South Texas Community Research Articles

Remedios caseros: Mexican American home remedies and community health problems

A sample of 1235 case examples of remedios caseros (home remedies) was analyzed to determine the morbidity patterns for “home treated” ailments in Mexican American communities in South Texas. A group of seventy most commonly encountered ailments was discovered, as described in the paper. An analysis was made of the variations within the morbidity patterns of these ailments in relation to the age and sex of the informant. Parallels are drawn between the research findings and the results of conventional morbidity research efforts.

Status Consciousness and Leftism: A Study of Mexican-American Adolescents

Using data collected among Mexican-American adolescents, this paper tests a model positing an effect of ethnic consciousness on system blame, and an effect of system blame on political leftism. For the sample as a whole, results support the model, although the effect of system blame on leftism is weak. Further analysis reveals an interactive relationship such that system blame has a significant effect on leftism among respondents whose father's occupation is not low (nonmarginals), but no effect among respondents whose father's occupation is low (marginals). The interaction is apparently due to a greater relevance of system blame items to nonmarginal respondents. Students of lower-class politics have devoted much attention to the hypothesis asserting an association between class consciousness and political leftism. But such inquiries have been restricted to adult proletarians, to the exclusion of their younger counterparts. Yet, the class consciousness-leftism hypothesis clamors for investigation among pre-adults. Pre-adults know about class differences (Simmons and Rosenberg; Straddling and Zureik; Tudor) and they share their family's lot in life. Moreover, it is plausible to assume that those in the anteroom of adulthood might organize their political perspectives much as, according to theory, adults are likely to organize theirs. The purpose of this paper is to explore the association between class consciousness and leftism in a Mexican-American adolescent sample. Since the subjects are members of a distinct ethnic group, it further attempts to assess the relationship between ethnic consciousness and class consciousness. A major difficulty in pursuing these research interests is the relative scarcity of appropriate settings. With the recent recurrence of Mexican-American militancy, manifested in such developments as the growth of student activism and the United Farm Workers movement, it would seem that suitable settings would abound. But this is not the case for two reasons. First, in many places respondents might be reluctant to express openly their political views for fear of reprisal from the dominant elements in the community. Second, the usual case is that leftist or quasileftist views survive only within a small segment of the target population. In such circumstances, the study of leftism within the broader community would be little more than an idle exercise. Because its political situation did not seem to present these problems, Crystal City, Texas, offered an ideal research site. Crystal City is a small South Texas community with a population of about

Turkey Productivity in Two Vegetative Communities in South Texas

Differences in productivity of the Rio Grande turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedis) between mesquite (Prosopsis juliflora) and live oak (Quercus virginiana) vegetative communities on the King Ranch in South Texas were investigated from June 6, 1968, to January 3, 1969. The average brood size in August for the mesquite area, as determined from 1,720 poult observations, was 6.9, while 721 poult observations on the live oak area revealed an average brood size of 4.6 The overall poult: hen ratios at this same ffme were 4.7 and 2.6 while the hens seen without poults xrere 31 and 40 percent respectively. The August productivity, or percent of increase in the population due to reproduction, was 336 percent for the mesquite area and 159 for the live oak. The November, or pre-hunting season productivities were 315 and 129 percent. Poult mortality for the 13-week period, between 2 and 15 weeks of age, was calculated to be 22.9 percent for the mesquite area and 12.1 for the live oak. A helicopter census yielded a calculated density of 56 turkeys per 1,000 acres on the mesquite area and 51 on the live oak. Road counts revealed overestimations of these densities ranging from 95-193 percent. Turkey productivity on the King Ranch in South Texas has fluctuated tremendously from year to year. In years of normal precepitation, production has been good, whereas in dry years there has been almost no production of young turkeys ( W. H. Kiel, Jr., personal communication). There are several possible ecological explanations for this situation, all of which may be related to the limited vegetation during dry years. An assessment was made of the turkey productivity in two vegetative communities, mesquite and live oak. This assessment, in two different environments, explored some of the ecological causes of poor turkey productivity. Field work was carried out from June 8, 1968, to January 3, 1969. Turkey densities on the King Ranch have been reported as being considerably greater in live oak than mesquite (Lehmann 1957 ) . In order that the live oak areas maintain higher turkey densities, there must be, through time, either higher productivity, survival, immigration, or some combination of these factors. 1 Research was supported by King Ranch, Inc., University of Wisconsin, and the Ceasar Kleberg Wildlife Foundation. 166 I gratefully acknowledge W. H. Kiel) Jr.7 biologistv King Range, Inc., and R. A. McCabe of the University of Wisconsin for advice, assistance, and editorial help throughout this project. O. J. Rongstad of the University of Wisconsin, provided suggestions in preparing the manuscript.

Relationships between Plants and Soils of Four Range Plant Communities in South Texas

Relationships between Plants and Soils of Four Range Plant Communities in South Texas

Herbage Production in Four Range Plant Communities in South Texas

grasses. Unless the seed bed is cated. If weed seeds are present, known to be free of weed seeds, little or no fertilizer of any kind spring seeding should be delayed should be used. until weed seeds have germiApril was the best time for nated and the seedlings eradiestablishment of m o s t of the grasses tested. This was especially true for switchgrass and lovegrass. Late April or early May plantings were best for King Ranch bluestem.

Density of Plains Wood Rate Dens on Four Plant Communities in South Texas

EcologyVolume 40, Issue 4 p. 715-716 Article Density of Plains Wood Rate Dens on Four Plant Communities in South Texas Thadis W. Box, Thadis W. BoxSearch for more papers by this author Thadis W. Box, Thadis W. BoxSearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 October 1959 https://doi.org/10.2307/1929824Citations: 6AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume40, Issue4October 1959Pages 715-716 RelatedInformation