Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-03-14
kan iSZ!l,Il
t7l|;3! III
The Great Limestone Belt
of Kansas.
The Attractive Region Of
the West.
BY MAJOR H. INMAN.

The Great Central Plains" are geographical
feature of the State of Kansas. Covered with a
remarkably nutritious vegetation, for centuries
they We're an immense pasturage for countless
herds of buffalo, antelope and other Illuminating
animals, whose habitat was the far-stretch.r,
green prairies that to day form one of the mos.
beautiful agricultural portions of the Mississippi
Valley. Less than ten years ago this region was
believed. by the mass of the people of the East,
to be an Improbable desert. but it is now the az
knowledged garden of the Continent. This truly
magnificent country can claim the most luxuriant
soil of all the Great West" and climate that APP
proaches perfection, at least. Dr. B. E. Fryer one
ofthe most eminent surgeons in the Army, an6 vi
was stationed for years at Fort Harker, four mile:
from the Town of Ellsworth, declared this to be
1.-THE most perfect climate in the world The
whole country is traversed by a series of con.
slant streams, sweet and wholesome springs and
springfield pools. Delicious water is also always
obtained in wells, by digging, at easilyaccessible
depths. 1t is already conceded that the Unite
States is rapidly becoming the granary of the
world, particularly 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 States in the
production of this great staple. The State, espe.
cially her peculiarly-wonderful fertile central
area, comprised in what is now known rs the
Limestone belt" under the test of only few
years, has proved to the world the immense aver
age the 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 possibilities, agriculturally.
1t is a remarkable fact that nearly all the lands
CT the Kansas Pacific Railway are included in tn.
nestOne region under consideration, and that
south of this limit, in that direction, 1t ceases
altogether, and the country presents another geo
logical formation, the soil of which is very sandy
and which, though at present, from fulaeSS Of its
Terq 2'TinattiUeneSS, is capable of producing good
crops in seasons of abundant rainfall, lacks the
inherent qualities of Standardization, and must
rapidly deteriOrate. In this particular the Smoky
Hill Valley is immensely superior to the arena
cious lands of the region south, which is drained
by the Arkansas and tributary streams. tits well
known by every farmer that lime, in some of its
combinations, constitutes the essential ingredi.
ent in all the more valuable grains and grasses.
Its presence in the soil is consequently to be con-
sidered a condition of fertility 1t also acts as
a constitutional ameliorant, of much power, and,
wnen mixed with or underlying tough or yiscid
clay, it renders them friable and consequently
more susceptible to the action of atmospheric
forces. Soil in which there is a due admixture of
calcareous matter, snot liable to be injured or
rendered plastic by an excess of moisture while
under crop. The quality of the wheat raised in
this great " limestone belt is conceded IN all
markets, to be the finest grade known. II pro.
duceS the familiar brands of so called Southern
flour, for which st. Louis is justly celebrated.
This is easily accounted for from the fact that the
soil in which the wheat is grown possesses a duo
admixture of calcareous matter, which has ten.
dency 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 deficiency OF this earth. All
Dur milers will testify to the peculiar flour-mak-
ing properties OF our wheat in this essential,
surprising that raised in other sections and it is
attributed entirely to the act-which the analysis
of the soil conrms-that this so-caled rhinestone
belt possesses all the requisites of the best wheat
'and in the world. Sand, it is well known, is in
furious when 1t enters too largely into the COM
hosltlon OF cultivated sois in other words, it is
useless beyond certain proportion. That the
+AAiSolOuC USlJs VI WONDERFUL wheat region Oh
Central Kansas as it is sometimes called, has
The amount of slick or silica-the basis of sand
liked in the proper proportion is evident from the
TACT that 1t requires peculiar conditions to dodge
The grain in the field, even after the most terrific
showers. Considering the question of the relative
fertility, particularly in its connection with wheat
culture, present richness of soil and endurance
must enter as essential elements of success, and
1anity Of oo1F
an Ingredient not to be overlooked. The latter
quality, limestone region alone can possess, az
only limited knowledge or agricultural chemis-
II. clearly demonstrates. Viewing the subject of
wheat culture, then. in all its aspects, so far as
Kansas is concerned, an 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
of the & limestone belt.''
PToSpectiycly, from purely physical causes, this
great inland region must reach the position OF
one OF the richest agricultural portions of the
United States. Only a very few years ago-not
here was purely tentative
From absolutely no dew, eight years ago, this re-
zion is as favored in that particular any that
can be named. From lying outside of the train
belt" so termed, this region has had to be taken
n." The quantity of water in the streams has
augmented, springs have burst forth where none
existed befOre-in short, just the converse Of that
meteorological phenomenon has been evolved
here, under the march of civilization, which takes
n q heaYily-timbered country under the same
.ocial conditions.
The following statistics of the rainfall clearly
prove the accuracy of the foregoing statement:
The Fail Of Rain and Melted Sno1C, in inches, at
Forts Hays, LGTHed and Dodge, for the last fire !
gears, as Sh01UB by the Daily Meteorological |
IL. LII