The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-04-01
4 vfrgtnisn Describes western Par
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John Beoty, Esq:
Nv Dear Sir,--At your request / give
YOU n synopsis Of my experience and oh
-efvutions after eight years residence in
Nebraska.
As to location, climate. and soil 1t Is In
the latitude OF southern New York, and in
the centre from north to south OF the great
grain, fruit, and grazing or dairy belt OF
the United States, a belt in which mixed
sIisbanJry, the surest and most prolific
source OF agricultural wealth in Americs,
has reached its highest development. The
climate is delightful. 1t is the equable
mean between the high cold North and the
tow-humid South. Mild in temperature,
its mean elevation Of 1900 feet above the
tides gives the tone and crispncss OF $
clear. rare atmosphere. Snow rarely lies
on the ground more than ten DAYS, and OK
eepting an occasional February or March
storm, the winter is bright, dry, and open,
making travel or out-of-door work plea
SAINT and profitable. The summer sea
cons Is IN inspiration. The days are
warm and breezy, and the nights deli
siously cool and restful. A radical
change has come over the climate in the
last decade. The dry seasons OF the early
day have given place to frequent electric
storms, with copious rainfall, and for half
. dozen years there has been no want OF
moisture for the perfection OF crops. The
soil OF Custer county is permanent for
tune. In the valleys and parks 1t Is black
0I,ipium from three TO twenty feet deep
and utterly inexhaustible; on the uplsnds
The dark vegetable mould is fifteen to thirty
inches deep, underlaid by the iocss or
kacustriac deposit, which Professor Aug
hey, the eminent geologist, says Is "identi-
al with the soil OF the Rhine and Nile
Valleys, and has n depth OF twenty TO two
hundred feet, forming the finest basis for
grains, fruits, vegetables, and grasses
known to the world Ii absorbs rain like
A sponge, retains moisture with great
tenacity, giving il slow back to vegeta-
ton in long seasons OF drought (by capillory
sttracticn), and affords the most perfect
drainage. This soil has wonderful ver-
satility OF production. Wheat, rye, oats.
barley, corn, broom-con, sorghum, mllct,
Hungarian, beans, peas, melons, all the
field and garden vegetables and fruits
known to the temperate, zones and grasses
In almost endless variety, flourish in this
toil. Farming is easy. Everything facili-
sates the calling and makes it genuine
Measure. There is no "hard pan" nor
any roots, stumps, stones, or foul grasses
20 encounter, as in the older States. The
~oil Is deep, dry. and mellow as an onion
bed--never too wet and never too dry for
cultivation. The seasons OF ploughing,
rIsnting, cultivation, and harvest are all
tong and friendly. The farmer breaks the
ura,rie with a single team; fall ploughs
nom August to late December; plants
from early March till early May; cultiyates
through May and June, and harvests Ia
July. His work is never driving or hur-
ricd. There are scores Of men here who
plough. plant, cultivate, harvest, and mar
ket one hundred acres OF grain in season
with the aid OF single team. A man and
team will cultivate one hundred acres in
Nebraska with less labor than the eastern
man devotes TO forty acres. The grass and
.tock-raising Of this country, though nc
thing new 10 western travellers, arc rele-
istion TO eastern men. Here are one hun
ired and fifty varieties Of native grasses
AL valuable for hay or grazing-to furnish
n splendid basis FOR stock-raising. The
buffalo and mesquite grasses so common
mere are the richest herds-grasses known
40 the world. They dry up in August,
and hold their nutrition all winter, making
perpetual pasturage for horses, cattle, and
sheep. Excepting the cultivated lands,
custer county il continuous field Of grass
from the water lines to the crown OF the
highest hills. 1t comes very near to being
q herdsman's paradise. They Craze here
she year round, the high lands affording
cool, breezy range in hot weather, and the
Rulches, canons, and valleys aflordins
range and perfect shelter in winter. No
legitimate business in the world approaches
,tock-raising in this country for money
making. With practical men net annual
croft of 80 to 80 per cent. may be realized.
Five hundred dollars invested in young
=. aftle or stock sheep viii grow into life
cp,petency for any man who will stick
eiosSly TO his investment for seven or eight
years. t'rhe range is free; God plants and
!enews Abe grasses; the rude shelter and
NIUE naysover all contingencies. The face
OF the country is beautiful, made up Of
vsiieys, tables, parks, and undulating
miles wide, c.snnot be exhausted by CEN
hiry o. CONSTANT cultivation, and are every
whit as ian. jas the Valley OF Virginia or
tne sciots bottoms Of Ohio. The tables
are rom Three TO ten miles in extent, are
~ ievei rs ~ plain, and make a splendid
sasis ,or model grain farms. The parks
we NJ the hegd Of the smaller streams. are
shree 70 hit<sen square miles in extent,
nearly surrounded by low hills. are COM
pose0 Of itch alluvium or drift, resemble
Ahe fed Colorado parks, and are as fair
~ l,ae tabled Eden. This whole region Is
.6hrivalled Tor the charm Of its ever-ysry-
Ing landscape, aud il might appropriately
he called the paradise OF inyalids. No re-
gion OF the continent can show lower
rate Of mortality. II ~ anti-bilious, anti
dyspeptic, and anti-consumptive. The
rich glamour Of the western sun |
hangs over these bills and valleys three |
l hundred and twenty days Of the year. The !
atmosphere is dry and stimulating. There |!
arc no swomps, marshes, or lagoons to |
breed malaria. Damps and fogs, slush and |
mud, ftful freezing and thawing are un-
known. Respiration has the ease and free
dom OF hcalthfnl sleep. The vital organs
have full play in the freshness and freedom
al an atmosphere that Is never tainted with
breath Of poison. Incipient consump-
zion, asthmatic affections, dyspepsia, and
general debility, with long catalogue OF
minor Ills, yield readily TO the high tone Of
the perfect climate. With the steady stream
oil Immigration now pouring into the coun-
Try, there Is Is an open, Inviting field for
merchants, mechanics, professional men.
sfock-YaIsers, farmers, and everybody. The
country IL large and rich enough 10 sup
porf population OF many thousands.
There are mills, bridges, stores, shops,
churches, and homes, for poor mechanics [
20 build and merchants TO furnish. There .
ere schools 10 teach, hocks 10 tend, lands to | !
cultivate, and something for every one to
DO. What . splendid opening Il this for | |
me thofls&nds OF Iand-renters In the old ! !
states-for tue mechanics and laborers Of 6