Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-04-10
BARsER couHrYl
Ana Medicine LOdgs-Rssouress, Soil. Climate
ana Outlook.

Correspondence Of tho Agricultural west.l
Barber county, Kansas, Is at this time
attracting more attention from parties
hunting new homes in the west than
any other county in Kansas. and there
is every reason for this. The county is
by far the best confined stock and
farming district In the state, and the
splendid location, in q mild climate, its
healthfulness, its school facilities and
the generallgood character Of the popu-
lation make it desirable for every class
Of citizens who would find q permanent
home where land may be acquired on
most reasonable terms.
Barber county il one Of the southern
tier-Of counties bordering on the Indi-
an Territory, and Is q little west Of the
center Of the southern line Of the state.
II has an area Of 1884 square miles, Is
nearly square In shape; bounded north
by Kingman and Pratt, east by Harper,
south by the Territory, and west by Co
manehe, now being organized.
The surface OF the county is mostly
gently rolling prairie, though parts Of
1t are bluffy and broken. The county
Is by far the best watered in the state,
the streams coursing south Of east.
The bottoms are from q half mile to q
mile and n half in width, and scattering
groves Of timber are met With along
the banks Of the streams, and in many
instances considerable sized forests
may be seen. Cottonwood, elm, ash,
blackberry, walnut and cedar are the
common varieties or timber, though
any kind Of tree win grow that may be
planted.
The son q the county, where it can
be cultivated at all, win produce any
kind 81 grain, roots or vegetables that
can be grown anywhere. But a small
portion Of the county has yet been put
In cultivation, the settlers preferring TO
leave the prairie covered with nutritious
wild buffalo, blue stem and other grass
es that nature put there. Stock win
1--we on the grasses that nature put
there. Stock win live on the grasses
nine months Of the year; and 1t has
been only within the past three years
that cattle were fed during the entire
year, and. there are punches Of cattle
now In the county that have not been
fed even during the severe winter lust
past. Sorghum cane and miIlet grow
here almost without attention. and
thousands Of tons are being raised.
Timothy and blue grass, wherever
tried, have been raised successfully.
Most OF the Farming lands In the
county have been ,pre-empted; but
there are thousands Of acres vet vacant
that Il, properly handled for. grazing
and agriculture combined would mSks
the owners wealthy. This county IA ON
The Usage or Diminished Reserve strip.
and all the untaken lands are subject
to presumption at tl-25 per acre. But
when the lands have been taken and
proved up on. they can be purchased AT
reasonable prices. Farmi6e lapdeI i'm
proved and fenced, vary in price from
- 10 so per acre, for the beat; COM
oined grazing and farming lands, inn
proved, with good water, can be bouaht
Tor from s. 10 $40 per acre. and broken
grazing lands, with enough bottoms
and nats- for culttyatiDg small fields
can b secured for from 50 TO s. per
acre. u many instances q settler could
purchase proved-up place with theus-
andS Of scTes Of Trasing range adIoin-