Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-03-08
ThG Great Limestone
Belt Of Kansas.
The Attractive Region of
the West
BY MAJOR H. INMAN.

The "Great Central Plans' are 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
ruminating 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 but It is now the acknowledged garden
of the Continent. This truly manifcent coun-
try can claim the most luxuriant soil Of all the
"Great West,n and climate that approaches
perfection, at least. DR.. B. f. 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 world.n The whole country is traversed
by series of constant streams, sweet and
wholesome springs and springfield 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 a short time will
be acknowledged queen of all the States in the
production of this great staple. The State,
especially her peculiarly y-wonderful fertile cen
trail area, comprised in what is now known as
the "llmestone 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 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 di-
rection, 1t ceases altogether, ard the country
presents another geological formation, the soil
OF which is very sandy, and which, though at
present, from ftllness Of its Uery prinlitUe1eSS,
is capable OF producing good crops in seasons
OF abundant rainfall, lacks the inherent quail
ties of selffertilizatiOn and must rapidly dete-
TiOrdte. 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 1t is well
known by every farmer that lime, in some of
its combinations, constitutes the essential in
gredient in all the more valuable grains and
grasses Its presence in the soil is consequent
ly to be considered as a condition of fertility.
1t also acts as n constitutional ameliorant, 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 admixture OF calcareous matter,
is not so liable to be injured or rendered plas-
tic by an.exccss 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 produces the
familiar brands of so-caled 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
due admixture of calcareous matter, which
has fcf fnalrn fbn hull. In aft,
much thinner, and the farna itself In much
greater quantity, and in richer quality, than in
grain grown on the lands which exhibit "a de-
fciency OF this earth. All our millers will tes-
tify to the peculiar four-making properties of
our wheat, in this essential, surprising that
raised In other sections, and 1t is attributed
entirely to the fact-which the analysis of the
soil confirms-that this so-called Limestone
belt possesses all the requisites of the best
wheat land in the world. Sand, It is well
KNOWN is injurious when 1t enters too largely
into the composition of cultivated soils; in
other words, 1t is useless beyond a certain pro-
portion. That the " "lmestone belt" or ..'won-
dertul wheat region of Central Kansas" as 1t
is sometimes called, has the amount of silex
or silica-the basis of sand-1xed in the proper
proportion, is evident, from the fact that 1t re-
quires peculiar conditions to ''lodge''- the
grain in the field, even after the most terrific
showers Considering the question Of the rel
ative 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 a limestone
region alone can possess, as only a 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 fair idea of what the culture of
wheat requires, the conclusion can lead only
in one direction-to the infinitely superior ad-
vantage OF the limestone belt"
Prospectively, from purely physical causes,
this great inland region must reach the posi-
tion of one OF the richest agricultural portions
OF the United States. Only very few years
ago-not decade-husbandry here was pure
ly tentative. From absolutely no. dew, eight
years ago, this region is as favored in that
particular as any that can be named. From
lying outside of the 'rain helt,n SO termed,
this region has had to be "taken In" The
quantity Of water in the streams has aug
mented, 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 In heavily -timbered country un-
der the same social conditions.
The following statistics OF the rainfall clear
lY prove the accuracy Of the foregoing state
ment:
The Fall of Rain and Melted Snow in inches at
Forts Hays, Larned and Dodge, for the last five
years, as shown by the Daily Meteorological
Records kept by the United States Government
at the Posts named: