Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-02-14
THE GREAT AMERICAN DESERT.


ical region known as "thc Great American
Desert" The super6ces given in the copy
before US is equal to about 100000 square
miles, or the combined areas of the New
England and Middle States. TO the eve,
the stipple engraving of the desert pre-
sents terrors not less dreadful than those
of dotted Sahara or that used to be asso-
ciatcd with the terra mcoymisa of the
old wolld-Africa.
The error of our geograrher is however
only that of people generally. The re.
gion along the eastern foundation of the
Rocky Mountalns, varying with the i'm.
agiuation from two hundred to thou.
ssnd miles i'll width, has been commonly
regarded as barren tract, producing on.
ly few tufts of grass to tantalize the
buffalo in his hurried fright acrsos it.
and few lizards Covered with forests
and noisy with waterfalls this region is
not. Yet no other part of the country in
the same latitude produces per acre of
wild land one half the weight of vegeta-
bic matter produced by these 'barrens."
The grasses are uncqualed in their luxu.
rant growth and nutritious properties.
OF the grasses, there are four principal
kinds in the country abont the afluents
of the Kaw-the Republican. Solomon,
Saline and Smoky Hill. The most i'm
portant in some respects is the "blue
STEM" growing in the bottoms to the
hight Of from four to six and even eight
feet. and when cured, furnishing a hay
as good least as the "herds grass" The
average yield is about three tons to the
acre. The stalk is large, but i. has the
sweetness of common sugar, Cattle will
eat the whole of it, leaving no "orts."
The next variety is the June grass" or
winter grass" This, contrary to the
law governing most other kinds, springs
into new lite in the fall, grows through
the winter, dies in June, and remains
brown aud lifeless during the rest OF the
summer. lu some localities, between the
Solomon and Smoky Hill for example, one
half the bottom land is covered with
snow which seldom remains more than
three or four days at time-catte feed
upon it i'll preference to hay and corn fod-
der. Stock keep fat on it all winter.
he third variety is the "buffalo grass"
covering one half the surface of the high
prairie. II is the principal food of the
butfalo and antelope. The spires are not
over three or four inches in length. of
Il cripsy or wooliy touch and look, form
ing thick, soft carpet. 1t is equally
good Ill winter as in summer, curing
where it grows. 1t is more nutrious tbau
the blue grass of the cultivated pasture.
and without exception the best in the
world for sheep-short, sweet, nutritious,
growing i'll thick mats to the exclusion of
other grasses and of weeds aud burs.
The fourth is the Colorado" This grows
in tufts, between the patches of buffalo
grass, is about foot high. and has
golden plume top with many seeds.
Tilnbea is confined to the margins OF
the streams. Yet there is enough to
answer the wants of settlers, the abun-
dance of building stone being considered.
This country is not, however, destined to
be fenced in. Nature designed it as u
pasture land. Millions of buffulo and
countless antelop: have grazed upon it for
ages; and millions of neat cattle, sheep
and horses will Craze upon it for future
ages. Experience has established it's
adoption to the wants of cattle raisers.
Common stock require no shelter except
that of the bluffs, es and timber: and
there are thousands of cattle that have
eaten no hay for from three to ten years.
The cattle bred and reared on the plains
are larger. sleeker.futter than those of the
east. They have ample food at all sea-
sons--no long season of starvation to
Wrinkle their horns into segmonts. and
no lack Of salt. The latter is found in
licks alongside their grass, or mixed with
the water they driuk. The Saliue river
in the centre of the finest -grazirg'of Kan
sas. is 80 salt at low stage as to nauseatc
man Cattle drink from it with as much
enjoyment us they have at the periodical
sailing 'of the eastern farmer 'Sach are
some Of the capabilities of'a part of the
American Desert" "arr' Ess...
The present real scarcity Of beef cattle
which we have only tegun to feel
aud the prospect Of still higher prices.
may we'll call attention to the sources and
means of supply. We must look to the
West, and soon to the Plains. There,
cattle can be multiplied at little cost.
A gentleman of Lcavenworth estimates
the cost of his three year old steers at
three dtAorsu head. They may be multi-
piled in immense numbers. neither fen.
cling nor barns being required. The profit
of cattle.ruisthg in such country may
easily be estimated. l1eifers come in
with calf at two years fearlings are
as large as two year ODDS in the East--.
older tattleiu nearly the same proportion.
The railroad will in year run to Fort
Riley, within twenty miles of which il
10 a.rcadv or.dad IL woull a,e,n th,e