I suppose there are cultivated in this county, in cotton, about 5,000 acres; in corn, about 10,000; in wheat about 2,000. The average, per acre, 700 pounds of cotton; of corn, 15 bushels, and of wheat, 10 bushels. The number of acres cultivated, per hand, will average about 15. The average value of improved lands in the county, is seven dollars per acre; unimproved, about three dollars. There is little or no public land in this county. Some of our lands have been cultivated for fifteen years; they do not produce as well as at first. The general character of our soil is loose and sandy, of a gray color; some portions are red land. The depth of the soil is from three to eighteen inches. The average value of cattle is about $10; of horses, about $75; of sheep, $2.50; of hogs, at this timee, $1.50; the value of beef, per pound, three cents; of pork, eight cents. The price of corn is one dollar per bushel; wheat, $1.50; potatoes, seventy-five cents; bacon, fifteen cents per pound; flour, $10 per barrel. Sheep are successfully raised here; they are not much subject to disease; need but little attention and expense. The fruits in this county are peaches, apple, and figs. Peaches succeed best. The most common wild animals are deer, racoon, opossum and hare. The county seat is Gilmer; the public buildings are a courthouse, jail, and two church houses. The number of churches in this county is unknown to me. We have Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians. We have a high school in Gilmer for males, and one for females; in both these schools all the branches of science are taught, necessary for a good English education. The male school is conducted by A.F. Calloway; the female by S.M. Johnson. In this county, we have plenty of common schools under the Free School System. Big Sandy runs through the south-west corner of the county, and empties into the Sabine. The Sabine is the south boundary of this county; Big Cypress is the north boundary, up to near the north-west corner of the county, where the Dry Fork is the line from there to Wood county line. Little Cypress heads in this county, or rather in Wood, near the west side of this county, and runs an easterly direction through this county. There is plenty of iron ore here. This county was organized about the year 1847; it was taken from Harrison county - P.E. Wilson, Ballsam Brewer, John Marshall, and Thos. Kelly, were among the early settlers. The principal markets are Shreveport, Jefferson and New Orleans. The transportation is by wagons and by boats, by way of the Sabine. The cost is from seventy-five cents to one dollar and twenty-five cents per hundred pounds. The distance to Jefferson is forty-five miles from the county seat; to Shreveport, eighty-five miles. The Southern Pacific Railroad is in contemplation to run through the south part of this county. No part of the road has been worked on in this county, but it has been surveyed. Emigrants come to this county by way of Red River and overland. There are but few cattle raised for market here, our stock range being only tolerably good. The kind of lumber used here is mostly pine; it is abundant and good - price, ten dollars per thousand. We have many mills, there being ten or twelve water saw mills. Brick and stone could be used for building, but pine lumber is much cheaper. The fences in our county, are of rails. Gold and silver is the chief currency, though we have some Louisiana paper in circulation. Money is scarce. The usual interest is ten per cent. Louisiana money is at par; all other paper at a discount of two and one-half percent. Our people are opposed to banks with few exceptions. This county is well watered, and the water is good freestone water. We have a good many springs; stock water is plenty; our county is healthy. The most prevalent disease is chills and fever. We usually have a drought setting in in May or June. We generally have rain plenty in the winter and spring seasons. Honey dews fall occasionally. We have frosts here in winter, but seldom enough to kill the vegetation. We have snow and ice sometimes. Fogs are not common. The mirage is never seen.

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