Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-12-07
The Buffalo Grass Must Go.

The Buffalo Grass Must Go.
Editors western Kansas World:
I saw communication from Farmer
in your last issue in regard to bonding
Trego county for the purpose of purchas-
ing steam plows, j. e., turning over the
buffalo grass. want to say, with an ex-
clamation of JOY, Halleluah! am not q
bond man on general principles fought
the court house bonds, and still think I
was doing that which was the best for the
county. Nine out of ten must admit, if
honest, that that was a premature act,
the same that some of US who have been
here for twelve years must now acknow-
ledge that we were too fast by that
many years for agricultural purposes.
The WESTERN KANSAS WORLD has advo-
Gated since its birth in this county that
straight farming could not be made a
success, and I BOW ask, where is the man
in this county or western Kansas but
must admit that it told the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the
truth? 1t did advocate mixed farming,
or combination of farming and stock
raising; but under this system how many
farmers have kept from mortgaging their
homesteads? I am sorry to say, but a
few.
With these facts before US (for I think
there are few who will doubt what say
what must we do to make an advance? A
great many have been trying to sell out,
and more have been seriously thinking of
following suit. Since the writer came to
this country, twelve years ago, various
ideas and theories have been advanced
by scientific men just how and when this
country could be made all that is desired
by following this or that mode, according
as it seemed to fancy their hobby. These
modes and hobbies are all exploded like
SO many soap bubbles, and we occupy
about the same position we did twelve
years ago. While a good many of US
settled along the q. P. railroad, thinking
thereby to have it's advantages as COM
mon carrier to supply our wants; yet in
the main it has been big obstacle in our
path to success. Take on either side Of
its twenty mile limit, and our brother
farmer is meeting with fair success in
agricultural pursuits; so much SO that We
to-day look to them for our supply Of
wheat, oats, corn, etc. And let me ask
why is this? From the simple fact that
there is a homesteader on almost every
quarter section of land and from forty to
one hundred acres under cultivation on
every quarter section, and blue stem
growing in abundance.
Buffalo grass is acknowledged by every
one to be the finest summer and winter
feed there is for stock. Yet we must
also acknowledge that it is the worst
enemy we have to contend with if we wish
to follow agricultural pursuits. Hence I
advocate the purchasing Of steam plows
by the county and destroy the buffalo
grass by the wholesale. Another great
detriment to this county is the large
herds of stock. Some one may sly I
have no stock, hence I want to drive the
cattle men out OF the country; but not SO.
Stock has been the chief object of my
enterprise in western Kansas. Why I
advocate killing out buffalo grass and
destroying the stock interests is this:
Treso county as q whole is neither a
stock or farming county, and am willing
for one to 60 west with my small bunch
of stock, or confine myself to limited
number and better grade, and give
over to the agriculturalist, for he it is
who I believe should have pre-eminence
to this beautiful prairie. The lay of the
land, the soil, the climate, in fact every
thing except rainfall, make this county a
paradise for him in the future, if break
ing up the land will produce the neces-
sary moisture.
In conclusion I want to say to Mr..
Farmer: You have fred one good shot;
keep right on; bend them in thick and
fast, and if necessary double your force
on the advance guard. I shall let out
some Hankers and promise to bring up
the rear in good shape.
Collyer, Nov. 26. 49, FARMER NO2
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