Even at the risk of becoming too poetic, it is impossible to resist making the following elegant extract from Dewees' "Letters from Texas:"

66

You have doubtless read of a sunset at sea, but I presume have never read of a sunset on the prairie. Splendid as is the former, it does not eclipse the latter. When far away from home and kindred, upon the bosom of the mighty deep, I have sat and watched the orb of day as he slowly sank into his ocean-bed, and thought the world could not afford another sight as beautiful. But when upon the wide prairie night approaches the beholder, and the dazzling, golden rays of the sun begin to redden, and the mighty day-god lays aside his piercing appearance, and permits the eye of man to gaze upon him with impunity, then indeed one's soul is filled with wonder at the sublimity of the scene. The gorgeous

clouds form a rosy pathway for him to tread, as he walks downward into his bed of flowers and verdure. Around him float airy purple clouds, while beneath are others tinged with the richest vermillion.

"As he sinks slowly down, he resembles a huge ball of fire falling amidst the grass of the prairie. When at length the sun is hid for the night, the fleecy clouds float for a few moments beneath the azure sky, and then disappear.

"Then the bright silver stars come peeping forth, one after another, gladdening the eye with their twinkling light. Then comes up the full, round moon, attended by myriads more of bright stars, into the firmament already studded with these gems. Soon the light is sufficiently bright to enable the student to continue his labors by the moon's rays. He who is an admirer of the beauties of nature can not look upon a scene like this unmoved. The wide prairie, which lies spread out on every side, is here and there relieved by a clump of trees, which serve to render the more enchanting. Poets have often sung of the beauty of Italian skies, but those who have seen both pronounce ours equally beautiful. It does not appear to me possible that there can be a land more lovely than Texas."

Another peculiarity of Texas prairies is their great variety of soil; some are of stiff black soil, while others are of a loomy or sandy character. The timber in this stretch of country is mostly oak, of which there are several varieties, with some pine. Travelers from the North are often amazed at one of nature's most unique productions

TEXAS MOSS.

This singular growth is seen hanging from the boughs of almost every tree, giving to the landscape a most grotesque and wierd-like

appearance. This plant, which is valuable as well as curious, is known in science as tillandsia usneoides, in commerce as New Orleans moss, and in common parlance as 'old man's beard." The fibre, which it yields in abundance, and with but little labor, is an excellent substitute for curled hair, and is used in the South almost exclusively for mattresses, cushions, etc. Its cost is not more than one-fourth that of hair, and the demand for it is always good. A strong hand can gather from five hundred to seven hundred and fifty pounds per day. The yield of fibre is about two-sevenths, so that seven hundred and fifty pounds of moss will yield about two hundred pounds of saleable moss.

The business of gathering, curing and baling moss is followed without much system, and there is no doubt but that better results, larger quantities and superior quality could be attained by improved methods.

The moss, when gathered, is taken to some convenient gully, through which the surface drainage runs. A little dam is made to back the water; it is then filled with moss to a depth of from seven to ten feet, if the water can be made to saturate it so high. A covering of earth is then thrown on, and it is left to rot. In from five to eight months it will be ready to take up. The precise point desired is to take up the moss when the bark and bloom are thoroughly rotted, and the fibre unaffected. This can only be ascertained by experiment and frequent inspection. Mules and drag hooks are employed in taking out the wet moss, and in scattering it upon the grass, where it is dried and the trash removed by hand-picking. The dust and dirt are removed by thrashing it over a frame work of poles. It is then ready for baling. Moss of the best quality is perfectly black, and has a strong, fine, tough fibre. In the market it is worth five cents per pound.

This industry is one that requires but little capital, and is certain of a good market for the product. It is highly probable that moss can and will be made available for paper stock. If so, the industry will assume greater importance.

Cattle eat moss with the greatest avidity, and thrive upon it; as a food for milch cows, it is accounted excellent. There is an idea prevailing in the low lands of Louisiana that no place can be healthy in which moss grows. That this moss does grow in places which are unhealthy is very certain, but it also grows in localities of remarkable salubrity.

The first station on the road is called

PIERCE JUNCTION.

It is named from Thos. W. Pierce, Esq., to whose untiring enter

prise the State of Texas will be indebted for the early completion of the road to San Antonio.

Pierce Junction is eight miles distant from Harrisburg, and is the point at which the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio road is intersected by the International and Great Northern. It may be well to note, in connection with Pierce Junction, that the International Railroad traverses the great pine region of Texas, which produces a limitless supply of excellent lumber, convenient to the belt of country through which the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway passes. At the time of writing (November, '75) the highest market price for good pine lumber, at the most distant station on the road, is twenty-five dollars. The next station is

STAFFORD,

twenty miles west of Harrisburg. It is but a small place, and yet it is an important trading point for a region of cotton-producing country. To the south of the road, at the distance of a few miles, is the wealthy county of Brazoria. It is doubtful whether there are on earth any richer lands than those on Oyster and other creeks lying in this section of Texas.

Stafford is located in

FORT BEND COUNTY.

