The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1879-01-09

STATE UNIVERSITY.
stock-growing. and climate, lending to
the country intrinsic value, five times
greater than the market value of lands
equaling the area they cover. A small
per cent. of the State is covered with
out-cropping rock principally magne-
sian Iimestone), and il is questionable if
it were wisdom to have these tracts
substituted even by the richest soil. for
they are of incalculable value to the
new settler. Barring these two items
there is really no waste land in Kansas.
The whole country is covered with rich
wild grasses. from the lowest to the
highest HILL This beautiful State is 400
miles long from east to west, and 200
miles wide from north TO south.
Only five States have a larger area
than Kansas. Kansas has more square
miles than Ohio, Indiana. Delaware and
Connecticut combined. England and
Scotland together contain only s.2s2
square miles more than Kansas. Kan
sas is an empire; a giant in its cradle.
No country in the world can excel
Kansas in varied charms of pastoral
scenery. Ii is a beautiful bewildering
picture from end to end. The summer
visitor is under spell from the ano-
ment he treads the soil of Kansas. Sew
ard, Edward Everett Hale. Washington
Irving, Agassiz, Major Winthrop, Gree
lev, Richardson. and thousands of Others
whose finer sense has been touched
with resi- visions of this lovely land. have
paid glowing tributes to lis unrivalled
native splcndors. There is no sign of
monotony here as on the dead fiat plains
or low lands of some Of the older States.
but everywhere the FRESHNESS of infinite
variety. Even the valleys and bottoms
dip easily and gracefully down to the
rapid water course. The streams are
fringed with groves of oak, linden, cot
tonwood, elm. ash and walnut. and may
be traced for scores Of miles by the
green groves that outline them. Sharp,
bold headlines. bluff and promontories
often mark one side of the meandcrin@
streams, while upon the opposite shore
are broad. beautiful bottoms and charm
ing plateaux, with graceful rolling prai-
RE reaching away TO the horizon like
the dead swells Of heavy sea.
There is no tamencss. no biackness. no
loneliness, in these ever changing land
scapes. The grassy, swelling upland.
the unspeakable peace and calm of ihe
valleys. the rugged picturesque bnfl
ranges. deep, weird, shadowy canons
and the graceful shade of the native
groves, the ancient water lines. Traced by
succeeding terraces along the river
bluff, the elevated plain or mia. make
up a picture of rural loveiincss that can
never have adequate poriraitnrc.
The reader viii DC Interested To know
something of the soil that has given 10
this new State IA world wide celebrity
for the beauty of its grain fields. The
splendid crops Of the last three years
are, themselves. a sufficient attest to the
off-rcpcaied declaration of visitors con-
corning IFS richness. In nearly every
portion of the State The soil is a dark al
luvium, varying in depth from one To
six feet. In many Of the river bottoms
of Eastern and Middle Kansas the drift
of the river bottoms is from eight ia iii
teen feet deep. and almost coal black.
Ascending the rivers one to two hum
dred miles II is less colored. bu. always
rich, and from four To ten fee; in depth.
The same is true of the valleys and boi-
toms along the smaller streams in all
parts of the State. This dark valley soil
is the deposit, or drift of ages. and
practically incXhaustblc. II viii grow
fifty. sixty. seventy and ninety Bushels
of corn tor other crops of corresponding
magniiudc) per acre, for a hundred sue
cessive years. with no sign of weakness
or dnunition. On the second bottoms
or plaieaux. il takes perccpiible lighter
hue. but il rich. deep and scarcely lcs.
valuable than lower down. On The
higher prairies it is dark. rich. vcge-
table mould. from one to three feet deep.
and very productive. inportions OF the
State il rests upon limestone basis. and
in other parts rich clay sub-soil inter-
vcnes between the black mould and the
bedrock. On the mounds and bluffs il
is sometimes light and thin, with ont
cropping rocks. and cannot be cultiva;
ed. Its depth and porous nature tacili
tate the absorption of moisture. and j,
will admit OF more rain without damage
10 crops than any sod have ever known.
For The same reason, 100. IL retains
moisture with a wonderful tenacity.
giving il slowly bark Ia the atmosphere
ami vegetation by capillary attraction
in seasons Of drouih. Fifteen per cent.
of the whole State Is covered with bot
toms and valleys. rich as the famous
Mohawk. Gcncsscc or Connecticut val
leys. and Ia this more genial climate.
vastly more productive. Seventy-tive
per cent. Of the up-iands are rolling
prairics. have a rich, enduring soil, and
are smooth enough for successful cuiii-
walton. leaving say fifteen per cent. of
rough, broken and rocky land for per-
petual pasturage. Probably no country
in the world posscssess richer or more
beautiful soil than Kansas.
The climate of Kansas is the chief al
traction. II lies south of the l0lh par
allel. with New England. New York.
nearly all Of New jersey and Pennsyl-
wanna. the north half OF Indiana. Ohio.
Illinois. all of Wisconsin. Iowa, Mime
sofa and Ncbr;ske l,ine 10 the north of