River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-03-21
by Major Ill. lnman.

The threat Central Plains" are geograph-
zeal 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-stretchng 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, bnt 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. 4. 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 wold.n The whole country is traversed
by a series of constant streams, sweet and
wholesome springs and spring fed 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
idly becoming the granary of the world, par
ticularly in the production of wheat. Kansas,
an Empire in itself, is taking the lead in the
culture of this cereal, and in short time will
be acknowledged queen OF all the Safes in the
production of this great staple The State,
especially her peculiarly wonderful fertile CEN
trail area comprised If what is now known as
the rhinestone 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-
i es, agriculturally.
1t is a remarkable fact that nearly all the
lands ofthe Kansas Pacific Railway are in
cluded in the limestone region under consider
alton, and the 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 at
present. from fallness Of its geIY pri0oittoenesS
Is capable of producing good crops III seasons
of abundant rainfall, lacks the inherent quail
ties of Standardization, and must rapidly dete-
,'iornte. In this particular the Smoky Hill Val
ley is immensely superior to the arenaclous
lands of the region south, which is drained by
the Arkansas and tribAtary streams. 1t is well
known by every farmer that lime, in some of
its combinations, constitutes the essential in
eredent in all the more valuable grains and
grasses. Its presence in the soil is consequent
" to be considered as a condition of fertility
1t also acts as constitutional amellorant, OF
much power, and, when mixed with or under
lying tough or viscid clay, it renders them fri
able and consequently more susceptible to the
action of atmospheric forces. Soil in which
there is a due admiXture OF calcareous matter,
is not so liable to be injured or rendered plaS
tic by an excess of moisture while under crop.
TIE quality of the wheat raised in this great
rhinestone belt" is conceded, in all markets,
to be the finest grade known ii produces the
familiar brands of so-caled Southern flour,
for which st. Louis is justly celebrated This
is easily accounted for, from the fact thai the
soil in which the wheat is grown possesses a
due admixture of calcareOus matter, which
has tendency to make the hull of the grain
much thinner, and the farina itself in much
greater quantity, and in richer quality, than in
grain grown on the lands which exhibit de-
ficiency of this earth. All our millers will tes-
tify to the peculiar flour making properties of
our wheat, in this essential, surprising that
raised in other sections, and it is attributed
entirely to the fact-which the analysis of the
soil confirms-that the so-called limestone
belt" posses es all the requisites Of the best
wheat land in the world. Sand it is well
known, is injurious when it enters too largely
into the composition of cultivated soils; In
other words it is useless beyond a certain pro.
portion That the rhinestone belt" or won
derful wheat region of Central Kansas as it
is sometimes called, has the amount of slick
or silica--the basis of sand-fixed in the prop
er proportion, is evident, from the fact that it
requires peculiar conditions to lodge the
grain in the field, even after the most terrific
showers Considering the question of the rel
alive fertility, particularly in its connection
with wheat culture, present richness OF soil
and endurance must enter as essential ele-
ments of success, and the capacity OF the self
fertilization of the land an ingredient not 20
region atone can possess, rs only limited
knowledge of agricultural chemistry clearly
demonstrates. Viewing the subject of wheat
culture then, in all its aspects, so far as Kan
sas is concerned, and inspection of the Smoky
Hill Valley, and the arenaceous region south,
coupled with fair idea OF what the culture OF
wheat requires the conclusion can lead only
in one directior--to the infinitely superior ad
vantage Of the limestone belt
Prospectively, from purely physical cause,
this great inland region must reach the posi-
ton of one OF the richest agricultural portions
of the United States. Only very few years
ago--not a decade-hus bandry here was
purely tentative. From absolutely no dew,
eight Years ago, this region is as favored in
that particular as any that can be named
From living outside of the rain belt, SO
termed, this reign has had to be taken in.
The quantity Of water in the streams has aug
mented, springs have burst forth where none
existed before lin short, just the converse OF
that meteorological phenomenon has been
evolved here. under the march OF civilization,
which takes Ia a heavily timbered country
under the same social conditions.
The following statistics OF the rainfall clear
ly prove the accuracy Of the foregoing state
ment:
The Fall of Rain aud Melted Snow, in inches,
at Forts Hays, Larned and Dodge. for the
last five years, as shown by the Daily dete-
geological Records Kept by the United
States Government at the Posts named: