The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-06-29
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
NO. D.
LAWRENCE, Kansas,
June 11th, 1872.

NO. 5.
| LAWRENCE, Kansas,
| June 18th, 1872.
In my last letter promised to say some
thing of the climate, soil, ETC., of Kansas.
In the early settlement of the State, when
the prairies-which may be properly term
ed oceans Of grass stretching away, away
in all directions, not for miles only, but for
days and weeks of travel, without trees,
exception the banks of the water COURSES
had lain unbroken from their first upheav-
al from old oceans bed before the era of
man, the atmosphere was much dryer than
it is at present, and storms more terrific.
The frequent storms of thunder and light
ming, which in the Summer nights would
seem to rock the universe, were accompa-
MED by floods of rain which might we'll be
likened to deluges, but of which scarce a
trace could be discovered the next morn
ing; so hard and impenetrable was the
thick, sodded prairies, and so dry the at
mosphere, that the flood speedily found its
way to the streams and the dry atmosphere
Immediately evaporated the surface moist
ure. In those days the Indians used this
part of the country for a drying ground
for their buffalo meat; which, exposed to
the air a few feet from the ground, would
cure without tainting.
| But when the white man came and broke
up the primitive sod and planted shade
trees and wind brakes, a great change in
climate took place. Rains were more fire.
quent and storms less violent. The plowed
ground drank up the rain and impaired
more vapor to the atmosphere, which in
turn caused more frequent and gentle
showers, improving the health and COM
| fort Of the country. The fertility of the
| soil of Kansas has always been celebrated.
1t consists of black sandy loan, from two
to four feet thick, which may safely be
! termed inexhaustible. For grazing and
farming purposes, tine country in the neigh
borhood of Lawrence cannot be excelled
! Wheat, oats, corn and other similar crops
yield abundantly, and for fruit the soil and
climate are equally we'll adapted. AS
| specimen of what the soil and climate of
Kansas is capable of in the production of
fruit, l visited the orchards of Mr.. Bracelet,
about two miles from the city of Law
renee. He has farm of so acres, nearly
all planted in orchards of apples, pears and
cherries. l have seen many fine orchards,
but nothing ever to compare with those of
Mr.. BIS. His trees were all headed low,
the branches starting from the body not
more than a foot from the ground, and
| forming cones ten or twelve feet high, and
in rows so straight that line stretched
along the outer edge of the row would
touch every tree in it.
The bark of every tree in these large
orchards was smooth and green as that of
sucker of the first years growth. The
cherries were not so large as the apple and
pear trees, but headed low, so that picker
might stand on the ground and gather
nearly the entire crop. There were several
acres devoted to each variety Of fruit, and
the cherry trees We're loaded with cherries
just ready to pick. Mr. Simmons, Editor
of the Kansas Tribune, to whose courtesy
am indebted for several pleasant drives
over the prairies and much important in
formation, assured me that the proprietor
of these SPLENDID orchards would find
ready market in Lawrence for all of his
cherries at 20 cents quart. These beau
tiful orchards were not marred by fences
but, with the exception of a pasture lot,
the whole so acres seemed to be in one
undivided-except by roads and walks
field. This is the work of one man in -
years, who purchased 40 acres of wild prai-
RE, and has kept family by raising ber-
ries and other produce on the land while he
was rearing q set of orchards which are
now the source of a very handsome annual
income. To effect the above results no
manure has been used, the soil supplying
abundance of plant-food for the trees, and
for berry and other crops between the rows;
while the former year by year were attain
ing their present vigorous growth. These
remarkable orchards are not by any means
on the best of the land in this vicinity: but
the old California trail passes directly
through the place, and having been cut up
and worn bare by the passage of trains of
wagons and droves of cattle annually for a
number of years previous to the settlement
of the State, much of the virgin soil was
blown off in dust by the high winds and
washed away by the torrents OF rain which
were formerly SO prevalent here.
l have been particular in thus infinitely
describing the orchards of Mr.. Bracket as
showing the adaptation of Kansas to the
cultivation of fruit, and the progress which
twelve years have developed in subduing
the wilderness, and identifying it with
those improvements and comforts which
are part and parcel of the necessaries and
comforts of our civilization.
Tree are luxury here in this naturally
treeless country, and they grow with aston
ishing rapidity. Many farmers here stuck
in the ground along fences, young cotton
wood, that everywhere spring up when the
primitive sod of the prairie is broken, and
in few years they have been rewarded
with fine thrifty groves, which are luxury
to every one who comes within sight of
them. A man who will purchase spot of
bleak prairie in the vicinity of any of the
thrifty towns of Kansas and plant it with
trees SO arranged as to make comfortable
grounds for residence when grown, in a
few years is able to sell the property for
perhaps ten times its original cost.
For business man, who has ten to twen-
ty thousand dollars capital which he can
invest and wait results there is no specu-
lations so sure, while it is attended with so
little risk, as investing in lots near these
tiourishing towns and fixing them up with
a few trees. Every year adds to their
beauty and value. Lombardy poplars are
much used here for wind brakes: planted
close together and in double rows, they
make an excellent brake for the violent
wind which in the Winter sweeps over
these vast plains, while they lend almost
enchantment to the landscape. There are