Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-03-22
The Great Limestone
Belt Of Kansas,
The Attractive Region Of the
West,


phe " Great central PlalnS are geOgrapn-
ical feature of the State Of Kansas. Covered
with remarkably nutritious vegetation, for
centuries they were an immense pasturage for
countless herds of buffalo, antelope and other
Illuminating animals, whose habitat was the
far-stretching green prairies that to-day form
one Of the most beautiful agricultural portions
Of the Mississippi Valley. Less than ten years
ago this region was believed, by the mass Of
the people in the East, to be an improbable
desert but it is now the acknowledged garden
of the Continent. This truly magnificent coun-
try can claim the most luxuriant soil Of all the
"Great West and climate that approaches
perfection, at least. DIR. B. E. Fryer, one Of
the most eminent surgeons in the Army, and
who was stationed for years at Fort Harker,
four miles from the Town OF Ellsworth, de-
clared this to be the "most perfect climate in
the world" The whole country is traversed
by series of constant streams, sweet and
wholesome springs and springfield pools. De-
licious water is also always obtained in wells,
by digging, at easily accessible depths. 1t is
already conceded that the United States is rap
luly DOCOuuuS lilO hhoAy Vi SAO HoA1N5 Poh
tcularly in the production of wheat Kansas,
an Empire in itself, is taking the lead in the
culture of this cereal, and in q short time will
be acknowledged queen of all the States in the
production of this great staple. The State,
especially her peculiarly wonderful fertile CEN
trail area, comprised in what is now known as
the " limestone belt, under the test of only a
few years, has proved to the world the i'm
mense average its soil is capable Of Each
year increases the limit of the wheat-belt, as
the frontier is pushed toward the mountains,
within which are found the greatest possibili-
ties, agriculturally.
1t is a remarkable fact that nearly all the
lands of the Kansas Pacific Railway are in
cluded in the limestone region under consider
alton, and that south Of this limit, in that di-
rection, it ceases altogether, and the country
presents another geological formation, the soil
of which is very sandy, and which, though al
present, from t,tllaess of its gerry primitiueness
is capable of producing good crops in seasons
of abundant rainfall, lacks the inheren. quail.
ties of Standardization and must rapidly dete
riOrate In this particular the Smoky Hill Val
ley is immensely superior to the arenacioui
lands of the region SOUTH which is drained BY
the Arkansas and tributary streams. 1t is vel
known by every farmer that lime, in some o.
its combinations, constitutes the essential in
gredlent in all the more valuable grains ant
grasses. Its presence in the soil is consequent
" to be considered as a condition of fertility
1t also acts as constitutional ameliorant, o.
| ybap rod Will or
lying tough or viscid clay, it renders them fri
able and consequently more susceptible to tn,
action of atmospheric forces. Soil in which
there is q due admixture of calcareous matter
is not so liable to be injured or rendered plas
| tic by an excess of moisture while under crop
| The quality of the wheat raised in this grea
rhinestone belt is conceded, in all markets
! to be the finest grade known. 1t produces tn
familiar brands of so-called Southern -four
for which st. Louis is justly celebrated. Thi
is easily accounted for from the fact that tn
soil in which the wheat is grown possesses
due admixture of calcareous matter, whicl
has tendency to make the hull of the grail
much thinner. and the farina itself in nue.
greater quantity, and in richer quality, than il
grain grown ON the lands which exhibit dc
ficiency of this earth. ALI our millers will ties
{ tify to the peculiar four-making properties 0
our wheat in this essential, surpassiDg tina
raised in other sections, and it is attribute
entirely to the fact-which the analysis Of tn
sol, confirms this so-called "limeston
belt" possesses all the requisites of the bes
wheat land In the world. Sand, it is we
known, is injurious when it enters too largel
into the composition of cultivated soils y; i
other words, it is useless beyond certain pre-
portion. That the limestone belt, or I" wo.
derful wheat region Of Central Kansas" as
is sometimes called, has the amount Of sile
or silica--the basis of sand fixed in the propt
| saa kha@ aof hat ~.
quires peculiar conditions to "lodge tn
grain in the field, even after the most terrif
showers. Considering the question OF the re
alive fertility, particularly in its connectio
with wheat culture, present richness OF 30
and endurance must enter as essential ell
ments of success and the capacity Of the sci
fertilization of the land, an ingredient not
be overlooked. The latter quality hrnestoI
K reqion alone can possess as only Unite
knowledge of agricultural chemistry clear
4 demonstrates. Viewing the subject Of whei
culture then, in all its aspects 80 far as KaI
sas is concerned, an inspection OF the Smol
Hill Valley, and the arenaceous region soutl
coupled with fair idea Of what the culture
wheat requires, the conclusion can lead on
x in one direction-to the infinitely superior az
vantage of the limestone bolt.
Prospectively, from purely physical cause
this great inland region must reach the pos
ton of one Of the richest agricultural portion
y of the United States. Only q very few yea
ago-not decade-husbandry here was pur
= ly tentative. From absolutely no dew, eigl
Y years ago, this region is as favored in tn
particular as any that can be named. Fro
living outside of tho train belt, )" so terme
this region has had to be "taken in" III
quantity OF water in the streams has an
n Eented springs have burst forth where moi
n existed before-in short just the converse
that meteorological phenomenon has be-
evolved here, under the march OF civiliz tito
which takes In heayily.timbered country u
der the sans social coodition6,
nn.A AAllAsnlnn alaAlahlAn Al AhA HnlnNAM nina