Eight cheese factories reported operating in Kansas 400,000 buffalo hides shipped from Dodge City Kansas State Grange organized 1874 - Grasshopper invasion and drought causes widespread suffering German Mennonites settle in Marion county, bringing Turkey Red winter wheat to Kansas Glidden barb wire patented Drouth, winds and grasshopper invasion. Congress declares it national disaster. Special session of Legislature called to issue bond. 1875 - W.K. Kedzie, state chemist, Kansas State College, chosen to visit England and Europe to observe their methods of farming and erect a museum in Kansas. First creamery in Kansas operated in Leavenworth by DeCoursey.
Cattlemen lose range to homesteaders.
Windmills power most early irrigation projects. Turkey wheat becomes a standard variety. Kansas flour mills change equipment from stone urrs or burrs and rollers to new steel rollers enabling them to mill the hard winter wheat. Cotton grown and ginned in southern counties of Kansas wins national prizes at New Orleans Tobacco grown in many counties. Much of it marketed at Kansas processing plants such as at Fort Scott 1891 - Alfalfa first recognized in Kansas crop reports.