The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-09-22
From the Leavenworth Daily Times.
REPORTS OF THE DROUTH IN KANSAS


johnson County, in this Territory. and a
visit to some portions of the adjoining coun-
ties, was not little surprised 10 see many
of the Eastern papers filed with such gloomy
accounts of the drouth. famine and starva-
ton in these counties as are given by theseig-
norant, timid and faint hearted starvation let
ter-writers. That there has been. and now
exists, one Of most severe drouths ever visited
upon any land in many parts of Kansas. no
ore denies; but that there has or will exist
famine and starvation in consequence, no man
of common sense and information will ad-
nit. know not what the motives of these
letter writers are. but one thing is certain,
that they are indicting upon Kansas more
lasting injury than all the border ufianism
which overrun the Territory. TLey are not
only frightening away Thousands of timid
settlers, but are keeping away thousands
who would otherwise come here to settle.
Being much of my lime Oh the Santa Fe
road. l daily witnessed families, with all
their effects. leaving the Territory. nearly
every one of which had with them good
teams, horses, cows and calves. all in good
order. One day stopped man with his
team and family; he had four oxen, two hor-
ses. two colts. three cows and two calves.
asked him why he was leaving the Terri
tory. He replied The papers say there
will be starvation and famine here this win
ter, and that he was going to Illinois. where
the popars say they have good crops, and
living Is cheap.
That part of the country which have
visited was as dry as it well could be !:
there had been no rain of any amount for
nearly year the rolling prairies were SO
RI hoff he ham
at any place; yet. here were large and good
fields of corn and wheat. not by any means
full crops. but all WHO Lave taken care of
them. as a drouth requires. will Lave enough
for their own use. aud to spare. One farm
err. where spent the day. had TWO hundred
bushels of oats, and he though he should
have about one thousand bushels OF corn.
I met man with a threshing machine, he
said he had threshed, in that neia hborhood,
that week, about one thousand bushels OF
wheat. and had several more lots TO thIesh.
met another who had good corn. and he hal
just returned from Kansas City, where he
sold load of melons for fifteen dollars, ia
ken from his garden in this dry county.
also heard of another man who sold his
melon crop for 800. I do mot mention
these facts as anything very remarkable. but
merely to show what saw in places where
these letter writers describe as being in a
state of famine aud starvation. In taking
leave of This suject, would just ask all Eas-
tern friends, who have any tear in this mat
ter. to spread the map Of the great Western
grain growing States before them. and they
will see that we are in the vicinity of such
an abundance in these States, and every
portion of them accessible by all the rail-
roads and steamboats, that traverse our prai-
ries and navi gaze our rivers. that. if Kansas
needed, and would ask Of these States aid =.
they would in one month furnish breadstuffs
enough to stand us a seven years famine.
That there will be some pTivaions and suf-
fering among the settlers of Kansas the pres
ent season, no one will deny. but they are
such as have to be endured in all new and
thinly settled countries by the first settlers.
There Is one thing remarkable in this drouth.
and is noticed by all travellers. that they
nevar saw stock in so fine a condition work
ing oxen and mich cows fat enough for
iEst quality beef
People. talking of this drouth in Kansas.
seems 10 forget that drouth ever happened
in other parts Of the country. and at once
come TO The conclusion that Kansas. though
a fine country. is not adapted to farming
generally. lit may be a good grazing
country. and perhaps at times you may have
a crop of corn. but wheat is out of the ques-
ton. Your winters are dry and windy ;
no snow TO prevent the wheat from winter
killing. as they call it.
A more mistaken idea never come into
the head of man. When first came to the
Territory. more than three years since, the
prominent indications of the future wealth
and greatness of Kansas were the beautiful
samples of wheat and corn which found in
all parts of the Territory that were settled.
These sent to the corn exchange at Boston,
and they were admitted to be the best ever
there. Three years devoted exclusively TO
the grain and fourishing business has not
weakened. but strengthened my first i'm
preston in regard to the adaptation of every
part of this Territory to the raising of wheat.
and that. too. of the very best quality.
have seen fields Of wheat this season, where
there had been no rain from November I'll.
harvest time. and up to almost harvest time
co small and short was the stock. (not more
than twelve to eighteen inches high. tina,
the owner did not expect any wheat. but
when harvest time came. every stock had .
long and full head of The very finest quail
~ of wheat. The great and only difficulty
h' tiiS 6'C"1'iS ehio H'h ~ ShS "e~"S "a q
proper attention 10 planting or sowing.
This properly attended to. no farmer will
ever have occasion TO complain of winter
killing. Farmers viii prepare the ground.
SOW their wheat. tightly harrow il in. leaves
the earth tight OVERT this dries up. blows
of. no wheat comes up: this is winter
killing. and it is wonder tha', in any year.
in such cases. there is any wheat.
Now in this same field. where the cattle
have passed over it. snd trod il into the
ground. and where teams have crossed it.
and the wagon wheels pressed it in also. you
viii see thick. strong and healthy growth
of wheat and, should the whole field have
what might be called good crop, the cattle
paths and the wagon ruts can be just as dis
tinctlv traced in full grown wheat. by its
being much stouter and more productive.
These simple but important facts tell the
farmer in As plain language SO the voice oil
nature can tell him. how % raiss good crops.
Let the farmer drill. plant or plow. harrow