The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1882-02-23
PRAIRIE FIRES.

Our attention has been called To this
subject by an article published in the
JOURNAL Of February 8, written BY
Wakeen Miller for the New York In
dependent. in which he undertakes tO
tell what he knows about the Pre-
vention Of Forest Fires" Hesays the
Indians burned out their forests and
burned Off their prAiries every year as
regr(eriy rs the farmer plows his field,
and that as long as the Indian held
possession Of the plains the Colorado
beetle and the grasshopper. as pests,
were never heard of. He goes on to
say that these annual fires kept down
the pestiferous insects, reptiles and
malaria, which would prevail without
these destructive fires, etc.
Now, with the logic of this article,
We take decided issue. believing that
the practice Of 1t causes immense dam.
age to all prairie countries. This re-
gion of country now known as the
State Of Kansas was once known as q
part Of the Great American Desert ;
aud tcds q desert as to agricultural
facilities, made and kept 80 by the
devastating fires of the Indian man.
agement, and il Is sad to see white men
pursuing this same unwise course; for
we think it can be shown that this
burning off Of the vegetation of the
soil is the main cause of the drouths
to which we are here subject Why il
wooded country less subject to drOuth
than q prairie country? Because the
soil is shaded and the leaves from the
trees keep il moist and cool. Why are
rains more frequent now in the settled
portions of our State? Because the
prairie fires are stopped and the cult.
walton of the soil fits IL to retain
moisture. Why is it that we get more
abundant rain here In the first part of
the growing season? Because there Is
more moisture In the vegetation COW
erins the ground at that time of the
year The most rain i'm the older States
does not fall ut that time. What is the
philosophy of mulching practiced by
farmers for trees and crops? To keep
the soil moist and cool.
Now, what does all this show? We
think il il plain that IL these prairie
fires could be stopped there would soon
q vegetable mold and GOV.
ering of the soil all over this country,
which would result in timely and
rains, and thus make this
one of the most productive and desira-
BILE climates I'm the world.
II Is well known that q moist soil
brings moisture from the clouds. In
the summer here clouds Of showers
will be seen approaching, and the rain
reach down towards the earth and
then pass over. The dry, hot air near
the earth, caused by the hot breath Of
a bare country, absOrbs the rain before
II can reach the earth.
There are other arguments against
these prairie fires which II IL well 10
notice. First, the terrible deaths they
cause; the loss of valuable stock, farm
machinery. fences and
gathered crops. And. again, the great
loss in the destruction Of the vegetable
mold of the soil. This II beyond CAL
culatiOn. The accumulation of years
can he swept away In day in this dry
climate. Our soil Is rich In the min
eral elements of all farm products, but
the vegetable elements will soon be
by the large shipment of
our farm products from the State.
Iowa and Minnesota, as
prairie states, have already found this
rue to their cost.
The argument of Mr.. Miller. that
hese prairie fires purify the wood
ands, and destroy the ifOxious insects
IF the country, Is q good deal like q
nan putting burning straw about his
'ruit trees to remove the dead limbs,
,r fire I'm his barn to destroy the rats
md mice. 1t il of but little cOnse.
,uence To the white man whether the
insects and reptiles I'm a
country are destroyed or not, IL by
blowing the barbarous practices of
he red man that country Is rendered
Let US hope that the intelligence of
'ur people and the laws of our State
will soon put q stop to these destruct-
We fires Then will our hills and
,lains be covered with the finer and
more nutritious grasses the streams
will become more permanent, water
prings and forest trees will spring up
where now prevail drouthy barrenness.
This subject, Of the philosophy of
aims and drouths. can not be properly
discussed within the limits of q short |
newspaper article. We hope this will
ttract the attention of some one much |
n ore able to handle this important
I, hief.t l.