The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-02-14
Letter from John w. 10y.

EDITOR EMrORIX NEWS: BY request, l
write piece for your immigration number
of THE NEWS. am aware that 1 can say but
little that will interest citizens of Lyon county,
from the fact that what ! know is generally
known by others around me; but am willing
that others (not citizens of Kansas who are
seeking homes in a. new country. should know
the true state of things. l will here state that
. | ar somewhat acquainted with the Western
states, and believe the climate of Kansas. for
health and beauty, can hardly be surpassed,
while our soil is admitted to be good
! Illinois, Missouri, or any other State.
l bought and moved to my farm. two and
half miles southeast of Americas, in the spring
of 1861. At that time there was not a fruit
tree on my place. The same spring / bought
at the nursery of II. II. Abraham, on Dow
bought fifty more, all of which grew nicely,
except one or two. Since then / have added
to my stock of fruit trees, with nearly as good
success. However, let me here state. for the
benefit of others designing to move to Kansas,
that here, i'll Kansas, be found, in any
quantities, the best of grated fruit; and they
are much surer to grow than those that
! transported from other States. The two past
years we have had some apples from the trees
! / first planted, and they ROW promise that, not
long i'll the future, they will abundantly re-
ward us for the little care ana attention we
have bestowed upon them. OF other fruits, we
have peaches, cherries, plums, blackberries,
raSpberries, Strawberries, English gooseberries,
currants, and last, but not least. we have fine
| lot of grape vines. All of the above have pro-
| ducc fine crops of fruit for us.
| From my observations and experience con-
| cluded that here, in Lyon county, we have a
country that can hardly be surpassed in fruit
growing.
AS for farming in general way, such as the
growing of wheat and corn, and other grains
l find that the man that plows early. and
| plows deep, is sure to have fine crop to reap
1t is not necessary to tell who the lazy, indGl-
emf farmers are. The general appearance of
| their farms and crops viii tell for them, and
| they are those that you sometimes meet on the
corners Of the streets, and you NEST sure to
hear them complaining of hard times. too much
drouth, or too much rain, or something else.
| They are sure to have an excuse; but we have
II class Of farmers here. near Americas, that
seldom complain about their crops. i will
tell some of their names, so that if any person
should doubt my word they will know where
| to find the proof. Always in season you will
see their teams in the fields preparing the
ground for the Seed, that in its proper time is
deposited in the well-prepared soil. In short,
everything in the farming line is done in its
proper time, and i'll q workmanlike manner, and
| the result is, they always have good crops; on
an average from fifty to seyenty-five bushels of
| of wheat; from fifty to sixty bushels of oats.
and other crops in proportion. The names of
some Of these are, Lemuel Johnson, Louis Hav-
er, Lafayette james. =. \. 10y, and many
others that might mention.
few years ago these farmers were only in
moderate circumstances now they are sur
rounded with herds of horses, cattle, and
many other things that denote thrift and pros
| perity. In Kansas the farmer that wishes to
accumulate wealth in 4 short period of time VIII
| certainly not neglect stock raising, for we have
all the natural advantages that can be desired !;
such as long, pleasant summers, which always
furnish plenty of the best prairie grass for hay.
short, and generally very mild winters, the very
best Of markets for butter, cheese, beef, &c,
where the farmer buy good cow in the
spring, and by the next fall can sell from the
products of the same cow enough to more than
| pay the first cost Of the cow.
| In conclusion, let say to the stranger in
search # Il home, here, in Atnericus, we have
Il GOOD class of people, socially and morally.
u have III this great H'eoSho Valley, soil
that can not be surpassed for excellence and
| beauty. We have water in abundance, and
/ that of the best quality. We have timber sutf-
! cicnt for all ordinary purposes. We have
building stone Of the best quality. We have,
in Americas, first class mill, two good
stores, first class cheese factory, and other
advantages too numerous to mention. All we
! want now is the removal OF the kaw Indians,
! ard the completion of the Neosho Valley Rail
Road, and we will bid defiance to any other
| part o: the wCrld. j. w. 10y.