Smyrna times., 1889-02-13
For The Smyrlsu Times.
Letter from Kansas.

For The Snlyr,a Times
Letter from Kansas.
Dedr Times AT this season of the
year there is little to write about but
the weather, and your region and oul
/ own seem to be equally favored iusl
now, II can judge from information
cleaned from the weekly and welcome
visits of the TIMES. The lowest tenn
perature marked by my thermometer
thus far has been 16', and the sun
shines with May like brillancy almost
every day. A cloudy day is a variety
| with US, and yet this winter our agri-
culturists have been gladdened with
some snow fall, rendering possible
sIeighing for a day or two, ian unusual
occurrence by the way,) and sufficient
ram to give us on our stOneless prairie
soil muddy roads for week or so.
There IS JOY over this precipitation of
moisture, for it is an undeniable fact
that this is still dry area, although
much better than the region from the
centre to the western boundary of the
State; and showing, also S decided and
! increasing gain in rainfall over pre-
! Vlous years. This is attributed to and
IS doubtless largely owing to the con
tinuous and careful planting of trees
over the country. With the breaking
OF the virgin soil and spread of forests
however, have come not only climatic
changes, but forms of insect life of
hitherto unknown character. which
are quite a detriment to profit and
physical comfort-e. G.: grasshoppers
which have passed away, chiqoas.
Tor ji2gers) aud the chinch bug: such
foe to the wheat crop. These have
all made their appearance as accompa-
nlsts OF cultivation and civilization
and the latter at least. has introduced
TO the wheat grower problem difficult
OF solution. Indeed, in this immediate
section, wheat raising has been aband-
oned as an impOssibility on account of
these pests. However, this is largely
local, and the acreage of wheat sOwn
throughout the State as compared with
last year is l44 per cent.
This snow and rain thoroughly sat-
urating the soil and bringing death to
the chinch bugs, is cheering the hearts
Of the farmers. We have weather
prophets too, both great and small,
local and general, and as all the latter
include US (Our section) in the region
that Is to be blessed with abundance of
rams IN the coming year, and as the
various local prOgnOsticatOTs each in
cludes his ewn section in the blessed
area, even if denied such location bv
the greater and general prophets,-
every body is happy over the prospect.
The winter is near two-thirds gone
and no ice yet, and but poor prospect
of any. l had been surprised at the
quality and thickness Of ice obtained
here at all in view Of the mild climate,
until J remember an altitude of 1880
feet above the sea level. This with
the consequent decrease in atmospheric
pressure causes water to freeze at
much higher temperature than at coast
levels; and this difference is annoy
ingly made manifest to the cook who
IS ignorant IN such matters, by the
tardy boiling of her potatoes and beans;
the water flying off in steam before the
necessary heat is attained TO cook the
food. The temperature OF boiling water
here is believe but 2089. Among the
cUriOs | saw on a farmers mantel some
time since was large mass Of Vitrious
substance, evidently impure and dark
colOred glass. In answer to my Ques-
ton regarding its source, he told me it
was from among the ashes of a burned
hay stack. He then told me that al
most all the uncultivated parts of the
| farms in this section were mOwn for
hay,-possibly on almost every acre,
and the virgin native prairie grass
stacked in the field for winter use {;
that fires were frequent, and that such
Vitrltied masses were always to be
found. A moments thought solved
the question as to its origin, and gave
new light as to the character of the
soil. The soil is so alkaline, as are all the
waters both surface and subterreneau
that the flying sand and dust deposit
ing on the surface of the growing grass
and plants, furnish the necessary con-
sttuents for glass-silica and alkali,
and the added fire manufactures the
crude glass at once.
Speaking of water brings up the
matter of irrigation to which attention
is now being called by the bill before
Congress asking aid. The South Wes-
tern, and indeed west central part of
this State, suffer generally from a de-
ficiency Of rainlBll, it being and retain
ing the characteristics of the Great
Ameaican Desert. While occasional
fine crops are raised, still the natural
supply from the clouds cannot be de-
pended upon. In some cases irrigation
has been Tesorted to; the Arkansas,
Republican, Smoky and CimarrOn
rivers which flow through this region
have been drawn upon, and with the
best results the desert has blOssOmed
as the rose" In the case of the Ar
kansas the demand has been so heavy,
that at Wichita near the southern bor-
der of the State, the river is almost
robbed of its water, so that a person
can readily cross the stream in a de-
viOus course without wetting his feet;
and it is said that the catfish in the
river down there have to stand on
their heads to find water enough for a
drink. If "a thorough system of irriga-
ton can be carried out, all this region
will be brought under cultivation, and
this with the growth of the planted
trees will in generation at farthest
obviate the necessity of further artif-
cial aid for it is a proven fact that
every growing tree leaves its mark on
the pluvial clouds.
As it is now, very large part of the
State is necessarily given up to grazing
and cattle raising. Have you seen
the new word (which ace can't find in
Webster's Unabridged) de-horniRgn?
No? Well then that is because you
are a "tenderfOOt" and don't under
stand cowboys Lingo"
The word is used to indicate the pro-
cess whereby the Texas and range cat
tie are deprived of their horns. These
half wild aud often fierce animals when
brought into the corral to fatten are
quite belligerent and the weaker mem
bers of the herd often fare badly and
the stockmen themselves are fire.
quently in danger from the immense
and sharp horns. The removal of the
offensive members it is claimed by
those interested not only renders the
beasts harmless but as though aware of
the loss of power to do harm they lose
their fierce and wild disposition and
the whole herd feeds together in peace.
II is claimed by those who favor the
process, and these are almost all the
cattlemen, that it is only slightly pain
/ ful, that none die from it and that the
patients at the end of twenty-fOur
hours are as ready to feed as ever.
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