The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-03-09
. a,u.cfarNt aud atollseIlald.


bne GreDt .AtmCrbciau besCrt.
SO lately as SCI a Canadian gcographer
iVcatering for the youth Of his country issued
school book, representing on tho map o
s,hn North America The mythical region known
fdNV as" the tireat American Dbeert" Tho
super6ces given in the copy before rs il
equal 10 about 100000 square milcs, or the
combined areas of the New England aud
htr Middle Sintoe. flothe eye the supplc ca.
W craving of tie desert presents tcrrors not
less dreadful thar those Of dotted Sahara,
Or that used 10 he associated with tho te,9tI
s incognfd Of the old world-A rica
ssss ts. The error OF our gcographer is, however,
es ai only that Of people generally. The region
- ~ along tho eastorh Foundation OF the Rocky
Mountains, varying with tho imagination
- from two hu,dred 10 a thousand niles in
f, width, has bocu commonly regarded as
barron tract producing only few tufts of
grass 10 iantali2e the buffalo in his hurried
QI( flight across IL, and few zirds. Covered
with forests and noisy with waterfalls, this
lfl tf region is not Yet no other part OF the
.sa - county in the same latitude produces per
aero OF wild land ouc-half The weight Of
vegetable matter prodnced by tlcso "bar.
rens" Tho grasses are uncqualcd in their
~ u glnymiant growth and nutritious proper tca.
or the grasses, there are four principal kinds
t'alar Inv tho country about the onluents of tho
kaw, the Republican, Solomon, Saline and
Smoky Hin, The most important in some
respects is tho " Buo STEM" growing i'm
the bolton TO- the highi OF FROM four to six
20 aud even eight feet, and when cured furn.
ishing a hay as good , at least, as the "herds
grass Tho average is about three tuns to
the acre. The stalk is large, but it has tho
sweetness of common sugar. Cattle viii
eat the whole of il, leaving no "ors." The
next variety is The juno grass" or "wntcr
grass This contrary to tho law govern
ing most other kinds springs into new life
, tn tho fall grows through tho winter dies
$50 ,tu June, aud romans brown and lifcless
during the rest of the SIMMER In sonc
localitos between the solomon and Smoky |
nv ,Ip half tl,nh h.,ft
is covered with this grass; and whom the |
ground Is not covered with snOw--whiCh !
seldom remains moro than tlroe or four
days ut tlne-cattlo feed upon it in |
preference TO hay and corn fodder. Stock |
keep fat on 1t all winter The third variety /
is the "bntlao grass covering One.haG the |
surface of the high prairie. 1t is the pru-
cpal food OF the buffalo aud antelope. The |
Bpiros are not over three or four inches |
IN length, of a crispy or woody touch and
look, forming thick soft carpet. II is |
equally good III winter as ia sumner curing |
where it grows II il more nutritious, !
than the blue grass Of the ecutiyatedpasture; |
ana without exception the best IN the world
hor sheop--short swect nutritious, grow
ing in thick IN ia to tic cXClusiOC of other |
grasses and OF weeds AMI burrs. Tho fourth |
ga IL the Colorado This grows in tufts, he !
tween the patches of Buffalo grass in about
foot high, and has a golden plumotob |
with many seeds
Timber is confined to tho margin Of the
Streams. Yet there is enough to answer
+a the wants OF settlers, the abundance OF |
building stone being considered. This
country is not, however destined to be
fenced in. Nature designed it as n pasture |
land. Mlllions of buffalo and countless an.
$50 telope have grazod uponit for ages; aud |
1el millions of neat cattle, sheep and horses
viii grazc upon it for future ages. Expert.
enco has established its adaptation to the |
wants OF cattle rasers. Common ptocl re-
~ qnlre no shelter except that OF the bluffs,
ravnes and hmberi and there are thousands
OF cattle that have eaten no hay for from
three to ten years The cettlo bred and
reared on tho plains are larger, scekor
fatter, than those OF tho country on the East
They have ample food at all seasons no
long seasons of starvation to wrinkle their
horns into scgments, aud no lack of Ralt.
The lattor is found in licks alongside their
grass, or mixed with the water they drink
The Saline River, in tue center of the finest
grazing OF Kansas, is 80 salt ut a low stag
Y as to nauseNte man Caule drink trom it
with as much enjoyment as they have at
the periodical sailing of the eastern iarmor.
e. Such are some of tho capabilities of y part
t... OF the American DESERT
The present real scarcity Of beef cattle
which we have ouly begun to feel and
the prospect of stl. higher prices, may
we'll cali attention to tho sources and means
of supply. We must look to tho Wcst and .
soon to the plains. There cattle can be
multiplied at little cost. A gentleman of
tt l4eaven worth estimates the cost ofhis three
years old steers at thrco dollars II head.
q They may be multiplied in immonso num-
bers, neither. ieuong nor barps being re.
quired The profit ofcattle RAISING in such
q country may easily bo estimated, ucilcrs
como in with calf a. two years, Tearugs
are as large as two years old in the Fast
older cattle in nearly tho same proportion.
The railroad will IN year run TO Fort Riley, \
within twenty miles of which il is already .
graded. II would seon that the ouormou
profits OF tho business, together with tho
pleasures of pastoral life, would tempt
those who love both money aud nature to
embark in it ON a large scale.