The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-27
THE COURSE OF EMPIRE.
Agricultural Resources OF Nebraska-Exte
and Physical Conformation Of the State-Al-
Iuvlnl Soil and suIubrl0os Climate.

Nebraska Is but an infant state. Yet tnere ~ pro-
badly other In the Union IN which higher hopes OF
future prosperity and greatness are entertained.
You will meet with some exuberant and boastul
spectators In lands and lots and win hear some ex-
travagant opinions; but these are natural and
can easily be pardoned in state so young But
even II all the dreams OF the most sangune citizens
shall not be realized there is in truth glorious
future for Nebraska. No more prolific soil for the
production OF the staple article OF human food than
exists within its limits has yet been found In the
whole OF North America.
The total area of Nebraska, stated in round num-
bers embraces some 10000 square miles, or about
900 900 Or these may be said that 900
acres susceptible Of the highest and most pro-
ductive cuitivation 600 acres are less produc
tive, but still cuitivabe land; 100000 acres form
magnificent grazing ground Of which 1t is believed
10000, 900 acres may hereafter be made available for
general agriculture; and last, 100000 acres are q
great sandy desert waste Each OF these divisions Is
situate 10 separate belt we'll Defined across the
State, and Hes In the order named as you journey
west.
The broad, swift shallow current Of the Platte
proper, as distinguished from It's forks flows down
through the better portion OF the State, curving
something In the shape OF elongated letter 8, as
1t runs from west to east. II Is along the valley Of
this river on Its northern bank that the Union
Pacific Railroad track ts laid. North OF the river
Platte the LOup Fork, with Its spreading branches
and numerous tributary streams, courses down,
partly somewhat parallel with the Platte, into which
IL eventually flows. stun further to the north and
east the long and lovely Ekhorn WINDS Its way In
sontheastery direction, until its waters also
mngle with the waters OF the Platte. Southwark
the Little and the Big Blue, the Little and The By
Sandy, the Little aud tho Great Nemaha, together
with the forks and part OF the main tide OF the Re
publican course through the southern section OF
the State the Little and the Great Nemaha mngl ing
with tne Missouri at separate points ana the Others
on to their confluence with other streams, whose
accumulated waters finally find their way down
these more important rivers there are hundreds of
tributary water courses in the different sections OF
comparison with The Platte. The surface OF the
country Is naturally divided into bottom lands table
lands and desert. The bottom lands, extending
from the banks OF all the considerable streams,
range from mile to q dozen miles in width. At i'll
tervals along the Missouri. the Fig Blue, the Great
Nemaha. the Platte, the LOup Fork, the Elkhorn
ana few other streams there Is a heavy growth or
timber. At some points this forest growth covers
the bottom lands where they are narrow, and even
however, Is EXCEPTIONAL; for, generally speaking,
wood everywhere IN Nebraska Is very scarce, and IL
margins or the smaller streams and to the jncker
growth that darkens oil the larger river banks
grows In most abundance; black jack and black
walnut. red and white oak and elm, hickory. hack
berry, an indigenous, half.hard wood, familiar only
In the West; willow, and, along the clear water
rue soil Of the arabic portion of Nebraska is
rich black vegetable loan, slightly impreenated
with lime. 1t ranges from two to ten feet in depth
IL IL deepest on the bottom lands, which receive all
the washings from the bluffs 1t is, save In some
uneven sections free from stones and grave is par
tcularly pable beng easily poughed as deep as may
be required; resIss alike unusual wet and drought
and while perfectly available for all general aRricu
tura purposes 1t peculiarly adapted TO the growth
OF corn and wheat. The wheat grown in Nebraska
Is Of superior quality ana commands the highest
plentiful; wild plums grapes cherries and hops are
found IN prodigai abundance, and ID many Places
out in ssmaller quantities. several varieties OF Der
res Cultivated crops shat usually mature before
the lSt OF August are raised with UNIFORM success
Apples, pears and peaches ripen in some localities
IN the southeastern section OF the State
where they have more genial atmosphere and are
sheltered from the winds by groves OF native or cu
cultural and grazing State. While many millions
OF acres Of the richer lands are available for fOod
man .1e naive On aa nsr more ahosa
are being daily driven over here rrom Kansas TO
Some OF the eastern and especially the southeast
ern counties contain useful minerals. They are not
found however, IN either great yaYetles or quant-
and several companies are engaged in mining; but
II Is not likely that the yield will ever approach ths
demands OF the increasing population OF Nebraska.
