshead for the whole state, and this cost would be ten times made up by other facilities that can be easily appreciated and clearly pointed out.

Quantity of Sugar Lands in Texas.-In Louisiana, by Champomier's statistics, there are now about nine hundred plantations, large and small, all told, in sugar, which have never produced over two hundred thousand hogsheads, and on the average only one hundred and forty thousand.* If more be put in culture all the inconvenience appertaining to the remote districts of Texas, will attend it so that the heavy draining and other inconveniences there, will make any new lands equal in cost to the old places, before a crop can be realized. There are in Texas, in connection with wood, fertility, navigation

Mr. Champonier estimated the number of sugar will perhaps exceed thirteen hundred. New regions estates for 1847-8, at twelve hundred and forty. It

in Louisiana are every day taken into sugar culture. ED.

and climate, by my estimate now, (not count- with most planters in Texas. The quality of ing eventual facilities to be made by improved navigation or railroads,) the following amount of lands suited for sugar on the streams named respectively:

On Oyster Creek, both sides, for 120 miles following its meanders, land for

the juice is different, and probably requires some difference in the process of boiling, etc. Besides, most of the planters here commenced this business without any previous experience, and many failures have taken place solely from a want of knowledge. A conclusive proof of this is the vast improvement 120 Plantations. that is manifest when we compare the late samples with those of former years.

On Brazos River, counting two or three miles on each side

On San Bernard, both sides, counting two miles out from it..

On Caney, for sixty miles, following its meanders, and two miles each side

On Colorado.

200

70

...140
..100

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On Trinity, both sides, 3 miles out..120

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On Guadalupe.

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On Navidad.

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On Trespalacios..

66

On Garcita and other small streams

near..

On Nueces and San Antonio, near

their mouths

On Lavacca and small streams near. 40

66

On Jacinto.

70

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On Spring Creek.

50

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The above does not include the widespread prairie, much of which is fertile, nor the Rio Grande lands, owing to the want of safety for the slave-owner there at present. This, of course, is only an approximate estimate, some of the numbers being probably too large, and others too small, yet the error cannot be large enough to be of any importance. The estimate is for the average size of the plantations in Louisiana; that is to say, about one hundred and fifty hogsheads each, with a sufficiency of timber and wild land for further increase.

Health Texas is a country infinitely drier, and with fewer swamps and freer circulation of air than Louisiana, and experience says that negroes are more healthy, and multiply faster. The loss by sickness and death among negroes has been estimated at ten per cent. less on the rich alluvial bottoms of Texas than on similar lands in Louisiana. This is probably very near the truth.

Products per Acre, and Quality of the Sugar-Two hogsheads, as far as the effort or trial goes, are very common to the acre as a fair average in an average year. The quality of the sugar, drier and whiter, and the grain better and firmer. The samples compare with the best Louisiana, and appear better, and the molasses less in quantity. They think it will be dry enough to box. It is proper to remark that the manufacture of Texas sugars has been generally a matter of experiment

Ratooning.-Good sugar, and cane thick enough for a stand, has been made from seven year old ratoons. A small falling off in the stand occurs about the fifth year, and all experience goes to say that for five years the ratoons will do well. In Louisiana, three years are as long as they succeed well, when it becomes necessary to replant, and some doubt about the policy of leaving them that long; I would say that two years will be gained in the ratoon in Texas, which is a great saving. This must be owing to the better climate of Texas, and to the drier soil, which preserves the root better,

Cultivation, Coco and Grasses.-There is no coco in Texas yet, and but little crop grass. Half of the cultivation with a plow is all that Texas would require in comparison with Louisiana, both to keep the crop clean, and the land light and fine.

Supplies for a Plantation.-In Texas, all plantations will raise their meat, both beef and pork, in abundance. The stocks of cattle require no care, and hogs but little to furnish all that is wanted of meat; and corn grows abundantly and easily for the supply, up to any demand. In Louisiana, all the meat, and, I would say, half of the corn and Lay must be purchased. The difference in provisioning two places of the same size will be, in Texas, only one-fourth of what it is in Louisiana. The rich meadow-like prairies, covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, lie near and contiguous to all the plantations in Texas, and these not only furnish meat for nothing, but, if bought, will cost 1 cent a pound, and bullocks of five and six years old, weighing 650 pounds, can be had generally from six to eight dollars a head. Mules can be raised, as well as cows, hogs and sheep, without any feeding, summer or winter.

