The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-05-24
4 LYON COUNTY SHEEP
FARM
with &C. 900 Fruit Trees on It.
What Four Years Work win do on Up
land Prairie.

land Prairie.
Monday was a salubrious day, and
about 8 a. m. a spring wagon with four
might have been seen surg
ing its uneven way across that execra-
BILE Cottonwood bottom, the road there
being in a condition that would dis
grace county two years old. The
occupants of the wagon used no euss
words, though they all agreed that
macadam was just what the road
needs, and any amount of it. We
want to say just here that THE NEWS
is going to hammer away on this SUBJ
ject until there is road from Soden's
bridge to the other side of Dry creek.
There is no use in letting it alone.
The thing to do Is to make solid road
there, and begin this season.
Geo. Suddock's brick residence, near
Dry creek, is being rebuilt, and makes
a large, fine looking house. Humph-
rey Roberts, west of Mr.. Suddock, has
a very comfortable house and well
improved farm. Passing the Welsh
church and Dry creek, and taking the
southwest road over the upland, we
found John Humphrey shingling the
roof of his house, the upper story of
which he has rebuilt. His other de-
molished house lies in the gloomy
granduer of its ruins, and if anybody
don't think it hailed look at his trees
will convince the most skeptical.
There Is very wide range of pastur-
age the moment the upland south of
Cottonwood is reached, and millions
OF tons of grass going to waste every
year within plain sight of EmpOria.
Continuing over the upland near the
singular looking mound between Dry
and Phenis creeks, we reached DIR.
Chittenden's $50 acre dairy farm, on
the latter creek. The Doctor was up
at bis new place at Cedar Point, Chase
county, to which place he intends to
remove this season. The upper end of
the Phenis creek valley presents a
very extensive scope of fertile land.
About four and half miles south
west of the Chittenden place, past high
upland covered with rich grass, and
fitted to raise good crops, except in the
numerous but not extensive spots
where the Milestone comes too near
the surface to admit of blowing, lies
on gently undulating slopes between
higher ridges, the 1880 acre farm of
VIM. Graffenstein.
Through the lowest points of slopes
and undulations, meanders what is
there creek to small to furnish bot
tom land, but which is one of the
streams constituting the beginning of
the Verdigris river. 1t is large enough,
however, to furnish good growth OF
trees at the foot of decided slope, up
the surface of which winds a carriage
road between long rows of fruit trees.
Near the summit of this slope stands
Mr.. Graffenstein's residence, so located
as to secure perfect drainage of cellar
and ground around it, and command
ing a beautiful view of his hundI eds OF
titled acres on the lower slopes upon
the other side OF the little stream, and
of a vast scope of country beyond.
Above the house is the garden, and or
chard, winery, &c. To the left, all on
sloping ground, to insure ready drain
age, are his other buildings. First is
his stone ice house, containing 40
tons of six inch ice, which he is now
selling to Mr.. Fithian at 80 per ton,
the latter taking 1t away in wagons
To the left of this and ranging up to
the summit of the slope are immense
stone barns, yards, and sheds, tor
sheep, and below them his stone horse
barn, with stalls for 16 horses, and a
NOW for 20 tons of hay. His stone
sheep barn is % feet wide by 165 feet
long, and is built in an L shape TO the
north and west, and its NOW holds 10
tons of hay. Its roof and the horse
barn roof are of corrugated iron, which
Mr.. Graffenstein regards the best kline
of lightning rod as well as rain proof
Connected with the barn are 500 fee
of solid, high, stone wall, open only t.
the southeast, and close to that open
ing is a space 90 by 2l0 feet, surround
cd by similar high stone wall, with
stone pillars to support roofing. TIL,
roofing so far used on the inside of tn,
shelter walls is of hay, but will event
ually be boards or iron. There is am
pie shelter for 10000, if the flock eve
increases to that number. The grount
all drains itself, and no water stand
anywhere.
The sheep eat their hay from racks,
drink from trOHghs supplied by a vel
from which water runs by natura
gravity to all parts of the buildings
The sheep are not washed, or permit
ted to get victim any way if possible +
avoid it. They are not Sheltered" il
roohess and in winter leafiess timber
nor do they drink ice water from tn
creek, or stand and lay down in tn
mud and mire. Mr.. Graffenstein wa
brought up in Saxony to his father
occupation of shepherd, and SaxonN
woel Is famous for its fine texture. H
kept sheep in Ohio, In di ana and Hin
OILS. before coming to Kansas, and take
no stock in the labor saving method
of timber shelter, creek water, an
tramp under foot feeding. In tn
winter he feeds one ear of corn per da
to each sheep. At present his ], 40
sheep and 500 spring lambs are croI
ping the luxuriant prairie grass dul
ing the day, and are brought into Il
yards at night, or on the approach {
any severe storm. Two boys on horse
back keep them in separate flock
Some $50 more lambs are expecte
this and next month. Mr.. Graffen
stein has settled on grade meri
nos as best adapted to our soil an
climate, and thinks there is no diseai
. sheep are liable to here that cannot |
easily cured. He had just finishs
shearing Tuesday morning-the yiel
} being1about the same as last year, fl
: pounds per head, and aggregating nil
? to ten thousand pounds, which W,
/, safely stored in bundles In the cap
cious barn NOW. Shearing costs Il,
cents per head.
Ill In the vvav of emma Mr. CraAsat