Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-30
CLIMATIC CHANGES IN KANSAS.
What Cultivation of the Land will
do for an Arid Country.

O,ndhc Correspondence Of the Spring field
Republican.
shall not soon forget memorable day
and scene during my stay in Nebraska
while in the company of President David
| B. Perry, Of Doane college, Crete, about
25 miles southwest of the State capital.
l 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 in 1872 very many
people were incredulous of the growth OF
this State. The mosphere was excess
sively dry, and 1t was doubtful whether
| corn or tame grass or fruit trees would
grow. The sod was tough and stubborn,
and shed the little rain that fell quickly.
We had interminable windstorms. 1t
would blow, blow, blow, day after day,
| till the din Was unbearable. l have seen
people fairly worn out with the incessant,
strenuous, WearisOme blasts that so
relentlessly kepta whirl and racket about
them. And there used to come, in sum-
mer, occasional hot blasts from the South
that would wilt our grain, especially our
corn. But there has come a most re-
maFkable change. The atmosphere is not
nearly so dry. Ladies have TO guard
within doors against mildew occasioned
by datnpness much as they do at the East.
We have much more rain, and it IS more
evenly distributed over the year thanit
used to be- we have fewer and fewer
wlndstorms, and the heated winds that
did such mischief do not trouble us at
all. See for yourself the crops we
raise. Look at that cOrnded. There
are 200 solid acres as fine as any in the
world. y lias
"Well, but what has induced SO
great a changer Are you sure it is per-
manent"
Il am sure it is permanent because
know what has caused it. Hundreds of
thousands of acres, year alter year were
plOwed up and the soil rendered porous.
You know we are the great soldier State.
lhere was vast army Of men at the
close OF the war who went home to find
their old places occupied and their oc-
cupation gone. They came out here.
They put in their homestead and timber
claims for government land and went
vigorously to work at farming. The peO-
pie at Beatrice have Grand Army reun-
ion next week land they count on 10000 Of
the boys being there. Such widespread
tillage OF wholly new land has prepared
the surface soil to receive and retain
moisture. The corn itself, by it's shade,
prevents rapid evaporation. So do our
countless groves. 'Arbor day is a great
! institution out here, as you can anywhere
ana everywhere See."
"And you think the moisture in the
earth increases the Tainfall"
"MOst certainly, The influence Of the
clouds and soil becomes reciprocal"
But what should affect the winds 80
remarkablyv
This same circumstance of more
moist atmosphere. The air is heavier,
less volatile. Besides, the groves are very
impOtta9t IN their influence in breaking
the force Of the wind. 1t cannot now
sweep across the State as if we were
sheet of water. The groves constantly
interrupt it and break its force"
sit seems almost incredible that so
radical a change should have occurred so
soon.o jf2 sai a ti 1927 r
''Yes;, / would, not believe 1t II had
not seen It and felt it. 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 dismayed at the corn to
be moved - % *N