The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-07-14

and interesting account of Emporia, and
Southwestern Kansaa, which we would
have been pleased to republish, but the
paper containing it was misplaced or
appropriated by somebody before we
had clipped it out. Below we give
some extracts from one of his letters,
dated Denver, June 10Th, which we
commend to our eastern readers as an
impartial and correct showing of the
advantages offered to farmers and capt.
talists In this State:
"Before left home we received at
the Blade office numerous letters asking
me, during my western tour, to make
special inquiry about the prospects of
stock growing in Kansas, as well as 9TH
er portions of the West. is it true,
wrote one man from somewhere in New
York State, / think, that cattle can be
wintered on those Kansas praries with
out other feed than what they will get
themselves? 1 have heard that that is
the usual custom there, but have always
doubted it. Will you tell me truly if it
is so? Ofcourse will. 1t is my business
out here to get information for just such
people as you. And here l will say in
parenthesis that if any of our readers
have special inquiries to make about the
west, and-will send them to the BLADE
Office, they will be promptly forwarded
to me and conscientiously answered in
these letters.
DOES STOCK GROWING PAY!
l have talked with men in all parts of
the state on the subject of stock grow
ing, and the universal opinion is that it
is a very profitable business, and can
not fail to be so for many years to come.
1t is hard to see how it could otherwise
be while there is such an immense prai-
RE range, for the stock costs the next
thing to nothing for subsistence until it
is ready for market. Thousands of cat
tie range these prairies the year round
with no other care than being regular
ly sailed, and watered where there is
no water on the prairies. But, as l said
i'll previous letter, some of the best
stock growers think that from a half q
ton to a ton of hay per head should be
provided for use during the heaviest
SHOWS in winter. And if / were going
into the business should provide some
sort of shelter for my stock. This can
be easily and cheaply done by simply
planting posts in the ground making
the roof of prairie hay. It will last two
anu VIII pay III t1lC CO1AlOAO O1
stock if no other way. 1t has always
seemed to me barbarous to keep stock,
even in as mild winters as they boast
of in Southern Kansas, without any
shelter whatever from the rains, SHOWS
and sleets of the winter. Those Kan
sas farmers who do SO will please con-
slider this remark personal. There is
high authority for saying that ''the mer-
ciful man is merciful to his beast" and
there is no mercy in allowing poor
dumb brutes to SILVER and suffer
in the rains and SHOWS of winter simp-
ly because they can stand it. l never
see a case of this kind but l feel like
turning the owner out TO take his
lessonon humanity.
| am not prepared with the figures to
give what may be regarded as the aver
age profits of stock growing in Kansas,
but will examine the question further
and give figures in some future letter,
only adding the words ofan experienced
farmer with whom talked on the sub
ject a few days ago: 81 don't know OF
man who has been engaged in the bus
mess any length of time that hasn't done
we'll at it."
SOME HINTS TO CAPITALISTS.
have just been making some figures
based on data CLEANED from farmers, as
to the profits of farming in the West
on a large scale, and they rather sur
prise me- There are many capitalists
in the East who may be interested in
my figures, and for their benefit give
| them. L have based my calculation on
the cultivation in corn of 5000 acres
OF land, which can be had in rea-
sonable distance of a good market at
from So 90 to So 90 per acre call the
average price 81 90 per acre, and the
investment would be $4,000. 1t would
cost So 90 per acre to have the sod bro
.ken, making $4,000 more, cultivating,
gathering and marketing the first years
crops, say So 90 per acre. $4,000, max
| ing total investment the first year OF
$4,000.
! 1t must be borne in mind that the
first crop of 'tsod corn," as it is called
is usually very small some farmers say
ten bushels per acre, others eight and
others five. Call it eight, and we have
/ for our first years return 10000 bush.
els, worth fifty cents per bushel, Oh
| $4,000, leaving q balance against US In
| the first years operations of $4,000
Add the interest on this amount for ont
year at seven per cent, and we have 6
total balance of $53, 800 to carry over tt
the second year.
For the ploughing of the ground, the
seed used, and the entire cultivation
1 gathering and marketing of the SECOND
crop, farmers give me figures varying
from six to twelve dollars per acre !; cal
it ten, (and think on large scale sucf
as we are considering, it could be done
for less) and we have $4,000 as the COS
of our second years crop. This Ough
| to average at least thirty-five bushels
per acre, 175, 600 bushels, which at fifty
cents per bushel gives us $4,000. Adj
the cost of this years crop, $4,000 t.
1 the balance against us from last year
4 SIS, 500 and we have Sl03, 500. Deduc
i SS7, 500 from, this and the balance to b
carried to the third years operatiods i
reduced to SIC, 600.
Surprising the third years bushes
4 to result as the second, and we hay'
another SS7,500 to our credit, from
4 which we deduct last years balance
4 $l6,000, and cost of CROP $4,000, tota
4 sc, 600, leaving net profit of 80
4 after returning the entire amount in
j vested in the land But more thau1hi
the land has by this time been brough
into thorough. cultivations and is WORT
4 at least double what it cost. Can an,
firm, or joint-stock company, with
capital of $100, 600, or even less, make
better investment than this
4 But q considerably smaller amount o
Il capital might be made to carry such 81
4 enterprise as this through successfully
by purchasing land from some Raiiroa.