The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1873-12-18

cmptOr and settler of the west. Out
side of the Indian territory there re
mains but limited supply of reall,
good agricultural lands in all the west
the choicest Of which, for climate, soil
and health, are to be found in the grca
valley of the Arkansas, in the counties
named above.
THE ARKANSAS RIVER
is little less than 1000 miles in length
being one Of the longest and swiftesi
running streams upon the continent
Rising in Colorado territory, latitud,
one hundred and six and onc-half de
grees west of Greenwich, and lOngitud,
ihirty-nine and One-half degrees north
receiving its waters from rivulets and
springs that are fed by the melting O
the eternal SHOWS Of the snowy range
which rcars its rugged. lofty and snow
crowned peaks $50 miles west of ant
5000 feet above the base of the Rock,
mountains, il flows completely around
the south peak, surgcs and sparkles al
the base of Mount Lincoln and rushc.
out through canyon in Pixies Peak
range into the valley Of cstcrn Colora
do and on eastward. 1t enters Kansas
seventy-fivc miles north Of the soutl
line of the state, runs due east l4O miles
DIVORCES scvcnty-tivc miles northeast
then angles to the Southeast, forming
what is known as the Great Bend
thence little south of east through
Kansas, the Indian territory and Tho
state of Arkansas, cmptying into tht
Mississippi midway between Memphi.
and Ficksburg. The Arkansas is .
broad and shallow stream, with man,
islands, low but well defined banks
VARYING frcm four to ten feet in height
The most remarkable features are that
although draining country, before
reaching Kansas, larger than all New
England, and although it carries tn,
melting SHOWS in June. July and Au
gust of many thousand square miles, il
never overflows its banks, but its wa
tiers are curiously kept within the bed
of the stream, working great benefit
10 the soil Of the valley for miles upon
each side. The fact il the bed of tho
stream throughout its source in Kan.
sas is composed of sand aud gravel, ~
also the subsoil of the adjacent lands
The supcrabundant water spreads it.
Overlooking the country, as would be
the case if the subsoil of the wide val.
leys was clay. SO completely does the
porus subsoll drink up this water that
most of the year 1t is easily fordablt
with teams, and there has been time.
when, in the western portion of the
state, the river bed would go dry. al.
though water could be obtained three
or four inches below the surface, where
in reality the river was flowing in the
gravel The river at Wichita is about
800 feet wide. at Hutchinson, forty
miles further up, it is 900 feet wide
THE VALLEY AND SOIL.
The richest and most desirable pOr.
ton of the valley lies between the
Great Bend and the point where the
river enters in the Indian territory. in
which area are the counties of Reno
Harvey, Sedgwick, Sumner, Cowlcy
and Butler. TO describe perfectly the
lands, streams. towns and productions
of these counties would require more
iacilc and forciblc pen than we WELD
The valley proper or bottom is from
ten TO twenty miles in width. The
higher lands upon either side are kind
of second bottom. or low rolling prai-
rics. with just enough undulatiOn or
swell To carry off the extra rain falls.
The soil of the valley proper, which is
also marked by gentle swells, is chief
ly a sandy loam, made up of such min.
cral elements as have been washed
from the Rocky mountains by the attri-
ton of ages. Ii is marked feature OF
this soil that ii contains much larger
proportion of mineral matter than the
prairie soils of Illinois and Iowa, which
are chiefly vegetable mould. For this
reason our valley will improve by cul-
tivation. To those accustomed to q
murky soil. there appears to be ia
places in this valley too much sand, but
the experience of our farmers is direct
ly the opposite. Read what the editor
of the american -fgricalturist, who Vi
sitcd this valley in April of this year,
has to say
"The soil is deep black loan, rest
ing on a lighter colored subsoil con-
sisting of loan, clay and gravel, both
soil and subsoil being so porus that
surface water readily passes through
them, and in 10 case is there any diff
Guilty experienced in crossing with
horses and wagons or stock, any water
courses or beds of streams. Teams NAV
be driven across springs or creek bot
toms fcarlcssly, without danger of mir
ing. This porosiiy of the soil, while
il renders it capable of being plowed or
worked Immediately after the heaviest
rains, ut the same lime keeps is con-
stantly moist from evaporation below,
and protects il from drouth. Within
six hours of the cessation of a rain il,
which judge at least three inches of
water fell. saw farmers breaking sod
and cultivating the Young corn. The
crops of corn, oats, rye, spring and fall
wheat, potatoes and garden vegetables,
which saw growing, both on new and
old breakings, in various localities in
the valley, arc equal TO any that have
ever seen elsewhere, during many
years experience. know of no part
OF the country, possessing more at
tractivc soil for the farmer than this"
STOCK.
This is the natural home for cattle.
From early spring until the middle of
October or the first of November the
herds of farmers and stock raiser's
wander leisurcly through the green
nutritious grasses that brush their
sides in open meadows that are bound
less. growing fat and producing their
kind. The abundant grasses, pure wa
tiers aud farm climate render this por-
ton of Kansas the finest stock country
probably in the known world. The
corn'crop is safe before the rains cease.
and after that time the grass cures
upon the ground and makes \ natural
hay. retaining much of its nutritious
qualities. which serves rs 4 perennial
pasture for stock. The fall and winter
seasons. which east of the Missouri
are marked by the prevalence of cold
rains and chilling storms so irving to
stock. here are marked by dry and
bracing weather. Occasional storms.
in which light. dry snow i driftcd and
wreathcd apon the surface. occur, dur
ing which the farmer will feel called
upon TO shelter aud feed his stock.
Thus this country is specially adapted
for sheep and stock-raising in conjunc-
ton with grain growing. and mus, an
soor become great source
of supply of beef aud mutton to the
eastern markets. Thousands Of tons
OF hay eau be had for the cutting q. a
cost Of "a to IS cents per ton, which
can be used for making sheds for cat
tie for shelter during our short winter
Of two or three months. Fortunes are
l. 4 l. l. al