Lumber, Staves and Brick.-There is a great scarcity of cypress in Texas, adjoining the plantations. In two-thirds of the cases, cypress and pine lumber will have to be brought from a distance. In Louisiana, not more than one-third of the plantations have to get staves from any other place. But all will have to get this material from abroad in time, and this may be counted upon. The cost of getting cypress staves and building timber is not very much, and will form a small item compared with buying provisions, teams and fuel. Brick are easily made on all the places in Texas, the clay being generally good. Should the sugar be made dry enough

Georgia, Florida and Alabama, forming half of those states, all the western district of Tennessee, being a full third of the state, more than half of Mississippi, half of Louisiana, half of Arkansas, all of Missouri, and the Red River side of Texas. Now, with an increased population in all these states, of 8,000,000, and half of all their lands fully ex

to box (which is very likely to be the case), then any wood could be used, such as cotton, poplar, sweet gum, sycamore, elm and other kinds, and a circular saw would also cut all such timber into staves, or boards for boxes. Fuel now, and eventually.—We have shown that upwards of a thousand plantations can have wood in abundance in Texas. In Louisiana, one-fourth of the planters are now with-hausted, may we not safely calculate that the out wood, except drift, or wood rafted from a distance: one-half are rapidly exhausting their wood, and have to go from three to six miles, into the very worst of swamps for it. They are also compelled to dig canals, costing from $2,000 to $20,000, to enable them to get it out. Should we have to depend upon rafts, the supply is at hand, for all the rivers of Texas are well wooded, up towards their heads, and in the freshets, its rafts can be sent down as cheaply as on the Mississippi. Coal can be got something cheaper in Louisiana, if necessary. Our mineral resources in Texas are not yet well ascertained.

stream of emigration, urged on by the present eagerness for sugar planting, and the important fact (that will soon be known and appreciated) that Texas contains more than half the sugar lands in the Union, will settle the balance of Texas and Arkansas as fully in two or three years hence, as the other states are now settled.

The large slave-holders are very restless in all those states. They have been investing in Louisiana and the Mississippi swamps, until uncultivated lands are worth $40 per acre. They will next make a rush at lower Texas, and a rapid development will soon take place to the astonishment of all. Lands will rise, as we have said, one hundred per cent. in a few years, and all advantages, facilities and inconveniences, will be distinctly understood and acted upon. The enterprise of Americans will insure this-prejudice must yield to

facts.

Prospective advantages, such as appreciation, etc.-Any good sugar lands purchased in Texas at a price within $5 an acre, will become, in five years, worth $20, and more, if improved. The natural tendency in the states to equalization in prices, with reference to all the facilities of position, is certain, and a balance becomes struck, by the operation These remarks have been elicited by an of things, crediting the one with the advan- article that lately appeared in De Bow's Retages, and debiting the other with all the in-view, which asserts that Texas can never be conveniences. Investments, therefore, in Texas sugar lands would be better and more certain than in any other species of property, and the appreciation would be at least one hundred per cent. in from three to five years.

Dividends on Capital.-If a given sum, say $100,000, in Louisiana, gives six or ten per cent. per annum, a fortiori, $30,000 in Texas, accomplishing fully as much, would, under the superior advantages, give 20 or 30 per cent. per acre. This is a moderate estimate.

Expenses of a Plantation, preparatory and annual. The heavy ditching, levying and draining, in Louisiana, will exceed the same in Texas, five times; cost of provisions and teams, all of five times; fuel, twice as much. The preparatory expenses of a plantation in Louisiana, therefore, will be for the above preparations of draining, canaling, levying, all of three times as much as in Texas. If these improvements are already made, they must be paid for in the advanced price of lands, being about $100 per acre. I would then say, one-half the expense can be saved in the start in Texas, while the annual expenses are not more than one-third as much as in Louisiana.

Development hereafter.-Within the last twelve years, a population of five millions, from Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky, have settled up to fullness the Cherokee and Creek country of

the rival of Louisiana in sugar, for the want of fuel, and also, because the cane will not ratoon in Texas. The article cites the authority of Judge Rost, and of Mr. Marsh, of Attakapas. The writer of this is a citizen of Mississippi, who, though he has not yet any interest in Texas, has had ample opportunities of attesting its great advantages as a sugar country, and he is willing to submit the statements above made to the severest test, for a confirmation of their truth.

TEXAS-ITS RESOURCES, LANDS, RIVERS, PRODUCTS, ETC.-Resources-Texas embraces so vast a scope of country possessing so great a variety of soil and climate, and is so diversified by hill and dale, high woods and level plains, that every taste can be suited and every description of agricultural labor be successfully prosecuted. The capacity of Texas, as a sugar and cotton-growing region, has been briefly noticed in our former articles. We now beg leave to call attention to that particular section of the state lying north of the cotton district proper. This section is neither small nor unfruitful, but has as yet been but little disturbed, except by marauding Indians, who gallop over the prairies in search of the buffalo, occasionally scalping a party of hunters or Santa Fe traders, who are too weak for defence, and sometimes making an excursion into the

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