The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-01-10
FROM the Indiana Farmer,
NOTES FROM KANSAS.

Having left the Mission service, and be-
come bona fde settler in Kansrs, with ia
vorable opportunities for making agricultur-
al observation, am induced to offer some
notes for the Farmer
Nv location is near Pottawa;omie creek. a
branch of Usage river, about fifty miles lit
tie west Of south from Kansas City, on the
Missouri Iiyer, that city being the nearest
steamboat landing, and about twenty miles
west from the State Of Missouri, and little
above IS degrees Of north latitude Nv OBJ
ervations have rot been very extensive in
he Territory, but have spent several weeks
N seeing IT, and for scse,al reasons. This
=, in my opinion. the most desirable part Of
konsas. 1t j. much the best timbered per-
ton thar have seen. We have heavy for
ests Of black; red. burr and pin oak, walnut,
hickory, ash, and smaller proportion Of sew
eral other kinds. We have but little Of tie
underbrush that is annoying in some parts
d. the territory. i believe there is timber
enough here for the wants Of the country
The prairics are comparatively level, srth
Gently so TO prevent any great Inconvenience.
f:om flashing. The soil is a deep loos.
earth, with slight shade of yellow, and i
unsurpassed in fertility, as is evident from ths
heavy growth of vegetation which covers it.
Ga the b. tom lands. the grass is about sever
feet high, and 50 thick that one foot can
see but n few feet before him. On the up
lands, the grass IS four or five feet high. bur
not quito 50 thick as in the bottoms, though
much bet or adapted 10 hay making. There
is dense coat Of soft grass. about one foo;
high, that axes tie prettics' hay Of every
Wild grass eversaw. Apatent mowerwould
pay WGll here.
Tie few >sttl.rs who broke ground last
Spring, have been constantly rewarded with
corn and vegetables, some of which would
contest closely fora prize ut one OF the Fairs
ii thc State.
Lire and snndstonc, a excellent quality.
are abundant every where, and easy OF ac-
cess. and there ale favorable Indications If
coal. There are some springs of excellent
water, and in almost every instance where
wells have been tried, good water has been
found Mt from twenty to thirty feet. There
IS one feature IN Kansas, not generally found
in prairie countries; We have no Dogs or wet
sloughs--'hc rayines are always rocky.
IL eufnmon with other parts Of the Terri
tory we have been visited pretty generally
this Fall wtll chilIs, bur they are mostly
II 4, AMI Weld readily 10 proper remedies
Se.y few deaths have occurred, and those
few were the result Of yimpropcr expo
sure. In point Of health, Kansas, thus far.
VII compare very iavorahly with other new
countries
This region is admirably adapted to tn,
asiug OF cattle large numbers IF cattle
w;utcrcd here last year these bottoms
without any feed, and were in living order
il Tie spring. la the sumner season. cattl.
are Il! tor beef on the grass, and the hcrdlnar
need only have his mower and make hay t,
keep h cattle in good condition through tn.
winter. This will bc fine country for sheer
when the prairie wolves can be subdued. bu:
they ave very annoying. Their howlings
MAKE n,ss'it hideouS, and since | commenced
this article have laid downmy pen to chase
them away from the door of our cabin. They,
have been making havoc with some favo.ite
Shanshais and Brahmas.
They are sneaking, saucy little war
mint" but too small to be- feared by human
beings. They only destroy lambs among
sheep, and hy keeping tie sheep safci;
pcnned 1t night, there would be no diff
cuity. =
The Pottawctome and Meridcvine or Lit
'lc Usage inito and form the Usage river
Between the former, there is abeautitul ridge
Of prairie, bordcrcd on each SIDE with heavy
timber.
On this prairie, near the jurction, a town
hus been laid out by a company of New
orkers, and called O~awattolnie, from Usage
and Pottowatcmic. Two or three stores are
already ia operation there and n steam saw
mil! and grist mill are now in process of cree
ton, and with proper industry, ard the bles-
s.ngs Of Providence, we hope IN 4 year or two
u have most OF the comforts of lie.
But beautiful as the country is, and ample
;.s arc the prospective rewards of industry
there are not charms sufficient to hold the
Eastern cruigrants spell bound 70 the place.
Many # them are returning to the fathers
roof, and to the mothers fireside. They
leave lheir native hills with hig wrought
pictures Of Kansas in their inaginations, but
when they arrive here and fail to find all
tic comforts and most of the Injuries of life
ready prepared To their hands, they become
crest fallen, and feel hankering after til
flesh pots of Egypt.
OF Western emigrants. We can speak bet
ter things. Nursed on the rude lap of pio-
neer life they expect to meet with priva-
lions, and they prepared for them And
what are the hardships to be met with here.
when compared to those endured by the
hardy pioneers who settled in Ohio and Indi-
ma. and ielled the heavy forest before they
could rai.e their bread; while here the land
$ already cleared. and the husbandman has
only 70 break il up and cast in the seed. and
kind nature fills his lap with bountiful har-
vest. RICHARD MENpENHALL
Crescent Hill. h. Il.