The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1866-12-29
EAlPORIA KANSAS SATURDAY.. DECEMBER 90 1866 WHoI

posed of msgnesian' limestone, gvptons,
pyritiferous s'eiays, and argillaceous
shales., sssffsf ~ rs 49,. - ,,.,...-
The hmestones are generally good for
building, and for fencing. They NAV be
rendered available inot6e abrupt SLOPES.
and tha supply will be nearly equal to the
demand.
The disintegratec gypsums and pyritif-
erous clays add much to the capacity of
the soil. .<ga:.g els .--.'--- -
-Iim6er.-Along the streams, generally,
are belts Of timber, consisting of good
growth Of elm, black walnut, hickory.
hackberrysI oak and lev Cotton woods
and sycamoies. Among the smaller spe-
cies are redbud, mulberry, box elder and
grape Vines.c b5!crri no. 5I sal 7El1 81
Productions.1 Thus far, farms have
only been opened and cultivated on bot
tom lands. On these, wheat, rye, oats
aud barley are considered sure aud abund :
ant crops. p: bsa .-5'a7l7- s,.s-asess
These crops, however, sink into a sec
Ondary consideration when compared
with the natural pasturage. Upon the
rich, native grasses, cattle feed the year
round. La this mild and genial climate,
little or no provision need be made for
feeding stock through the winter. The
grass curedrby the hand of nature is gen
orally sufficient for this purpose, as the
winters are comparatively free from snow
and rain, leaving this natural hay but lit
tie exposed to deterioration. In anyeveut,
a sufficient quantity of grass may be cut
and cured, with but little outlay for the
natural meadows are thickly set, and so
uniform in surface that there, is scarcely
a pebble to interfere with the operations
of a machine mower.
Of the nutricious quality of the intli-
genious grasses; no one need be mistaken
who examine herd of cattle after the
month of May It is then a rare thing
to see healthy animal low in flesh.
Ctimate.-The mean temperature ofthe
summers probably differs but little from
localities Withinathe same parallels farther
east.
The winters are short and mild, With
little or no rain o r snow. Most of the
rain falls between the months of March
and July, and is always suficie1tsto ma :
ture tie, earlier crops. ....r.r .--.4 .
HeGlkh.-From the foregoing, it will
naturally be inferred that this is a healthy
region. AoAu experience of eight years
Of settlement proves that it Is ali that
could be desired in this respect. up
SWater.-Excellent and abundant sup
plies of waterway be obtained by dig
ging from ten to thirty feet. 7as2 '.sl
Remarkably is apparent from the
foregoing that the great agricultural in
teresls OF this region are closely blended,
for the present. with the natural grasses.
Steps should be taken to nurture and pre-.
serve their growth from useless and del
eterious influences. .r,.-7q...,. ...-fr ..,r
The reprehensible practice of making
"late burns" should cease at once. This
practice of destroying the current growth
byaburning. the dead grass Of last season.
with the close feeding on the after-growth,
weakens the germ, and growth OF next
year, aud if this is repeated at short in
tervals, will finally destroy the roots
These suggestions are peculiarly apblica-
bic to portions intended for or devoted to
meadows. This variety Of land is often
confined to river, and creek bottoms, aud
iszsometirnes of limited area At such
Localities it consequently has an riatrinsic
value, so-fong as it reproduces it's luxu-
rant erops., Destroy this combination,
and l know Of NO, exotic that can take the
place of the indigenous grasses. Imme
diate measures should be Instituted to
preserve this species of land intact. 81
Fires should ,beprobibited, after the first
of March, not only to preserve the mead
ows5 but also to protect the timber. ~
Burning. at any period, is destructive
eDOughs stOCthis sPbciesof natural produc,
ton, bat peculiarly so, after she sap is in
full f0PY, when IT, is either fatal to the
young tree-or infiicts an injury that re-
tards its growth, and prevents full de-
velopment into a healthy tree. oa4W M