Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-08-02
Letter from Kansas.

July, ana rs deHBuIul "ea'HSi 40 NOu'N
be desired. A comparison of this locally
with northern Vermont leads me to the
conclusion that there is about one months
difference between the growth and for
wardness of vegetation here and in Or
leans county. This season thus far has
been what is called wet season for Kan
sas, but there has not been so much over
cast and lowery weather here as in Yer
mont, and at the same time it is very
likely that as much rain has fallen as or
dinarily falls in Vermont up to this time
in the year. Our rains fall very, very
fast. Very much more water falls in the
same time than in any other place ] ey-
er saw and another peculiarly is, it falls
in larger drops. The effect Ct being out
when il rains is entirely different here
You feel the falling water with great
force and it makes a great noise, sound
ing sometimes almost like thunder, espe-
cally when wind accompanies the rain.
| think this is accounted for in the state
of the atmosphere, and the fact that the
clouds condense at a much greater eleva-
ton here than there ! hardly believe
that there is any mountain in New Eng
land high enough if 1t were here to raise
man above the clouds from which rain
falls. But this is a question for astrono-
mers that l viii not attempt to settle.
Green peas, new potatoes, and English
turnips were plenty in June, fine green
apples the 4th of July, and all kinds of
fruit abundant early Peach trees are
literally breaking down with fruit. The
fall wheat is matured, and it was mostly
harvested in June. The crop is said to
be very good, though some Of it was dam
aged by the rains. | find wheat grows
much sooner in this climate than in New
England, but the corn crop is the most
astonishing to me. This crop in its APP
Proclamation to maturity is not SO much
ahead of New England as I supposed
The tasseIs are just beginning to appear
in the corn of first planting, but the corn
stands plump ten feet high now, and it
the spindlos are equal in proportion to the
body of the stalk, it must when mature
stand fifteen feet high.
The corn crep, from present appear
ances, must be equal to the most extTay-
agant expectations. Indeed, Kansas
seems destined this year to raise her own
beef, pork, butter, bread, potatoes, and all
other vegetables, unless the drain of her
citizens for the war shall 50 weaken the
farming force that the crops cannot be
harvested.
Senator James II, Lane, in his ambi-
ton to out general Governor Charles
Robinson, has obtained commission with
power to raise a brigade in Kansas Of
from five to six thousand men, and has
his recruiting officers all over the State,
and unquestionably will file his brigade,
including three regiments already in the
field numbering about one thousand men
each. 1t will be recollected that before
the famine we were only 100000. The
famine drove away from three to ten
thousand, so that it is fair to say that ev-
cry thousand takes one per cent Of our
entire population; hence, we shall soon
have in the field five to six per cent Of
our entire settlers including Indians, and
these all able bodied men, not boys. II
the other States of our Union were 10
turn out men like Kansas, jeff Davis
and Secesh would stop where they are.
But Kansas is depleted of her men,
and this is not all by any means. If il
were, our future prospects would be
brighter. Every territory and new State
must suffer from political tricksters, gam
blers, and spectators but with a soil as
rich as ours we can out grow it very soon
Again, this war has come in a good time
Business is depressed, money has flown
from us, and. of course, there is no means
Of living but by the sweat o! the brow
or going into the army, and great ma.
ny who never had taste for the former
occupation chose the latter as last re-
sort. | only wish that none but such as
can be spared were going into the army
but very many good and faithful citizens
have gone and are going. The officers
are mostly disappointed and broken down
politicians whose thirst for place and pow
er has not been gratified as civilians, and
now the door opens to take them into the
army and they walk in. But enough Of
this.
We are now in the midst Of dog days
with all the vegetable kingdom in full
growth. The earth is literally burthen-
ed with products, and of course the rains
and dews are retained a great while, even
in the sunshine. The result is that we
have the symptoms of the same diseases