The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-03-20
KANSAS !aII1
Ere |Il;|IIS
The Great Limestone
Belt of Kansas.
The Attractive Region of the
West,
BY Major Fl. lnman.
BY Major H. Inman.

The Great Central Plains" are geograph
| lcal feature OF the State of Kansas. Covered
with remarkably nutritious vegetation. TO,
centuries they were an immense pasturage fol
| countless herds of Buffalo, antelope and othe,
| 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, bnt it now the acknowledged garden
of the continent This truly magnificent coun.
try can claim the most luxuriaxt soil Of all the
"Great West" and climate that approaches
perfection, at least. DR.. 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 void 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. It is
already conceded that the United States is rap
1dly becoming the granary OF the world, par.
| an Empire in itself, is taking the lead in the
! culture OF this cereal, and in a 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.
1ral area, comprised If 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,
| les, agr4culturally.
It is q remarkable fact that nearly oil the
! lands of the 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 tullness Of its very primiti,eness
Is capable of producing good crops in seasons
Of abundant RAINFALL lacks the inherent quail
ties OF self fertilization, and must rapidly dete
r1orate. 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 tribAtary streams. 1t is well
known by every farmer that lime, in some of
its combinations, constitutes the essential in.
gredlent in all the more valuable grains and
grasses. Its presence in the soil is consequent
y 10 be considered as q condition of fertility
II also acts as a constitutional ameliorant, 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
actlon OF atmospheric forces. Soil in which
there is due admixture of calcareous matter.
IS not 50 liable to be injured or rendered plas
tlc by an excess of moisture while under crop
~ Mne quallty OF the wheat raised in this great
limestone belt" is conceded, in all markets.
to be the finest grade known. Itproduces the
familiar brands Of so.called Southern flour,
Tor which st. Louis is Justly celebrated. This
Is eas1ly accounted for, from the fact tina. 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 a de-.
ticiency OF this earth. All our millers viii tes.