The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-02-15

PEORIA Piankeehaw aud Wea, confeder-
ate tribss, which is fair sample of The
testimony collected from the old Indian
farmers:
PAoLA. Oct. 80, 1865.
Prof. g. c. Ss0alLOy:
SIR: l have cultivated nv farm, in
this county, for Ihirty-fivs years, and
have raised good crops every year but
one, A. D. 1860, and have had no seri.
Gus injury from drought previous TO that
year. The experience of other farmers
in my tribe is the same as mine in respect
to crops and drOughts.
(Signed) BABTi TIE PEORIA.
We thus have the testimony of those
who have lived here aud cultivated farms.
and records kept at the military posts,
both showing that theee had been no lack
of rain in Kansas for atlsast thirty years
previous to 1850; aud that the drought
OF that year. and partial one in 1864, are
only such exceptions to the general rule,
as occur in all countries.
STAPLE CROPS.
Corn, wheat rye, oats, barley, buck
wheat. sorghum, Hungarian grass, pota-
toes, and all varieties of garden VegeIa-
bles, grow with great luxuriance, and
ripen large crops. Hemp aud fax also
succeed well; cotton produces small crops,
and tobacco grows with great luxuriance.
ADD produces good crops when protected
from the violent prairie winds.
FRUIT.
As indicated by the abundance and
perfection of the wild varieties, the fruits
of the Temperate Zone do well in this
state. Wild plums, cherries, crab-ap-
Piles. grapes, straw berries, blackberries,
raspberries, gooseberries. pawpaWs, and
haws grow with great luxuriance and
produce excellent natural fruits. The
improved varieties of apples, pears,
peaches, cherries, plums aud grapes,
usually grown in the West, do well, and
there is no doubt that the small fruits
will also succeed admirably when aided
by the improved methods of culture
usually adopted in the West TO protect
them from the drying heat of our warm
summers.
The warm. dry atmosphere, and loose,
warm, calcareous soil, gives the state
neculiar adaptation to the culture of the
9 rape. The wild grapes come to great
correction, and there is no reason why
the barGT varieties commonly cultivated
in the West snCulG not do we'll.
STOCK RAISING.
The great luxuriaEce ana excellence of
the native grasses, the abundance of wa
ter, and the short, mild winters, will en-
able this stale 10 compete with the most
favored regions of the continent in this |
department. of husbandry. Many of the |
grasses and vines remain green all win
er in the tiInbered bottoms, where ami
mails do we'll through the winter without
'xtra food or artificial shelter.
Sheep succsed extremely we'll, and |
iield large profits. The horses and mules,
herds and focks, are ia no respect inferi-
'r in quslity to those of the old states.
FENCES.
If the state could adopt such laws and
equations as would enable the rural dis
Iicts 70 dispense with fences, a vast out
az of capital and labor might be diverted
o more productive improvements. Un
Ter the present system, at least oue-half
If the expense of improving farm is in
urred for fences to protect the crops.
f thie could be devoted to improved
nodes of culture, or to increase the area
f improved lands, the amount of agri-
cultural products would be nearly deub-
ed.
AS, however, the present System will
doubtless be continued, the best means
IF securing good, permanent fences
should be adopted. Though good lum-
Der for fences is abundant in nearly all
The counties, still, the want of
durability in wooden fences makes it very
desirable to adopt something more per
mauent, and the scarcity of lumber 10
some localities makes this course abso-
lutely necessary.
Three kinds of fences have been pro
posed and partially adopted:
1st. Wire Fences, when well made
do well, but the high prices demanded at
present are a serious objection.
Cd. Stone Fences have been extensively |
adopted in many counties. They give
good satisfaction and will doubtless De
more generally built, as large portion
of the farms in Eastern and Central Kan
sAs will have rock enough for this use.
Sd. Usage Orange Hedges have been
set in many places, ard, when properly
managed, have succeeded we'll. In the
rich soils of this State, good cultivation
aud iud icious management will secure
first class, living fence in four years.
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