The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-03-14
KANSAS! i||lll
Gd33Il!l18
The Great Limestone
Belt Of Kansas.
The Attractive Region Of
the West.
BY MAJOR H. 1NMAN.

The "Great Central Plains" arc a geograph
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-strctching green praircs 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 Fast, to be an improbable
desert, but it is now the acknowledged garden
of the Continent. This truly manificent coun-
try can claim the most luxurant soil of all the
'Great Wcst,'' and climate that approaches
perfection, at least. DR.. b. +. 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 he ''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-
lcious 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 i'll 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,
especially her peculiarly wonderful fertile
trail area, comprised in 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-
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 d-
rection, it ceases altogether, ard the country
presents another geological formation the soil
OF which is very sandy, and which, though at
present. from ti'lness Of its eryy Dii1sitirH.ss,
is capable of producing good crops in seasons
of abundant rainfall. lacks the inherent quail
ties OF Standardization. AMI must y'nNdiy Gcte-
yiovate. In this particular the Smoky Hill Val
ley is Immensely superior to the arenacious
lands of the region south, which is drained by
the Arkansas and tributary streams. II is well
known by every farmer that limc in some of
its combinations, constitutes the essential liz
gredient in all the more valuable grains and
grasses. Its presence in the soil is Consequent
ly to I've considered rs a condition of fertility.
1t also acts as constitutional a!neliorant Of
much power, and, when mixed with or under
lying tough or viscid clay, il renders them fri
able and consequently more susceptible to the
action OF atmospheric forces. Soil in which
there is due a(imiNturc of calcarcous matter,
is not so liable to ne injured or rendered plas-
tie by an excess of moisture while under crop.
The quality of the wheat raised i'm this great
rhinestone belt'' is conceded, in all markets,
to be the finest grade known. II produces the
familiar brands of so-caIled Southern Hour,
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
due ,dmxttre of cac;lrcouS matter, which
has tendency t" make the hull nf the grain
much thinner, and the farina itself in much
greater quantity, and in richer quality. than i'll
grain grown on the lands which exhibit a tie
ticiency of this earth. All our miilcrs will tcs-
tify to the peculiar loui-makin@ 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 cOnfrms-lhat this sO-called limestone
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 acertain pro-
portion. That the " limestone belt or "won-
derful wheat region OF Central Kansas as it
is sometimes called, has the amount Of slick
or silica--thc basis of sand-fiXed i'll the proper
proportion, is evident. from the fact that it re-
uuires peculiar conditions to ''lotlgc" 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 to
be overlooked. The latter quality Il limestone
region alone can possess, as 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, an inspection OF the Smoky
Hill Valley, and the arenaceOus region south,
coupled with a fair idea of what the culture of
wheat requires, the conclusion can lead only
| in one direction-to the infinitely superior adj
vantage of the " limestone belt"
Prospectively, ompurely physical causes,
this great inland region must reach the posi-
ton of one of the richest agricultural portions
| of the United States. Only a very few years
agd-not a Notwithstanding here was pure
| ~ tentative. From absolutely 10 dew, eight
| years ago, this region is as favored in that
particular as any that can be named. From
! lying outside of the train belt" so termed,
| this region has had to be "taken inn The
quantity of water in the streams has aug
! mentcd, springs have burst forth where none
| existed beforc-in short, just the converse OF
| that meteorological phenomenon has been
| evolved here, under the march of civilization,
which takes in heavilv-timbered country UNI
| der the same social conditions.
The following statistics of the rainfall clear
| ~ prove the accuracy Of the foregoing state
| ment:
The Fall of Rain and Melted Snow. in inches, at
Forts Hays, Iarned and Dodge, for the last five
| years, as shown by the Daily Meteorological
Records kept by the United States Government