The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-03-01
HOW John SMITH MANAGED.

John Smith, jr., was careful, worthy,
saving man, who had grown up to the
sgs of forty, or whereabouts, on a stony,
sIumpy, billy little farm in Vermont.
He found himself at the age of forty,
with a growing family, whose needs bis
little farm would hardly supply. He
finally sold it. aud emigrated to Kansas.
He arrived here in August, 1860,
with about fifteen hundred dollars. He
did not Immediately invest this in paper
cities and tax titles, as many OF US have
done; after carefully looking about him, be
bought eighty acres lying on a timbsred
creek, and extending up on q breezy
bluff. This cost him two hundred dol
lars. Four hundred more be paid for
team and outfit, anl then invested Eve
hundred in Missouri sheep. They we're
mol very fine wooded. but were large and
healthy, and he intended to improve
them by judicious crossing. He had so
ewes. and about twenty others with the
balance of his means he built a cabin,
not down by the stream. as so many OF
his neighbors did. but on the top of the
bluff This cost him rather more in the
way of wood and water, but he made it
up in completesex ,mption from ague and
mosquitoes.
By teaming aud doing odd jobs. Mr..
Smith took his family through the first
winter very Omfoitably. He found
wonderful difference between the climate
of Kansas and that of New England. He
had carefully sheltered his sheep in sheds
covered with prairie grass. but the win
ter was so mild that they were out feed
ing in the bottoms almost every day.
However, the sheds proved their value
during the few "cold snaps that did
come. He provided nothing but prai
RE hay for them, but they came through
in excellent order. In the spring, about
$50 lambs were added to the flock, and
he sheared over 800 pounds of wool
This enabled him to add couple of COWS
to his stock, and TO live comfortably
during the season.
Owing TO his constant and experienced
care, coed eheiter. and CAREFUL watching,
he lost very few of his flock. The fol
lowing spring lie sheared some 1900
pounds of wool from his $50 sheep.
This enabled him to add several cows TO
his stock. and to make some needed i'm
provements.
The next season his flock had advanced
to over 500, and from it be clipped 300
pounds of wool, and sold over $500
worth of fat sheep He had not been
idle in other directions. a large and
furnishing orchard of fruit trees attest
ed his enterprise in one respect, aud his
neatly kept yards aud grounds, the well
by the door, the comfortable sheds for
stock, and many other details, bore each
its cwu testimony to his enterprise and
thrift.
Let US take peep at Mr.. Smiths es
adjustment now. The old cabin has
disappeared. A neat white cottage,
with tasteful piazza and green blinds, is
peepiog forth from a grove of walnut.
maple and cottonwood trees, which in
summertime give abundant shade. About
one thousand choice meIinoes are feeding
in the timber. They are sheltered in a.
warm stone barn every night. and are
healthy and fat. Last year Mr.. Smiths
family gathered from the orchard about
800 bushels Of peaches, a few apples.
and great abuud of choice grapes,
besides smaller fruits. Large herds of
blooded cattle, of mules and horses,
complete the picture.
If we we're to look at the blank which
Mr.. Smith this spring fills out for the
collector of internal revenue, we should |
find estimates about as follows:
Sold $500 pounds of wool, $4,000
g. 200 fat sheep, 1000 !
q horses and mules, IOJO |
ko,F It'll n