The Brazos River flows through this county. Its course is so tortuous that it is nearly double the length of a direct line. The famous Brazos River bottoms are about six miles in breadth, and the soil, which is entirely alluvial, is from twelve to fifteen feet in depth. It is of red and of chocolate color; the former is stiff, the latter loamy and easily tilled. The bottom is heavily timbered with a variety of oaks, pecan, elm, ash, cottonwood, mulberry and numerous kinds of timber of smaller growth. Vines of various kinds attain a large size, frequently forming a complete network among the branches of the trees. Canebrakes formerly existed, but they have been nearly all destroyed by the cattle. Running nearly parallel with the Brazos is Oyster creek, a sluggish stream, containing in dry weather but little water, above the influence of the tides. The lands upon this creek are unsurpassed in fertility, and finely adapted to the culture of sugar and cotton Away from the timbered bottoms, prairie alone is found, with now and then motes of postoak scattered over its surface; the soil being of a light, sandy character, producing good crops when cultivated.

Stafford is named from a worthy citizen, now deceased, who owned a plantation in this vicinity. Either of his sons, Isaac Stafford, Esq., Past Grand Master of the Odd Fellows, or Texas Staf

ford, Esq., of Columbus, will answer all inquiries that may be addressed to them relative to the locality.

Six miles west of Stafford is

WALKER.

Mr. W. P. Quigg has been for some years one of the largest sugar planters in this section. He cultivates several hundred acres of the sweet staple, and will courteously answer all inquiries that may be made of him. Mr. Quigg states:

“I consider the Brazos and Oyster Creek lands to be the best in the State. They produce abundantly, and are very easy to cultivate.

"The land is a rich reddish alluvial soil, mixed with small shell. The soil is so deep that I have seen wells dug thirty feet, that at the bottom being as that on the top. The chief products are corn, cotton, sugar cane, sweet and Irish potatoes.

"The average yield of corn is from fifty to seventy-five bushels; of cotton, from one to one and a-half bales; of sugar, fifteen hundred pounds and ninety gallons of molasses; of sweet potatoes, from two hundred to three hundred bushels; peaches are a safe and abundant crop; plums and grapes flourish luxuriantly. There is an abundance of timber for all purposes-ash, oak, elm, boxelder, hackberry and wild peach. The depth of timber from the river to the prairie will vary from three to five miles. The prairie furnishes plenty of fine grasses for summer pasturage, while the timber bottom lands afford protection from the northers and bad weather, with plenty of grass all winter. I have been planting for six years, and I make this statement from actual experience. I have never found any difficulty in procuring all the labor I wanted, and I have taken off four hundred bales of cotton, two hundred hogsheads of sugar, and corn without limit. Corn has a ready sale at fifty cents."

In this connection, it may not be improper to give the testimony of one whose national reputation and extensive travel gives great weight to his words. In July, '72, the Hon. John W. Forney made a journey through Texas, and in his letter to the Philadelphia Press, published on the 15th of that month, he thus describes a

TEXAS PRAIRIE.

"After pulling through some twenty miles of sand and morass, we gradually ascended the plateau, and for the first time met the Texas prairie. I wish I could fitly describe the scene and its effect upon my companions. As I have since noted by the Philadelphia and New York papers, you were then smitten down on the streets, or driven into your homes, by the dreadful heat, yet here, twenty

five hundred miles from Philadelphia, in the extreme Southwest, we rested our horses and mules upon an elevation which commanded an aspect unspeakably glorious. Far as the eye could reach there was nothing but living grass, interspersed with groves. Herds of cattle, oxen and horses were browsing on the rich pasturage, their flowing manes and tails waving in the free air. I felt as I have often felt, after leaving Philadelphia on a Saturday afternoon for the healthy breath of old ocean at Cape May, Atlantic City, or Long Branch. We literally bathed in the wholesome atmosphere. A striking contrast was presented between our trying rides over rough roads and the heavenly zephyrs that coursed around us on this peerless prairie. Not the level and carefully macadamized paths of Fairmount Park at Philadelphia, the Druid Hill Park at Baltimore, nor the Central Park, New York, surpass these natural boulevards. Differing from the Western prairies in the fact that they are still undisturbed by population, save where, here and there, some enterprising settler has already built his home, as if to wait for incoming population, you ride on and encounter an occasional grove of well-watered timber."

This testimony, from one who is not given to romancing, will meet the hearty assent of every tourist.

RICHMOND,

the seat of Fort Bend county, is six miles west from Walker and thirty-two miles from Harrisburg. It is handsomely situated on the west bank of the Brazos river, which is crossed by a fine railroad bridge.

Having been

The number of inhabitants is about two thousand. settled in 1837, it is one of the oldest cities in the State, and it contains many families of established character and historic connection with the Texas Revolution. Among these is Major Robert J. Calder, of the firm of Mitchel & Calder, land agents. Major Calder fought through the whole of the war of the Texas Revolution, and gained distinction on several fields. Dr. Geo. A. Feris, another old citizen, was a surgeon in the Texas Army. He is an accomplished scholar, and an enthusiastic turfman. Either of these gentlemen will reply courteously to all inquiries addressed them with reference to lands or other matters in their locality. Dr. Feris can give much valuable information relative to the introduction and management of improved breeds.

Richmond is liberally supplied with churches and schools. The Methodist Church has a fine building, of which the Rev. Geo. W. Barker is the minister in charge. The membership reaches one hundred and fifty. Messrs. J. W. Eckman and Joseph Chaney