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En route to Mexico
Dec. 15. 

and in most places forested. In the clearings crops of corn and cotton are raised. The people are evidently poor. The houses are small, primitive looking affairs, usually of rough boards but occasionally of logs. Most of them have old-fashioned fireplaces with big chimneys built outside at the ends. The cotton plants are small and stunted. The most abundant forest tree near Russell is an oak with large, lobed leaves. The leaves still adhere to the branches giving a reddish brown color to the forest.

Platanus. Sycamores are common among the oaks described above.

Liriodendron? Leafless trees that I took to be Tulip trees were common over large areas east of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Most of the fences were woven fences made of heavy split rails.

Pinus. As we neared Little Rock, a pine with short leaves and small cones appeared suddenly and was abundant over certain areas but did not appear to occur at all over other areas, apparently of the same character.

Passed Little Rock about noon.

Sturnella. Several were seen alighting in a field along  the R.R. about 30 miles west 


En route to Mexico,
Dec. 15-16-17

of Little Rock.

Pinus. Pinus became more abundant along the R. R. about 30 miles west of Little Rock and in many places are the principal forest tree. Near Arkadelphia, Gurdon and other places along the road considerable lumber is sawed from the pines.

Palms. As we neared Texarkana, the country, which is still forested, became more swampy and small palms appeared. In some places the palms were very abundant.

Dec. 16, en route, San Antonio, Tex.

Veg. This morning when I got up we were passing Austin, Tex. and I saw some of the familiar Mezquites and large, flat-leaved Opuntia and there were many Live Oaks covered with Spanish Moss. Also many small bushy-topped cedars or junipers.

Sturnella. Several large loose flocks of 50-75 birds were seen flying, near Austin.

I reached San Antonio about 11 a.m. and was obliged to spend a night there.

Dec. 17 en route.

Left San Antonio for Eagle Pass and Mexico, at 8:30 a.m.

Veg. Between San Antonio and Eagle Pass, Mezquites, large Opuntia and Acacia farnesiana