Omaha daily bee., 1889-09-16
THE CRANARY OF The NATION
Editor Cummings Tells What He
Saw in Nebraska.
OCEANS OF RIPE CORN TOPS.
The Wonderful Yield in the Fertile
Valley OF the Elkhorn-Cattle
and Hog Interests OF
the State.


Both Nebraska and South Dakota will
probably outstrip Iowa and Illinois in popu
latlon and value within the next twenty
years, writes the Hon. Amos J. Cummings,
of the New York Sun, who is at present
making tour OF Nebraska and Dakota in
the Interests OF his paper. The Missouri
bottoms are sea of coru, reaching 10 the
horizon. A single field of 800 acres was
passed before Fremont burst into view.
From that time until niyhtfall we were roll
ing through the immense cornields of the
Elkhorn valley For. r.hundreds of miles the
great fields were unfenced. Tho farmers
find it more economical to fence IN their hogs
and cattle than to fence in the
growing CROP Country roads run between
the stalks like paths through rpening wheat
Thousands of blackbirds hovered over the
ripening corn tops, filling the air with hoarse
musc. The ocean of corn ran over tho
ridges of the Ekhorn clear to the Missouri
bottoms. Middle Nebraska farmers had al
ready begun TO cut their corn. The ears are
well filed and the crop is enormous. The
oat crop had apparently equalled the corn
crop. Great fields were covered with the
unhoused golden sheaves. There IS also a
superior crop of hay. The huge cocks dotted
the meadows like pawns on "a chess board
AT one point enormous areas covered with
hemp we're seen; at other places the plains
were white with buckwheat. There were
also many square miles of millet. This grain
is cut before 1t ripens and stored for winter
feed. Part OF the corn Is fed to hogs and
cattle. Hog buyers from Boston. New
Haven, and other eastern cities are already
in the country seeking material for fresh
hams and shoulders in the fall and winter
The corn fed hogs of Nebraska and
1.i lTnt a lNxTn IN Inn nl md
for they make the sweetest of hams if
properly treated. Much of the corn is fed to
Texas CATTLE They are driven over the great
trails and put into condition IN Nebraska be
fore being sent to market. With all the corn
consumed by hogs and beeves, millions of
bushels are thrown upon the market. At
nearly every town on the line of the Elkhorn
railroad steam elevators draw the golden
kernels from the wagons of the farmers and
pour them into freight cars. The whole
country is Interested in the crop. IL Is to
Nebraska what stocks are to Wall street.
The SOL III which it is grown is Il rich black
loan. It's fertility almost surpasses belief
The edges of the cornlields are frnged with
wild suntlowers Upon uncultlvated patches
they shine like huge buttercups. At
distance they look like huge big fields
of mustard. Smartweed is rank, but
not gigantic. Pigweed, however,
reaches seven or eight feet in height. There
were Canadian thstles fully as high, al
though the thistle itself is much smaller
than that in the east Most surprising of all
is the size of the putfbull, so common in pas
lures along the Atlantic coast. II grows
nearly as large as Il pumpkin. When dry, if
trodden down, it emits cloud of smoke that
would astOnsh a Holland Dutchman.
Next to corn in Importance are the cattle
They dot the hills and valleys. There are no
great ranches, but each farmer seems to
own a herd. rhe herds are fenced within
meads and lots from which the hay has been
cut. They are all in fine condition. Many
are shipped to Chicago and else
where, and come into competition with
the shipments from the great cattle
ranches further north. Each town has a
cattle yard along the track, from whence the
cars are loaded. The cattle are watered from
station tanks. Wndmills are used in pump.
ing the water into the tanks. On the Elk
horn railroad the cattle trains have the right
| of way. They run at the rate of from forty
| to forty five miles an hour. The express
| trains are switched to give them a clear
track. The cattle are Watered on the cars,
| but they take the yard twice between White
wood, the terminus OF the road, and Chi
| cago This gives them needed rest, and
allows time TO feed them. They thus reach
| market in an excellent condition. Most of
the beeVes are driven to the railroad from
the great ranches along the Cheyenne and
Kindred streams.
The farm houses in the Elihorn valley are
plain and neat There ls no fligree work
| about them. There are no flowers in the
door yards, anu no lawns. MANY are en-
powered in groves of soft naples. Some have
| wIndmills, which pump water from wells
for thirsty stock The hard maple does not
| thrive in Nebraska. A farmer told me that
| he had planted 2OO sugar naples over a year
ago. All that was left was one poor, siCkly
shrub, wavering between life and death.
| Elms are said to reach maturity, but none
| were seen. The Catalpa also fiourlsheS on Il
| few farms. a weeping mulberry, owned by
| DR.. Wilson, of Fremont, is regarded AS
| lIn lal,ln 1unt tnH
| in lines on various farms like Lom oardy
| popiars in New Jersey. There were few
| hedges of stunted willows. Along the
| streams stray cottonwoods grow but they
! never reach any size. Fruit trees are said
| to do well, but / saw few orchards. The few
| seen look remarkably fine. No other trees
| are found until you reach the scrub pines
| scattered over the mounds at the foot OF the
| Black Hills.
| The houses are usually situated in the val
| leys. There are commanding elevations
| near by, but not one in Il thousand is used
| for building site. Fear of lightning keeps
| the farmers IN the valleys. There are lew
! barns in the Elkhorn. Most of the hay IS
| thatched or covered as is the case beyond
| the Alleghanies. Although it is said to be a
| great country for vegetables, garden IS
seldom seen. ! observed no o--potato 7ields,
turnip patches, nor cabbage heads. An
| occasiOnul field of sorghum was disclosed,
| but no onion beds, beets, beans, nor celery.
| The rivers are simple streams of yellow
water. The streams cut into the soil
until they resemble huge bitches. All the
| towns arc agricultural centres The people
seem to be lnordinately proud of their crops.
| One little town in Nebraska was buried III
| great corn stalks, pumpKins and cucumbers.
| Its inhabitants had evidently taken their cue
| from the great corn palace at Sioux CITY, Al
| O'Neill huge arch of corn sDanned the main
street. The wheat had, OF course all been
| harvested. In Nebraska the outcome is sim
| northern Nebraska ut many places second
| crops of hay have been moved.