White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1861-05-23
fur t9e farmer.
Kansas a Stock and Grain Country.

Kansas a Stock and Grain Country.
The late drouth has had the effect of dis
couraging and driving from Kansas a vast num-
Der of intelligent, hard working farmers; be-
sides lettering thousands from coming hither,
who had intended to make Kansas thier future
home. In view of this we propose in this arti
Gle to give our own personal knowledge and ex-
perience for what it is worth. We immigrated
to this Territory in the spring Of le45; coI.se
quently have been here nearly sixteen years,
during which time we have been a tiller of the
soil and stock raiser To a considerable extent,
and with the exception of the summers of
1854 and 1860, have succeeded in raising large
amount of grain and vegetables every year.
The winter seasons are generally pleasant, with
deed with very few exceptions, the seasons
are remarkably mild for the latitude. To those
from more Northern chimes the winters will
seem unusually dry with very high tempera-
ture. A periodical rain sets in about the first
of June. 1t then becomes gradually dry, with
occasional slight showers. until the latter part
of July, when abundance of rain again begins
to fall, which usually continues throughout the
fall months. The month of July is the drouthy
time Of the year. To counteract this it is only
necessary for the farmer to plough deep-say
eight inches. and deeper if possible Those
should not be forgotten, when it is SO well
known that mellow and thoroughly pulverized
soil is q non-conductor of heat or cold. If this
fact is not we'll known to grain rasers-to illus
trate and prove the fact beyond donbt-it
will only be necessary to refer him to the hard
beaten road and the well ploughed field. The
warm rays of the sun will literally bake and
dry the first to the depth of afoot or more, when
the last will remain moist very few inches be-
low the surface.
Kansas we venture to say presents the fairest
field for the stock raiser in the world. With
little or no trouble, large herds are reared; the
cost Of which is so inconsiderable, that we may
deem it useless to estimate it. 1t is not nee
essary to feed stock more than three or four
months and some seasons not that. The rea-
son of this is apparent The wild grasses of
the prairies are very nutrativc and of extriordi
nary fattening properties. A few weeks is only
required to fatten animals when turned loose to
Craze upon these wild pastures.
The advantages of raising sheep in Kansas
has certainly not escaped the close observer.
Yet these animals are entirely overlooked, not
withstanding the proftabIeness of raising them.
A small investment in this kind Of property,
would result in a short time in a continual
source of wealth and convenience to the care
full and calculating husbadman. Why7 it will
be asked. We answer because the fleece that
every sheep will turn off yearly. will amount to
at least 81 so; besides the luxury and economy
of always having fresh and healthy meat when
required for the farm table. We are at loss
to give satisfactory solution of the singular
apathy of our stock raisers and farmers, in re,
gard to this fruitful branch of business, when it
is SO universally known that Kansas is SO Pc
culiarly adapted to rearing them.-Counel
Grope Press.