The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-09-01

cropping out beneath, or iatersper5ed in the
primitive formation, as we ascend toward the
| Rocky Mountains. The country rises very
rapidly in that direction from Fort Riley; nm
the Republican, for instance, the ascent, in
the first 300 miles is said to be 1000 feet
The rock in the vicinity of Sm9kyhill is prn-
clpaIly limestone; and the river bottoms are
sandy loan. The upland prairies are bro
Ken, but Of black. rich SOIL particularly where
limestone predomnates; the valleys are also
very rich, and the soil mellow. Passing over
the high uplonds, often there is nothing to be
seen but prairie spreading out beyond till it
is lost in dim distance; when all at once, as
If by magic you come upon
Woody valley, warm and low
with fine springs and clear running water
THIS, is, indeed, well watered rerion. and
must he salubrious and healthy. We preyi.
ousy mentioned the scarcity of timber above
Pottawatomie; it may here be added, that it
is Inadequate to supply what would be needed
for agricultural purposes, and hardly sufficien.
for firewood. Here and to the westward,
new era in agriculture must be inaugurated-
new system must be practised Nature de-
mands that it should be 80. Instead Of clear.
ing timbered lands, as in Eastern States, the
citizen farmers Of Kansas must grow their
timber. There is fuel wanted, but coal iB
many places can be got with little labor; hou
ses must be built, and fences made, but in
the absence OF sufficient timber, excellent
rock for all purposes can be procured in abua-
dance; or, foi fencing the farmer can hedge
himself in most completely with Osage Or
ange. The country abounds with the most
luscious grapes. Stock Of ali kinds are healthy
and these rolling prairies will make the finest
sheep walks in the word. In fact, this may
be designated the Pasioriq! Region Of Amer
ica The gardens at Fort Riley look well;
and we procured some beautiful wild prairie
flowers.
The difficulty Of navigating the Smokyhill
with stern-wheel steamer OF such length as
the Excel" prevented Capt. Baker from ven.
turing so far up as he otherwise weuId. a
shorter sde-wheel steamer, Of very light
draught adapted to the navigation of these
interior rivers, will soon be put on the trade
r We left Fort Riley on the return trip, or
Wednesday morning, and came down 'kiteing.
Passing rapid y in review the splendid scenery
Of which we have attempted to make hasty
q, memoranda, We entered the Missouri abou
daylight light next morning.
Before concluding these brief notes, il mus
be remasked-in reiernce TO the production
and climate of Kanzas Terrltory-that ther
: are, no doubt, superior hemp lands in its cen
tral ard western portions; Nature unmistake
ably indicates stock-raisng as the proper n
most profitable occupation for the farmer
. who shall settle there. In the great Kama
Valley, below Pottawatome, and in the cas-
ern region along the Missouri, there are som
i ofthe finest hemp lands in the world. Whea
: corn, oats and vegetables grow as wei, as an
of the Western States. Those in the Patt
Purchase, Immediately east OF the Missou
. River, who attend 10 fruit growing, say tina
their apples, peaches, pums. &c, cannot
surpassed anywhere; we can see no reasot
why as much may not be said Of the sam
crops in the region across the river.
!, The winters are generally dry and pleasan
and the roads fine; but little snow falls, an
this lays on the ground only for shor, time
, Sometimes, however, there are very "coi
spells" of weather, but they are not long du
ration. For instance, the masons in Park
-, vile, Platte Co., No, qulrricd and lai6 ston
last winter with but little il terrupton on ac
count of the weather. Common cattle colts
mules and sheep, can be wintered on blue
grass, provided the pastures are allowed Z
grow up in the :al, anl the stock have lit
tie corn or hay occasionally. February an.
March are frequently quite pleasant, aEe
much plowing can be done in the mellow dry
loan of the Kanzas Valley. The summer.
are quite warm and long, the thermomete
(Fahr.) not unfrequently marking up to nea
100 deg. in the shade. The high praries
however, are generally famed by cool, re
ireshing breezes; and as "e ascend the bran
ches of the Kanzas from Fort Riley, there i.
a rapid rise to cooler region. In May an,
June there is a superabundance of rain; bul
the latter end OF summer and fall are gener
ally dry.
Having been across the territory many
times in course of the last fifteen yeas, w
give these remarks as the result of our expe
rence.