White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1872-01-25
for the farmer.
TIE LESSON OF rms WINTER.

For the last ten years, says Horace Greeley, we
have endured the tauBts and filings Of our friends
ON the plains and further West, because We cling
to a prejudice born of our New England training
in favor of shelter and hay for cattle in Winter.
We did not doubt their assurenccs that they had
known large herds to roam all Winter unshelter-
ed and unfed, vet come ont alive and hearty in
the Spring. We only insisted that the buffaloes
generally come through hard Winter very lean
and very poor when they come through at all,
and we could net realize that the progeny of stock
that had been fed and sheltered for centuries
could endure more cold and hunger than these
rugged children Of the Plains. Ali was of no use.
What could we know about cattle ON the Plains
compared with the knowledge of those who had
lived there for years!
Last Winter, cattle were frozen to death even
| in Kansas; but there was not much snow further
West, and most of the herds went through alive.
after SNOW covering and incrnsfing the Plains to
a considerable depth, and cattle dying by
thousands. Probably half the cattle between the
head of the Solomon fork of the Kansas and the
Mormon settlements toward Salt Lake will eth
er die come through barely able to crawl.
Just hear friend Meeker, i'll private letter dated
Greedy, Colorado, Dec. %:
don't know when this letter will reach you,
for the roads are blocked again. The snow is
about Is inches deep, and the first snow which
fell six weeks ago has crust on it down below.
Until last Sunday, the foothills were bare, and
all the cattle that could be driven taken up;
but now they are no better off. Our people al
together have about 1900 head. j. W. lift has
from Is 900 to 10000 down the Platte and we
hear that he is skiuning them. We hear also
that a large percentage of the sheep ON the ran
ges are dead. can't see how half the stock can
be saved, even if the snow goes off in a few days
Owing to the dry Summer, the grass is short. 1t
seems to me that general business will be nearly
destroyed all through Northern Colorado. Up to
Sunday there was snow south of the Divide.
Our people, not owning stock, and others, now
see clearly what course to pursue and they are
all talking about mixed husI,andry and dairying
by the same management as in the States We
are in first-rate position to 60 and carry ont
this style of farming There will be abundance
OF water; We can raise large crops; and have milk
and butter. Cows in town well stabbed, and
doing extremely well. One Mr.. Hollster went
Ia miles down the Platte to get load of hay
from one or two stacks. While they were loading
a large herd of cattle came up, and he and two
rushed into the stacks, which soon tipped over,
and were eaten and tramped, and they came
away with only part of the load, for the cattle
followed, eating.
Coal is SO scarce that we know not what is to
be our fate. Two days required to go to the
Higley mine, 10 miles distant; and the only other
mine which delivering is seven miles from The rail-
road Snow falls every other day. To day the
sun is bright, mercury % degrees below. The d.
2. trains run from four to six hours behind time,
and have three locomotives. We get mails about
twice a week.
Now give US three open winters in succession,
and those high priests of delusion will be proach-
ing afresh that cattle and sheep the plains
need no shelter, no hay-that they do better with
out. Will they find dupes numerous as hither
tot