Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-04-17
FROM KANSAS.
Lawrence, March 90, 1856.

i SECRETARY WISCONSIN KANSAS AID SoCi-
lTY:-1 have spent several days in Kansas, an d
write you hurriedly my first impressions, and
such items as | have acquired, which may be of
use to those intending TO emgrate to any Yves
tern Territory. ] have taken the utmost pains
to ascertain accurately, the facts which state,
and believe that all interested may rely upon
finding very nearly the state OF things which
shall describe in this and subsequent letters
! have thus far explored, hastily, the Valley
of the Kansas, and some of its smaller tributa-
ries fifty miles from its mouth. The character
of this region is very open and simple. The
yallies of the stream are from one to four miles
1 wide. They consist of high dry bottoms, COW
cred with a luxurant growth of cottonwood,
oak, hickory, blackwalnut-very abundant
sycamore, blackberry, soft and sugar maple,
wild palm with matted underwrowth of vines
and punches of ras pbery, red haw, &c. Rising
from these timbered va.iies for lJo to 2Ju feet,
the bluffs present smoothly rounded slopes, with
scattered groves of oak, hickory and wild apple,
which extend short distance beyond the top of
the hill, aud skirt the margin of the valley
The upands lie in vast swells, gentle and alter
mating at considerable distances with the inter-
vening depressions There is no broken ground
Oh the surface, no abrupt outlines in the scene
Try There is the most perfect drainage without
the slightest waste of land. Everything is ara
i bic down to the waters edge.
i The geological character OF this district is en-
inently favorable Ii is Gndcriain by the rocks
ot the c1at tofma.ion comprising series of
iimestunes, alternating with Gays and soft states,
] The lin estcLe, by It's superior power OF resist
ing the destructive agency OF tue elements, pro-
Jccts Itself upon the surface and may be found
in abundance i'll nearly every section of land in
this part OF the Territory. Its place in the hills
is always marked by beautiful natural terraces
which give to the landscape a peculiar charm
that l have never seen elsewhere, except in
- l.
obtain a claim which has not in it good quar-
ry OF stone. The shaes or hard ciays of this
formation are of nestinlable value in bearing up
the water 50 that even upon the great central
r ridges and bluffs, little distance from the edge
good wells of pure water can he obtained FROM
Is to 30 feet III depth. Springs gush out from
the hill sides and often surprise one almost up
on the summit level of the country.
The high rolling prairies, therefore, though t.
: a casual observer they seem destitute of water
are really abundantly supplied with it at a slight
9 depth Two men will dig we'll and stone il
r up in Il week OF ten days anywhere, taking the
stone from the quarry The water is hard but
of excellent quality. The prairies not large
the largest in this portion of the Territory not
exceeding eight miles in bredth, and there art
, but few instances where the timber is more than
three miles from the centre of the pra RTE. Ihi,
region is much better tihbercd than the south
: ern portion of Wisconsin There is probably
three times the amount of timber to the aero
here that would be found in Rock, Green ant
Lafayette counties. With the exception of it,
! lakes and marshes the district around Waupun
Ripon and Berlin, in Wisconsin. represents thi
whole region in miniature. Its swels, howev
er, are on a grander scale and its ridges rist
into small mountains like those of the lead re
gion. Indeed look on a conical elevation five
. miles from Lawrence which can be seen for ;,
miles around and which is called Blue Mound
E A friend from Platteville, Wise onsin, SAYS i
, looks Ike Sinsinawa Mound, Wisconsin.
! Badger feels at home here. There is nothin!
to surprise him in the physical aspect of til,
country.
The soil presents nearly every variety. TIL,
f bottoms are of deep loan, heavy near tn,
bluffs, and lighter near the streams. The up
lands are generally covered with from Two t,
! three feet of prairie soil, underan by ligh
calcareous clay, which, on the bluffs, form tn,
surface soil. On the slopes we find often heav,
clays resulting from the decomposition of thu
J rocks of the coal formation.
; The general character of the soil is that ofth
prairie districts Of Illinois and Central Wiscon
sin which are good enough.
The great variety of,climate, aspect and rock,
substratum give Il corresponding variety Il
the soils, and guarantee wide range of agri
cultural productions.
CLIMATE
like May, only a slight frost one night TIL,
climate of Kansas differs materially from that o
the States east of the Mississippi. We find her,
the mild temperature of Southern Illinois, In
diana and Ohio, without the oppressive humid
lty which one experiences there, and which i.
so liable to generate bilious diseases. The ali
is dry and pure. and one breathcs it with won
derfu exhiiration. The free circulation of ali
secures health and prevents frost.
The most important lectniarity of the climat,
III an economical point of view, is the length o
the warm season. Ploughing can he done dur
ing ten months OF the year. Gardens are plan
ted from the 2Cth of March without danger OF
frost Corn, potatoes, &c, arc planted from
|, the 18th of April till the Goth Of June. The
weather continues mild and warm until intv De
ccmber. According to observations made at the
Military posts, the number OF fair DAYS in each
: year is very large Storms are rare but some
what severe. The climate cannot but be de-
lghttu and salubrious.
PRODUCTIONS.
t The farms at the various missions and forts
afford data for opinion upon The productions
of Kansas. Wheat (winter or spring. corn oats
f rye potatoes, grass, (ciOver and timothy flax
: and indeed ali tie staple crops of Wisconsin
thrive everywhere. In addition To- these, hemp
tobacco, sweet potatoes and cotton do well.
think the finest sweet potatoes have ever seen
were grown here, and IS the seed ripcnS it will
; be very valuable crop.
For fruit, it is the very garden Of the cont
! nent, uniting the products Of the North IL Sout,
in combination Of luxuries which We cannot
hope to find far north south OF this belt of ter
rtory. The portion of Missouri opposite, is
| stocked with fine orchards, and both dry and
green fruit is much cheaper here III Wisconsin
) Accustomed to pay five cents for two apples in
: Milwaukee, You are quite astonished at the lib
crafty of the apple hoy who cries 5 apples for
{ five cents" and delivers You five beautiful
smooth. red-cheeked spitzenbergs, while YOU
gratefully produce yeur half dime. Beside the
apple, the pear, cherry, ounce and plum. are
; cultivated with great success
The peach, apricot nectarine, sweet almonds
ard every variety of grape. are produced without
difficulty and are Of excellent quality.
No country in the world seems to be better
: adapted to the cultivation of the grape and the
manufacture of wine Wild fruit is abundant,
The plum, apple, grape, berries, of al descrip-
ton. the pawpaw and persmmon are found all
along the vailies and rayines.
GRAZING.
No region of the temperate zone possesses SUI
perior advantages for grazing. The mild, open
winter here, renders fodder almost valucless.-
Those hundreds of cattle that have had no hay
except the dry prairie grass, and no shelter; and
mot lx, e a IL