The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-05-31
CORRESPONDENCE.
From the "Garden of the West"

PAULINE, SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan, !
May 81, 1888 &
To the Editor of the Banner,
Having closed my school in Missis-
sippi and come to Kansas for the sum
Iner, propose to give you a few notes
by the way, By the LIST of May the
trees of Mississippi are about in full leaf,
strawberries and dewberres are ripe,
and the gardens are beginning to yield
their fruits. There was a strip of very
backward country in Northern Arkan-
sas and Southern Missouri. AS we
crossed the Father of Waters at Mem
phis the sun was near the horizon, and
soon it disappeared in an Impenetrable
thicket. The last that could see Of my
surroundings that night led me to think
that by the time | got to Kansas | would
find leafess branches and chilly winds.
l was not disappointed in the latter, but
| found the trees about as green as they
were in Mississippi, though the leaves
were of course not as large. Here the
crops are being planted and most Of
them are now in the ground, but no
work has been done toward cultivation.
A little more rain would be desirable in
most localities, hear the people speak
of the drouth in summer and the hard
weather in winter as the most severe
drawbacks to the progress of Kansas.
They have become so accustomed to the
wind that they don't notice that, and
then they tell me it is nothing like as
bad as it was. This is beautiful ooun-
try. The prairie is enough undulating
to break the monotony, but some por-
lions are much rougher than l expected
to find. Some places are as stony as any
part of Bennington county. In the belts
of timber along the streams notice oak +,
elm, sycamore, maple, ash and hickory.
Cottonwood, maple, catalpa and Locust
are being set out in considerable mum
bers around the premises for shade and
protection from wind. In some locali-
ties stone fences arc common, but wire
and Usage orange hedge are the most
frequent. The latter is a luxuriant
growth, and the Legislature passed an
act requiring it to be cut down to five
feet, as when it was allowed to grow
high on both sides of a road the heat be
came at times mtolerahle to travellers.
Coal SCENE to be pretty general Some
is mined in this neighbOrhOod. Some
was taken from the well where we get
our supply of W ter, only few feet
from the surface. Considerable land is
just fenced to protect 1t from the stock,
and the native prairie grass is cut for
hay. Some of it is left on the ground
all winter. have helped to haul some
that was thus lift, and there is some in
the neighborhood still out.
Topeka is thriving city of 10000 in.
hnk and ,,la ~
interest. The capitol, which has been
number of years in building, is still far
from completion. IL will be fine
building when it is done.
| have seen more of the practical
working Of the electrical power than
had ever seen before.
The different departments of the Mu-
scum, from mineralogy up to the stuffed
skins of birds and animals, were of in
terest. | saw my first specimen of buf.
falo, and birds in endless variety. One
large department of agriculture con.
tanned a great variety Of farm produH-
tions and dried fruit.
Among the portraits of the Historical
Society | noticed two of John Brown
were quite prominent, and they exhibit
his clothes as relics. Among the curos.
tiles | noticed an old Mexican cart en-
tirely of wood and primitive enough for
the first century. 1t was obtained by
the Santa Fe Railroad Compan,. The
Rock Island railroad has new depot |
on the north of the Kansas river. To
peka is on both aides of the river. re.
main Yours truly,
c. +. BRECKENRIDGE.