The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-30
Notes On Nebraska TER tory.
BY TIL. JEFFERSON SUTHERLAND.

CHAPTER nj.
Face Of Coustry-Prair aud Prairie Grass Tim
Der aud Shrtlbbay.
The Missouri river, from the mouth of the Mo
brara (Which stream is also known by the namc of
Esu-qu-cour, or Running Wate) down to the
mouth Of the Kansas, crowds its waters against the
bluffs the Nebraska shore, and from thence only
occasionally shoots them off to the left, to take
turn through the broad bottoms which stretch along
upon the opposite side.
What are called bluffs may be, in other words, de-
scribed chains Of knobs and hills, presenting to
the river, or the bottoms, whichever chance to lie
at their feet, abrupt faces which at points
activities Of several hundred feet. On the Iowa
and Missouri sde OF the river, the bluffs sre mere
clay hills, standing at distances Of from two to ten
miles from the brink Of the stream; but these rise
in picturesque FORMS and n covering of prairie
grass which adds greatly to the hearty of the
scenery
The bluffs on the Nebraska side Of the river have,
below the SELL stratas of rock, COAL clsy sand and
gravel and those staua up more ia the usual hill
form than the bluffs of the opposite shore Except
the bottoms along tho rivers, the lands of the terri
tory all lie upon an elesaton, in parts of
raj hundred feet above the surface Of the waters Of
the Missouri river. Prom the bluffs on the river,
the land gecedcs inwtat is called r,lling praires
and these rolling or heaving forns of the land
rendered irregular elly whore they cut through
by the water courses, and where here are tables,
whichsre occasionally spread out sapOn the Hottest
points. Such is the entire face OF the eastern part
Of tho territory ard to this eastern part the fertility
of the soil is mainly confined
Distant about three hundred miles west of3he
Missouri rveD tho rolling or keavng form Of the
land ceases, andsshe face of the country becomes
plain, with hereand there a SAID HILL and ths,con-
times to the feet Of tho Rocky Mountains and as
the,and settles into plain, the rich and deso soil
ceases to exist, and vegetation becomes sparce.
Along the Missouri river asa throughout the whole
region Of the rolling praries, the face of the untry
isnne Of remarkable beauty. Everywhere the OBJ
sewers degk ted with the lendor Of the landscape,
and the grandeur and picturesque character of the
scenery. lthas not however, the wild grsa deur of
that Of Oregon and California, has it tae awe
marked and striking character of the scenery Of
New Mexico and Utah, because there but few
hills within the limits ofthe territory and noun
t,ins, except those which bound it on the west.
Put the scenery Of Nebrsska is the beautiful the
lovely, the, picturesque, end the agreeable.
Nebraska is emphaticsly prairie country, and n
fpaucity OF timber, whica exists throughout the ter
,ritory, is the only drawback that upon it. The
prairies timberless tracts of land covered with
grass, which give them the character of natural
meadows and pasture grounds. The grasses of the
prairie Of four kinds. The first is called reed
grass and its growth is confined to the bottoms. 1t
is the earliest to forth in the spring. and it is
the NEST hardy of the nrarie grasses, but its stalks
tall and woody in fibre, and its leaves coarse,
and it afcrds but little nutrmont to tho animal
stomach, when grown to maturity. lts seed-heads
arc unlike any Of the common cultivated grains Of
the continent. second kind (of which there is
but Il sparse growth) is found along tie edges of
groves Of timber, and occasionally in the bluffs and
this bears leaf and seed head resembling barley.
A third kind (of which there are but small quanti-
ties to be tound) has resemblance to rice both in
leaf and seed-head. But of these two kinds of
grasses there are not enough to be seen growing,
upon which to found an opinion to their value
when used for pasturage or as hay for cattle.
The fourth kind, and that which is the prevailing
grass the rolling prairics and dry bottoms resem
hles oats, both in leaf and seed-head; and as
the Indians are an acknowledged degenerate race of
A states, descended from emigrants introduced upon
the Pacific coast OF America ut early period,
50 have we reason to believe that the prevailing
prsire grasses are the degenerate remains of the
oats. rice, and barley introduced and cultvatedupon
this continent by the same early cmigrants from
Asia, and which. by the operation of climate and
the elements, have acquired perennial roots, and
ceased to produce perfect seed.
The prevailing and common kind of grass that
which resembles oats, grows in great luxuliance on
the pilrics, and produces abundant foliage, and
when cut and cared in the ordinary mode of making
hay, and put up stacks or barns so as to be pro.
tccted from the bleaching effects of the weather, il
affords subsistence tor cattle for the winter, full
equal in quality to that of any of the cultivated
grasses, which should be cut and cured before the
seed-heads are put forth; and horses, neat CATTLE
and sheep live and thrive well through the winters
upon the hay of the prairie grass when il has been
properly cut and cured
For pasurage the prairie grass is equal to any of
the cultivated grasses. only and executing its La
blity to be affected by frost. late frost in the
spring cuts down the young prairie grass as if the
same were oats; and an early frost in the autumn
destroys the life OF the prairie grass, leaf and stalk
as certainly and as efectuay us if the same were
parcels of cultivated oats and barley, which had not
advanced to the putting forth of the seed-hoads.
After the first frost of the closing season. there is
nothing OF vegetable life remaining to any part of
the prairie grass but with the roots, which are per-
,ennial.
Nor will the prairie grass bear close feeding ia
field be enclosed and pasured bya drove of cattle or
ahock OF sheep for two years, there will be but lit
tlecr none OF the prairie grass remaining. In such
casef what is called blue grass usually makes its APP
pearance, and takes the place of the prairie grass
Or il the grass b. closely fed wi.l.oas enalo8ura
(Which is sometimes the case where the dried prairie
grass is not burned off until the summer has com
menced and growth Of young grass comes up after
wards an attracts the cattle from other portions of
the praires where the grass has become coarse and
harsh). the like results will be produced
1t is apparent to the observer that the prairies
have at some previous time been as densey tim
bered as any ct the forest portions of the continent
and that the annual bnrnngs of the dried grass of
the praries, which has been continued by the In
dams for time ;mmemorial, has been the sole cause
of the destruction of the timber. Wherever the |
grass prevails there is TIMBER but when the grass
is destroyed the timber comes up at once, and grows
thrifty.
AS the grass crowds upon grove or strip of tim
Der, the timber rcccdes The grass once grown
ganst the roots Of tree its first burning heats and
kills the bark of surface from several feet in
of that portion of the tree which may
chance to be within reach of the flames of the
burning grass In short time the dead bark dries
up and falls off, leaving naked that portion of the
wood of which it was the ntegument to be dried by
the sun and weather; and the next burning of the
dried grass of the prairie sets fire 20 the dried part
and thus causes the tree to be partially severed from
its roots and then the burned portion of the tree is
again fired at every burning Of the dried grass of the
prairie. until the burned part Of the tree is so far
weakened that the wind blows il down, when |
it becomes wholly dried, and at the next burn |
ing OF the dried grass of the prairie it is con- |
sumed by this process the timber is destroy |
cd, and it may be said to be driven over the |
bluffs and into the rivers and the smaller streams; |
and hence the only wooded portions of the territory
arc the bluffs, where the activity prevents the ac-
emulation of soil sufficient for dense growth of |
grass and the islands and margins of the rivers and
lesser streams, where the water inpedes both the