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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
No. 2394 1848 Sept. 27, TEXAS MOUNTED VOLUNTEERS, SAN AN- TONIO, TEXAS Address of farewell to Colonel P. H. Bell. A. Df. of Lamar. 2 p. No. 2395 1848 Nov. 28, S. G. HAYNIE, AND OTHERS, AUSTIN, [TEXAS] TO M[IRABEAU[ B[UONAPARTE] LAMAR, [AUSTIN, TEXAS] Invitation to a ball at the Capitol on [Nov. 30] complimentary to the United States army officers in Austin. N. S. 1 p. No. 2396 1848 Dec. 17, J. A. VEATCH SAN ANTONIO, [TEXAS] TO [M. B. LAMAR, AUSTIN, TEXAS]1 9 San Antonio Dec. 17th. 1848 Dear General Since my return I have been active in making enquiries con- cerning the business spoken of betwen us at Judge Webb's. Owing the extreme ill-health of my family I have not yet visited San Fer- nando; but I have ascertained pretty much all I wished to know <'On- cerning the land &c. In addition to manifacturing an advantagious commercial turn can be made in a way not yet attempted and I doubt not will be one of the most profitable business arrangements that can be entered into. I allude to the Gurn Arabic so extensively afforded by one variety of the musquit tree. There are certain districts on the Rio Grande where this tree forms the entire growth for many leagues in length & from one to two lcal]:lies broad. There is one such forest in the neighborhood of the Escondida where I propose to locate. When I was on the Rio Grande I collected specimens of the article above named, which I have lately submitted to the inspection of an experienced druggist, who pronounces it equal to that which brings in the atlantic cities from 25 to 75 cents per pound, by the wholesale. This gum you will remember is extensively used in th,: arts as well as in medicine, it is in constant demand & formr, an ex- tensive article of commerce from the Enl!t. On the Rio Grande it exudes from the fissures in the bark & from the accidental wounds on the branches & twigs. Some of the trees afford two or three pounds; hut if Ii system of artificial wound- ing were adopted a much larger quantity would be obtained. From the shrubby & stinted /?rowth of the tree the gum can be easily gath- ered from the highest branches. These forests are exceedingly dense & averaging, I would say, 500 trees to the acre. I believe it could be gatherd at a cost of 3 cents per pound. The season for gathering is in the winter. The right of gathering it coulil doubtless be secured al:
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