The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-03-02
HORTIcULrURAL ASSOCIATION.
Proceedings of the Meeting Held at the
Ohice OF President MIlIiken On ~
.,.E4 .ars-ss Saturday. a .,I ia

OuGo Oh EEcn1SlonS On
asz f. 4a7sEH Saturday. ss sGI ia
slss --++-- l. O.. @ 20.
Able and Interesting Address by DIR.
COrdIey, Plans for Classifying the
Botany of Lyon County, Etc. r
Pursuant to announcement the Lyon
County Horticultural Association met
at the office of President Milliken on
last Saturday afternoon. ut 2 O'Clock!
- James II. Dole was appointed secre-
tary pro tenn. -.s5 - i.... -
Rev. DR.. Cerdley being present, deliv-
cred the following instructive and en-
tertaining address. -t... ..+.
Every one must have been struck with
the natural beauty of our prairies. To a
careless observer they may seem monot-
onous, but au appreciative study will
reveal an en,lless variety. The scenery
is not as bold, nor the changes as abrupt
as among mountains or on the seaShore,
but there is more delicate shading and
a more subtle beauty that gains on you
as you study it. With plains. undula-
tons and swells, bluffs and wooded
streams, clad in hues that change with
every turn and with every changing
light, 1t certainly betokeDs very gross
observer to pronounce our prairies mo-
nOtonous. Then there are special
variations that call for special admira-
ton. There are thinly wooded slopes
which present all the finish of a noble
mans park there are shady hooks on
sunny hillsides whose picturesque beau
ty no landscape gardener could surpass;
there are broad views of varied land
scape and changing hues which equal IN
beauty, if not in extent, anything the
mountains can show.
This is the testimony of all writers
and Sll travellers who roamed our prai-
riet in their native condition, and all
who look upon them where the work of
man has not changed them. ~
It is said that manIhas native love of
beauty in his soul. II this be so, he has
failed thus far to impress it on our state,
AS far as appearance is concerned it
must be confessed that the work of man
is blemish. There are exceptions, and
these are growing more numerous year
by year. But as a rule the works of man
among US are not ornamental however
usefal they may be. In looking over
our prairies the only blemish one sees is
what man has done.
There is nothing more desolatc than
many of our Kansas homes. l call them
dS We CdIl
tians, Gin the Judgment of charIty.'' A
wonderful charity it is in both cases.
Imagine-Or you need not imagine--yOu
can go and see it: a gaunt, frame
house thrown together in the
most ungainly, loose jointed way,
this ungainly structure set out on the
bare prairie, without a tree to shelter ii,
without flower or shrub to adorn it,
without even what they might have had
by Just letting it alone, without TUT of
grass to relieve it. How people can
live in such place, and not become
thoroughly imbecile through the monOt-
ony of their lives, is a mystery. 1t is not
strange their sons run away as soon as
they are old enough and come to town,
or are off to Colorado, or even to Texas.
1t is not strange if such man should
violate the temperance law and try and
get up some variety in his life, if it be
only a variety of snakes. ... ..
1t would not require much TO trans
form home like that. Without dol
lars more expense, little
thought would have put that
same lumber into taste
full shape; little labor each spring, and
little care through the year would
have planted clumps of trees here and
there and made it q charming retreat; a
little thoughtfulness would have saved
the grass except on certain defined roads
and walks; little attention from the
ladies would have covered the house
with vines, and relieved the yard with
few flower beds, or at least a few
hardy scrubs. Even few vines running
up on a house are wonderful relief.
Any one can have them. If permanent
vines are too much trouble, let them
al ExaFn
ing glories would be a real glory about
some OF our country houses. | have in
mind very ordinary, implanted house
that was made perfect picture by the
training of a few morning glory vines.
But the great lack of this country is
trees. Scatter clumps of trees over
! these prairies, and no landscape on earth
can surpass them. No matter what a
mans house may be, however poor or
rough, if he can enclose it with grove
of trees it becomes q charming spot
People will stop and look at it as they
pass. 1t is such wonderful relief to
the eye, tired of gazing over this i'm
mense expanse, to rest on quiet grove
of. trees. If every farmhouse were thus
EMPOWERED, a drive over the country
would be a continual delight, the broad
prairie view relieved ever and anon by
shady groves. How charming a farm
| would be with little clumps of trees
here and there over its sur.
facet There are many waste cor,
ners on farm that cannot well be cult
waited. There are springy spots under
bluffs, hillsideS and ravineS that might
be planted to trees and become the Most
valuable land on the place, besides
adding to its charm and beauty. In
some of these places trees would grow
without much If any cultivation; they
would only need protection for a few
years from cattle. After that they would
be the best shelter for stock the farm
could afford. -s s,
| OF course it costs something to plant
trees, and il requires some labor to take
care of them. But the cest and care of q
hill of corn would raise q tree. The
| labor ofraising an acre of corl for ten
years would produce an acre of fine
trees which would begin to
return a profit. Ten acres
/ of trees at that age would almost supply
a farm with wood. A grove we'll cult.
ated for ten years, that is, cultivated as
well as corn would require % be, would
| be the most profitable piece on the whole
farm for all time after that, and would
Increase the value of the place vastly
more than ali the OUTLAWS and vastly
Il
The great hindTance to tree planting
is not the cost of labor. but the slowness
1 of the returns If trees, like castor
beans, produced q crop the first year, ouI
prairies would be covered with forests
But because men must wait for their pay
they will not work in this line If .
/ man could plant acorns IN April and Gu
/ fence posts in October, the market would
not be able to fill the demand fol
acOrns, and We should never heal
again the complaint that THU
soil Is not adapted to trees. Ye
the profit is not as slow in coming
i The beauty and the comfort We have q
i once and actual value is not so long de
layed. Trees which I planted in Law
i renee in 1864 are now large enough 70
saw timber. One of them Is more thar
9 foot and a half through. These ar,
Cottonwood and poplar. But there i
| walnut over ten inches in diameter
which has borne nuts for ten years
honey locust that could be split mp Yer,
finely into fence posts. Naples are a
least Is inches in diameter. know
farm in DOuglas county on the higi
prairie, where many acres were planteS
| to trees of all kinds and now it is . per
feet forest and would furnish wood ant
timber in large quantities
But what can we do? In the city W
can do little If the cows ARE TO control tn
town. 1.-THE cows as they threaten, an
to elect our mayor and common council
and control the public affairs O
The city, we can simply have
q great cattle ranch on Ol
! t0zn site. But il the cows can b
limited somewhat in their demand, Their
ought TO be general spirit Of public
. improvement IN our city. We havl
everything else - handsome bushes
houses, spiendid hotels end opeFa hons
e., ceMmodious school houses, 6nl
. churches and elegant residences. Bn
J J our outdoor Improvement is at the Low