Wichita eagle., 1890-01-05

by the process described in the report of
, the agricultural experiment station Is
wholly impracticable and that it is I'M
possible, under existing conditions, to
reclaim the semi-arid lands of South
western Kansas by breaking prairie sod
or subsoil blowing.
Referring now to the question of tim
Der culture it will not be denied that the
planting and cultivation of forest trees
has been to certain degree instrument
tai IN conserving moisture for agricul-
tural purposes, at least in some sections
of the state. Our national legislators
doubtless had this theory in view when
they passed the timber culture act. But
| am informed that not over twenty
timber culture entries have been COM
pleted IN the Garden City land district,
and after examining the condition of
trees planted on large number of tim
Der claims VIC are clearly of the opinion
that very few of the entries made under
the provisions of this act will ever be
completed, certainly not until there Is a
second influx of immigration into this
section of the state; and even though in
the future the climatic condi-
tons should be most favor
able to the growth of trees already
planted the influence to be exerted by
this means, must necessarily be almost
lnfinitessiral as a means Of augmenting
the annual precipitation.
| Then there is another theory, an off
shoot from that promulgated by Major
Powell, to the effect that if the surplus
water which falls during the winter and
spring months; also the water produced
by the melting of snow, could be in some
way impOunded and retained till allowed
to evaporate under the summer sun, it
would greatly increase the humidity of
| the atmosphere and have marked in
fiuence upon the rain fall later in the
| season. This theory presents to my
mind greater semblance of reason than
the two preceding, but as no data have
been compiled, and no experiments have
to my knowledge been made on which
| calculation could be based and although
general survey of the surface of the
country seems to disclose many loca-
tons for building dams or bikes and
thus impounding the surplus water, yet
the evaporation is SO great that unless
some means can be devised for replen-
ishing the artificial basin thus con-
structed we are of the opinion that the
necessary expenditure of money would
hardly be compensated by the benefits
accruing therefrom.
Several other theories have been ad-
vanced which might be here discussed,
but SO far as we can learn their
demonstration will depend upon
conditions almost wholly want
ing IN southwestern Kansas.
Hence we must conclude that all the
theories relative to the subject of in
crease of the annual precipitation, the
conservation of moisture and modlfica-
ton Of hot winds, which have hereto
fore obtained circulation must for the
present be discarded, not because they
are deficient in merit or lack the foun-
datlon OF scientific principles, but for the
reason that their demonstration is i'm
practicable under present conditions.
We will not pursue this discussion fur
Their IN the agnOstlc strain which char
acterizes what we have already said.
We are not yet ready to view with pes
simistic eye, any part of this great con-
monwealth, in which we all should have
a common interest and share common
pride, but remembering the motto of
our great and glorious state-Ad Astra
per Aspera-and by making use of those
means which we firmly believe are
within easy reach of the people of south
western Kansas, this vast eXpanse of
level prairie country which once was
crossed only by the shaggy buffalo's
crooked path and the stealthy Indians
narrow trail and which we have all seen
overlooked by that restless and resistless
tide of western immigration that has at
last broken against the foothills of the |
Rocky mountains and is now ebbing |
away to the east and south. may vet be |
made attractive by the home of the |
prosperous husbandman.
We cannot believe that this delight |
full climate, rivaling that of the sunny |
south, and this deep, rich soil, unsur- |
PASSED by that Of the great Mississippi |
valley, Were ever intended to be only a |
deiuslOn and a snare to the western |
farmer in search of a home, nor to the |
eastern capitalist who has invested his |
money western securities. No, but we
believe that where we now see deserted
farms we may yet behold beautiful
ducts, lovely gardens to delight the eve
and wide their ripened gold, and where
delapidated villages and dead county
.. ~
towns and busy cities.
There are three elements which in
our opinion must be combined before we
shall discover the key to the solution OF
the great economic problems mentioned
in the first chapter and which not only
the inhabitants of southwestern Kansas
bnt also every person pecuniarly inter-
asted in this section CT the state are
n q !
stratlon. These elements are:
First-A complete study of the geolog-
ical formations underlying the surface
Of the country as described in the state
geological survey.
Second-The data compiled with ref !
ereuce to the artesian wells already ex.
sting IN this section of the state.
Third-A thorough examination of the
of the territory described.
The first two elements ara already mat
ers of public information. We shall
discuss them only in respect to their
bearings upon the theory we shall pre-
7ent further on; and by consent of Prof. S
3obt. Hay, state geologist, l quote I
argely from his article on artesian wells {
n relation 10 irrigation in western Kan {
as which was read by the author at the :
ocular meeting Of the Kansas Academy
# Science at Wichita, Kan, October IS, s
nd published in the report of the Kan 7
as state board of agriculture for August a
nd September OF 1889. In discussing /
he geological formations of western and a
outhern Kansas he says: at may be r
AIKEN for granted that the rock strata c
more or less similarly those of eastern d
Kansas are deep down under the sur Q
ace strata OF the region west OF the e
Doth meridian. Those are known as d
he emo-Carboniferous. II Is not c