The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1890-06-26

The Hssss % Evsss<iine-A slsshisE
Jehs-rhs tsesutsSes aaapersaa-
Acadia College.
ST.. JOHN, n. b.. June ~, 1850.
DEAR JOURNAL-Into the Prov
Inee Of Nova Scotia, we are again
wandering. This time Annapolis,
hosry IN its antiquity, IL the initial
point OF our expedition. This old
place was named Port Royal In IaI0.
when u was founded by the French,
aud was capital OF the Province un-
Gil 100. When u became an Eng
Iish town 70 Sss named In honor Of
the Good Queen Anne, and then
called Annapolis Royal. For =
town 90 distinguished Ia history, Il
IL certainly very insignificaa NJ now.
With Its lovely location, and heath
fol surroundings, Il il 3 pleasant
summer place. We were given suf-
fleient time before our train started
TO ramole about the old earth works
which command the harbor, and
were erected ON sn extensive plan.
The weaiher-beateu barrack. the
crumbling magazine aud . fsw other
Vestiges Of the pOmp aud eircum-
stance OF war, are yet visible. The
messy, yelvety grass, 50 common in
this northern latitude, covers the
surface Of the nIoat aud earth works.
while millions Of dandeIIons aud
butter cups blossom everywhere.
The old fort 10 separated from the
winding street by q fence-nOt stock
preof. The village COWS feed in this
luxurious pasture, and sleepily
whisk their tails aud chew their
cuds as We pass over the rirkety
bridge which was once = draw
bridge.
Almost as soon as We leave the
village we are passing through what
IL called the Paradise Of Nova
Scotia. Ii IL not surprising the
early grantees Of this beautiful
region struggled 81 vaIornusly for
their possessions. A. the train
whirled along we were enabled to
take very good view Of the fields
and make up our estimate. This
great fruit-growIng region. the pro-
ducts Of which are famous in the
maritime provinces, was In the
height OF its blooms. Such a con-
tinuOus orchard never saw before.
All the great, lordly apple trees
were crowded with blossoms. Even
the tables at our dinner stations
could boast Of the luxury Of great
apple blossom boquets. We were
truly passing through the land Of
flowers. From Annapolis for many
miles the track was through the
valley Of the Annapolis river. And
this stream was not = rushing,
rapid cataract OF water-as many
aud even most OF the Nova Scotia
streams are but glided along as
peacefully as the River Charles in
Massachusetts,, which this river
some what resembles. One side nf
the track was skirted by broad, low
meade ". lands. through which the
river ran, while on the other hand
were the cultivated rolling lands,
each "sequestered nook" being the
site Of fine large farm buildings.
In the states we often see large,
very large barns, while the farm
houses are Insignificant in cOmparl
son. In Nova Scotia and Prince
Edwards Island both barn aud
house are large. Not only this, hut
the farmstesd often shows q collec-
tiOn Of large barns aud other out
buildings, a. we'll as the large farm
house which look by themselves
like 9 small hamlet. The buildings
are invarisbIy OF frame. and a. in
VariabIy shingles take the place of
clapboards for all the buildings.
Another peculiarly OF this country
IL that the farmers front yard. be-
sides boasting of fine lawns with
rows Of eurTant aud goOseberry
bushes, makes some pretension to
floral ornamentation. often a pass
ing glance o. the lilacs grests you,
with their fragrance and familiar
color. The crops of the Annapolis
valley are chiefly potatoes, harley,
hay and oats. Owing to the back
ward season, agriculturally the
country looked feeble. The harley
crop had just been put in. The
absence Of cattle, sheep and horses
In the ValIy exhibited in q marked
degree the weakness Of the stock
raising industry. After five hours
travel in the Annapolis valley we
concluded that the Paradise Of
Nova Scotia" with its two hundred
and fifty years Of cultivation, aside
from SCENERY effects" cannot hold
q candle to any valley In the Golden
Belt region OF Kansas-especially so
In fertility Of soil. In this far-fanied
Nova Scotia valley the chief aim Of
the farmer 10 to find 8 suffieiency Of
fertilizers for its now impoverished
alluvium. In Kansas, that which
frets the soul OF the farmer, Is TO
keep his crops from growing too
rank.
The conductor Of our train was
especially communicative and
chatty-not like the usual oyster
shell combination which punches
checks aud pockets cash paid ON the
train. But his knowledge Of the
great Empire OF the west was aston
ishIngly confined and narrow. The
conductor asked me where I lived,
I told him In Kansas. "In Kansas,
% yes" says he. kansas City. Do
you know Tom Reed: He keeps q
two-siory stone hotel, with . fiat
roof" replied "Ksnsas city il a
pretty large place, you will have 10
he q little more definite In your
location" Well, he didn't know
the street, and after . little more
conversation he came TO the con-
clusion that his friend may have
lived In some town In the state Of
Kansas, and not In Kansas City.
The State Of Kansas was evidently
an empire that he had little eoneep-