Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-07
TaE yICTORIA COLONY.
Scientific Farming and stock Raising
ON n Large Scale I'm Kensas-Im-
proving the Breeds OF Cattle and
sheep-Educated COlOnists.
New York Tribune.

Scteuft nc Farming ana 8AoIk-naA5AHe
ON n Large Scale I'm Kansas-Im-
proyinS the Breeds Of Cattle and
sheep-Educated COlOnists.
New York Tribune.
George Grant, who has been for the past
two years improving and colOnizing large
tract of land in Kansas upon the Kansas
Pacific Railroad, is now sojourning in this
city, and his account Of the Improvements
aud successes of Victoria Colony is very
Interesting. Mr.. Grant says that he was
attracted to this section of Kansas while
making tour through the United States in
1872. The soil was found 10 be Itch and
deep, and the buffalo grass, instead Of grow
ing in patches with waste Of land inter
Vening, was here continuous The entire
surface resembled a thick crop of curly hair.
Everything that nature could furnish to
make this section attractive as a grazing
country seemed to abound. Mr.. Grant
purchased a large tract, and determined
TO settle the country with class Of men
who, by reason of education, would
farm land scientifically, and make Victo-
ria Colony the home of cultivation
and refinement. Now, only two years after
Mr.. Grants first visit, many farms have
been bought BY persons who would hardly
have gone into business if they had remain
ed at home. The population of Victoria is
estimated at about 150 persons. Among
the gentlemen who have settled there are
the Hon. Walter Maxwell, son OF Lord
Herries, of Birmingham Park, Yorkshire,
England; the son of Charles Gunther, a
brother of ex-Mayor Gunther, of this city;
and Walter A. Shields, the heir TO the
Shields estate. All the settlers are OF an
equally good class, forming a nu-
cleus for others from Eastern
cities and towns. Mr.. Grant is also negoti-
ating with the Land Department Of the
Kansas Pacific Railway Company TO buy
the remainder of their lands in the adjOin-
ing townships in Ellis county. This viii
extend his possessions over. 900 square
miles, and Mr.. Grant will then own i'll fee
simple, 2SS,000 acres of land in one body.
He intends 10 place upon this tract colon
lists like those VINO have already settled
upon the territory included in Victoria
A station two stories high has been built
at Victoria, and this building is used as the
headquarters of the colony. The building
is built Of limestone that is quarTied in
abundance in the neighbOrhOOd. The sta
tion is surmounted by cupOlas and COW
cred veranda extends around it. This
building answers many purposes Ii is the
railway station, and also the hotel, store,
and postofiice of the colony. The largest
Enclosure of corral is on the west side Of
the station. This contains seventeen
acres. 1t is inclosed by barred
fence, with strong posts about
feet apart. The earth has been banked up
to level with the top Of the fence, and the.
slope has been thickly sodded. A line of
sheds extend around this Enclosure as a pro-
lection to the fiocks III severe weather. The
Enclosure is divided into separate compart-
ments, and the different fiocks can be taken
care of, and by Its own shepherd, without in
any way interfering with the others. Other
tracts in different sections of Victoria have
been inelosed by stone walls six feet
high, the tops of which are covered by
broad, flat, oyerhanging stones, that protect
the flocks not only from the storms, but
also from dogs and wolves. This shelter
perhaps might not be necessary through Sc
we're weather for $50 days in the year.
Several large houses Of stone, with exten-
sive Out-buildingS, have been crested by
other settlers. Mr.. Maxwell and MIR.
Gunther have also inclOsed cOrrals with
high stone walls for flocks. The whole
colony presents a thriving and attractive
appearance.
Mr.. Grant has flock of Colorado merino
sheep numbering 6,5o4. He has imported
aishiy-one COtswold, Lincoln, Oxford,
Down, and Leicester ewes, and fifty-nine
ANS of the same breeds, from the best
English 1locks, making a total of 6,724
sheep. lie has also 5OO cattle in good con-
iition, and twelve imported bulls of high
pedigree. In one of Mr.. Grants stone cor
ais 5000 sheep can be sheltered, and
house for the shepherds is built in cOnnec-
ion with that inclOsure. Labor is obtained
It fair prices. LabOre7s receive Sl.5O aday,
,r, when hired on long jobs, so TO ) o 4
month and 'sfind themselves"
Mr.. Grant believes in improving the
,reeds of his cattle and sheep, and his bust
less in this city is partly connected with
hipping valuable imported stock 10 Vic |
oria. He has now in a stable in this city
thoroughbred stallion, Flodden, which |
omes from a long liue of cup winners. |
Eight pure short horn bulls, selected from
he noted herds in England, and four
Angus pOlled bulls, coal black and finely |
have been imported and sent !
o Victoria. Many of the herds !
re a cross between shOn-horn and |
Cherokee, making almost as fine look !
n stock as thoroughbred. Mr.. Grant pro- |
,oses to alternate between the Angus poll |
i and shorthorn, and as his herd increases !
he poorest are TO be culled and sent To |
market. In this way the stock will be I'M
Ter constant improvement, and the market |
will be supplied with a good class Of beef. |
Sot only are the fiocks expected to yield |
arge revenue in wool, but also the annual
Increase in lambs will be a constant source |
f profit.
Though the stock business promised to |
,e large, yet agricultural operations on an |
scale have been begun. The re-
ult of the agricultural operations of the /
olony cannot be fairly estimated this sea-
on on account of the ravages of the grass |
lOppers. Mr.. Grant says that the grasshOp |
'ers did not destroy the buffalo grass, and |
he grazing was not impaired by the visit /
f these pests. They lit on this grass, but |
whether il was so thick that they made no /
or whether the grasshOppers do \
lot feed upon Buffalo grass, Mr.. Grant |
Guild not say. The soil is rich, and the |
Indications are that heavy crops may be
aised upon the entire tract. Improved |
Methods Of agriculture are employed with |
aving of time and labor. The oxen are
lOt yOked; but seemed to work much better
lnder collar, like that used for horses.
A considerable stream that never becomes
Try runs through the tract. AT the station
large well has been dug, and tank has
,een built there, into which water is forced
" machinery. This tank has capacity Of
100 gallons. From this tank the water
S supplied to the bath in which the sheep
re washed. Some of the sheep that come
rom Wisconsin were afflicted with scabs.
The bath was devised to cure the flOcks of
his disease, that otherwise might spread de-
There arethree boilers holding
50 gallons each, and in these the water is
eated forthe bath. The solution in which
he sheep are washed is made by adding to-
'acco and sulphur, in proportions of twenty
Ounds of the former and five pounds Of
he latter to 100 gallons of water. Mr..
irant does not add the three pounds Of
rsenic used by some, as he does not believe
hat it increases the efficiency of the sOlu-
ion. The bath holds 1000 gallons of this
olutiOn. In the inner part is raised plat
orm, upon which the sheep can climb, and
tand and drip, the solution running off their
Odies and flowing back into the bath. The
Method of washing is IN drive the sheep up
path, which gradually narrOws, until only
ne sheen follows another in line. Sud-