TEXAS. one of the United States of North America, lies between 26' and 30' 30' N. 1st., 93' 30' and 106' W. long. It is bounded K by state of Louisiana; N.E. by that of Arkansas ; N. by the Indian territory; W. by the territory of New Mexico; S.W. by the republic of Mexico ; and S. by the Gulf of Mexico. Its greatest length from north to south is 700 miles; its greatest width from east to west, 800 miles. The area is at 325,520 square miles, or nearly equal to the united areas of Great Britain and Fnmee. The populatiou in 1850 It as 212,592 (of whom 53,161 were eleven), or to the square mile. This however does not include the Indians, chiefly occupying the hill country, who were in 1853 estimated by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs at 29,000. The federal representative population secoeding to the Census of 1850 was 1S9,327, in which number three fifths of the slaves are included. This, according to the present ratio of representation, entitles the state to send two representatives to Congeals. To the Senate, like each of the other United States, Texas sends two members.
Surface, Hydrography, etc.—The surface of so vast a country is of course greatly varied, but it may be broadly described as comprising a low and level region, an undulating or prairie tract, and a hilly or mountainous district, answering generally to what have been called Southern and Eastern, Middle, and Western Texas.
The level region occupies the entire coast, and reaches 60 or 80 miles into the interior. For 10 or 12 miles inland the country is subject to inundation, but behind this swampy tract it rises imper ceptibly for some miles, and then stretches out in a wide plain with a nearly level surface. This plain is from 10 to 30 feet above the water courses, and with the exception of the low bottoms along the banks of the rivers, it is not subject to inundation. The tide, though it varies only from two to three feet, ascends the rivers to the distance of 45 or 50 miles from the sea in a straight line. The whole of the plain is wooded, with the exception of the highest tracts of laud between the rivers, which are destitute of trees, and exhibit fine prairies. The forests consist of different kinds of oak, hickory, iron
wood, sugar-maple, and other useful trees, which are found in the southern states of the American Union. The whole of this tract is in process of conversion into an immense field, producing cotton, maize, wheat, tobacco, and every kind of plants and fruit-trees which grow In the temperate zone and on the borders of the tropics; the sugar cane flourishes here, but is not much cultivated.
The undulating country at the back of this plain, though naturally less fertile, has a more genial and healthy climate, and with moderate culture appears capable of producing almost unlimited supplies of corn, cotton, and tobacco, while the uplands afford vast and excellent grazing-ground", being covered with grass, which maintains its verdure during many months. This is the most populous and productive portion of the state. The country between the river-bottoms gene rally rises from them with a gentle acclivity to an elevation of 200 to 400 feet, and present. for the moat part an undulating surface, on which isolated hills of moderate elevation are dispersed. By far the geatest part of this tract is destitute of trees, which, occur only in isolated clamps about the bases and declivities of the hills, and at con•Iderable distances from one another.
Western Texas, the hilly and mountainous district, includes the southern portion of the Sierra Sagramento, and a nearly parallel range on the east called the Guadalupe Mountains. This region is little known, being as yet left to tho Indian tribes, chiefly Cumanches, to the wild animals, and to the hunter. Many of the mountains are believed to rise more than 2000 feet above their beam Most of the rivers of Taira have their origin in the mountain region, and American writer speculate freely on what It may become when the ' water-power' is fairly turned to account.