Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-24
Climatic Changes I'm Kansas.
WHAT CULTIVATION OF THE LAND WILL DC
FOR AN ARID COUNTRY

FOR AN ARID COUNTRY.
Omaha Correspondence Of the Springfield Republican
shall not soon forget a memorable day and
scene during my stay in Nebraska while in the
company of President David B. Perry OF Doane
college, Crete, about % miles southwest o. the
state capital. . 9 / will give in his own
words his account Of the changes that have
come over the state in the matter of rainfall
and weather:
when came here I'm / S72 very many peo-
Pie were incredulous ui the growth OF this state.
The atmoS phere was excessively dry and il was
doubtful whether corn or tame grass or iruit-
trees would grow The sod was tough and stub
born, and shed the little rain that fell quickly.
We had intermiEabe wind storms. II would
blow. blow blow, day after day till the din was
unaearahle- have seen people iairiy Worn out
with The iucesSant, strenuous, weariSofne blasts
that SO reientlessly kept whirl and racket
ABOUT them. And there used TO come, in SUM-
Iner, occasional hot blast from the south that
would wilt our grain, especially our corn. But
atmosphere \ not nearly 80 dry. Ladies have
Ia guard within doors. against mildew occa-
sfoneG by dampneSs much as they do at the
est 2" nave much more rain, and IL Is more
even!y distributed over the year than il used TO
be- We nave :ewer and fewer wind storms, and
tie heated winds that did such mischief do not
trouble us at ali See for yourself the crops we
raise. Look M that corn-iie!d. There are 200
solid acres a. f1ne as any N tue world.
We'll. but what has induced great a
change? Are you sure II Is permanent?
Il am sure il Is permanent becadse know
IL. I
acres, year after year. were plowed up ana the
soil rendered porous. You know we are the
great soldier state. There vast army OF
men at tine Close of the war, vino went home To
md their old places occupied and their occupa-
tiOn gone. They caInc out here. They put in
their homestead and timber claims for govern
ruent land ana wGDt vigorously To work at
farming. Tine people at Beatrice have a Grand
Array reunion next week and they count OF,
$4,000 OF the boys bein. there. such wide
spread tiIiage OIL wholly new land has prepared
the surface soil to receive and retain moisture
The corn itself, by its shade. prevents rapid
evaporation 20 do our countless groves Ar
Dor day Is a great institution out mere, as you
can anywhere and everywhere see"
"And You think the moisture in the earth in
creases the Tstiniali:'
Most certainly. The influence of the clouds
and soil becomes reciprocal"
BOT what should affect the winds remark
ably"
This same circumstance OF a more moist at
mosphere- The air IS heavier, less volatile
Eesides the groves are very important in their
influence in breaking the force OF the wind. IL
cannot now sweep across the state as If We were
q sheet Of water. The groves constantly inter.
rupt 10 and break its force"
1T seems almost Incredible that so radical n
change should have occurred so soon1
"(eS. i would not believe IL IL I had not
seen IL and felt II. You can Judge for yourself
whether we are troubled 20 raise crops We
have had five successive years Of them Last
year the railroads themselves were disnayei
at the corn to be moved