The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1871-04-06
tCOFrs1pondpnee Of the News.
LETTER FROM KANSAS.

LETTER FROM KANSAS.
A welcome Guest = EncOurag-
ing Crop ErOspects-SprIng on
the Kansas PralFies. DC, &c.
March 20, 1871. !
Mr. EDIroR.-Ths '.News" is a
welcome eusst7 to me. It's genal
pbysiognomy brings to mind many
circumstances Of the past, which are
refreshing to think Of. I do not for
get the whoie-souled. energy with
which it belpsd TO fight the battles of
J5flg-siz for DIssdiag Kansas" and all
the s.frsss.'' I also End in it many ia
miliaf names that | love 70 think of.
This being the case, I entertain q /
hope that your correspondent may
say something that might interest
some of the Highlanders, especially |
the young folks, and those who have
never seen these western prairies.
I have seen many beautiful winters
in Kansas, but I do not remember to
have seen one 50 prolific Of good re-
suits as the one just past. It was a
very mild, Uniform winter, not thaw-
ing out thoroughly till Spring. The
wheat was covered with snow the
most Of the time. If we bad any con-
siderable thaw, we were sure to have
a little snow at the beginning of the
next freeze. The result is, the wheat
now richly covers the ground, no
part of It having been winteF-killed
Notwithstanding grain is 50 forward,
winter has 50 gradually worn into
spring, that the fruit buds are back
ward, and, to all appearances, safe
j from frost.
l do not think I ever saw SO fine a
prospect for fall grain aud fruit. The
period for sowing extended from the
i20th of August till the 1st of NOvem-
Der, yet there isrOta single poor r1s-
pect in all my Knowledge. True, we
cannot tell what may befall it yet, but
the prospects were never so hsttering,
In Ohio, wheat sometimes grows too
luzuriantly: there is danger of its
falling or of the rust, or scab: in these
Kansas prairies, wheat does not fall,
rust, or seab-we do not fear too
much straw.
Spring is now approaching most
beautifully. Farmers have been
blowing for two OF three weeks, and
are now sowing and planting. The
wild geesv, returning from their south
ern winter quarters, make the air
gingle With their jabbering; aligh q
sometimes by thousands on the green
wheat-Relds 70 take q wholesome re-
past. The sand hill crane, largel
bird than the wild goose, is now mi
grating horthward. He flies so higt
, sometimes, that he does notiOOk larg
er than a bee. His croaking can b
heard for miles. Sometimes a AOcl
of them will light on the high prairie
, and seem to mimic the red men il
their war.dance.- The prairie chick
, ems wake US at early dawn with thei
.'boo-po0-0oo,' utteripg II in abou
; the tone of a dove, accenting the sec
ond syllable. slightly, and the thirt
I heavily, meaning to crow, thougl
e they do not mimic the domestic CROW
much. The prairie hen caoklss some
I thing ike the common hen. WheI
: winter breaks they begin this music
= and when spring is fully opened the,
make the prairies fairly ring of morn
/ Iings and evenings.
j.. Besides these larger birds, of whiCI
h 1 have spoken, and which many G
= the young folks in Ohio have not seer
D the prairie swarms with smaller Onei
= such as meadow larlzs, blaeksbirds q
e several varieties, doves, prairie pig
!. cons, &c. Some of the black-bird
y utter the most beautiful and tende
r notes Of song I ever heard.
G Mr.. Editor, all Nature seems to N
It to rejoice. These beautiful prairies-
= lying in waves, like the gentle swell
y ing of the mighty ocean, now just bt
e ginning to clothe themselves in M
ture's owD dress, and to :entertai
with such tender care those lovel
sl creatures that ravish our ears wit
, their sweet music, and feed, ike a
y alma mater, the thousands Of d.
mestic animals that gambOl on the
5 crest, and that rejoice in springs an
I brooks, clear as crystal and sweet
D clear-these beautiful prairies, l 7,
peat, seem to me to be fit place fc
man to spend his probation in. Sur
g y,
IN green pastures and leaadeth me besic
the still waters"
Yours &c. Al. EVANS.
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