But by means 81 the Pacific Railroad all the coal
Nebraska needs Tor ordinary purposes can be sup.
piled from the lnexhaustlbie resources OF Wyoming,
whence II Is now being furnished. Varieties
OF stone have been discovered and applied to build
ing purposes along the line OF the Missouri river
and IN some OF the interior counties. Among them
are whtlsh, blush, and a cream-coiored lime
stone; dark yeliowlsh gray coarse. grained sand
are soft when first quarred and are easily cut and
dressed, but after exposure to the atmosphere
they gradually become hard and solid. Tney are
now being used IN the construction OF pubic buildings
and private houses. Bricks are being manufactured
IN different localities, the clay being found wherever
1t has yet been wanted. On the banks OF the Weep
ing Water there s found fine lilac tinted carbon
ate oil lime, uniformly thus far ve inches thick sus-
ceptble OF the highest polish and available for man
tells posts and lnels. 1t is being used substl-
ute Tor marble. Close to the Capital, which is situ-
ate on Salt Creek lies large salt BASIN from the
cfystazed deposits OF which, as well rs the many
saline springs In the vicinity, the finest ;aoe salt Is
now being made.
me climate of Nebraska is sa'ubrious. The
atmosphere IL dry and exhilarating. No logs ever
hang over either the ryer valleys table lands
Showers Of rain fall frequently In the spring and
autumn, but summer and winter are usually dry.
The summer heat is tempered by the praire winds
and the nights are always cool. These winds however,
sometimes sweep across the country, so that IN un-
settled sections, when the prairies are fre the
consuming element Is swept along, killing all spoh-
famous vegetation for many miles. Close observa-
tremes Of temperature to have been from SO to les
degrees Fahrenheit, In July and August, with av-
erase OF loo; ana ron TO- ~ degrees oeow zero os
The winters begin late. september, october and
November are pleasant months. Cold weather sell
dom comes I'LL Christmas. The coolest has been
perlenced early IN the year, The killing frosts OF
spring depart in Apr and May and the water cues
appear late h september or early IN OCTOBER. Wheat
Is sown in Marcn aud April aud Is invariably har-
vested in July. No crop has yet been known 10
fail. Corn Is planted In May, and Is ripe, or safe from
the early frosts before the middle OF september.
The wild plum blossoms about the FIRST or May
and rlpeDs about the last OF August. The wild
cherry, which blossoms little earlier, rIpens IN
July. The robins, wrens and swallow come, when
the grass shows green ana the vloets bloom, IN
April. The bobolinks follow them In May. Game.
Of course, abounds, chiefly the buffalo, the elk and
the prairie fowls.
Beyond Fort Kearny all IL a barren desert, with
the sand hills on tie north. Rain seldom laH, and
the winds blow the sands over the lifeless waste
But between there and the Missouri, on the east,
there are 40 000 900 acres, good for stock grain
or miscellaneous crops This Is general outline OF
the country which Is now being so rapidly opened
up for Improvement by settlement only along
the line OF the Pacific Railroad and the valley Of the
Platte, but on either hand in the interior, along the
valleys or other streams, and on the intervening
upands. closer examination will disclose how
far and how thickiy the more fertile belt has been
already occupied under the Homestead aud RE-
emption and Private Entry acts OF Congress- and ny