Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-02-08
Good Time2for Kansas.

the iruitage Of the hopes that have
since their emigration from the ole
home in the east haunted theil
dreams. They have seen stopping
Of the depopulation that has beer
steadily going on and return to the
buoyancy Of the earlier days when
there was rush for farms and
ranches. 1t has come about through
several causes-good crops, high
prices, the change Of the people from
grain raising to stock as their CHIEF
pursuit. The lessons Of the past
years Of light yields have not been in
vain. The farmers have changed
their methods, and the result has
been very favorable. Indeed there
has seldom been witnessed a more
striking example Of the need and
benefit Of making the agriculture OF a
region harmonic with the conditions.
The settlers Of the plains went
west with the idea that they could
SOW and reap as they cid back east in
New England, New York or Pennsyl-
yania. 1t was not uncommon to see
the methods OF the old farms begun
and never carried out, fer they found
that there was no prospect of success
therein. But in some things the
lesson was not soon learned. One OF
these was that there cannot be good
crop Of corn and wheat without rain
The rains did not come and the set.
tiers found that they must leave.
This they did, and in a half dozen
years half million people moved
out OF Nebraska and Kansas. Then
the remainder began to see what
could be done. The agricultural So
cieties began to study irrigation and
kindred themes. In short, there was
az end to the belief in the circulars
that wore issued in the boom times
and a meeting Of the actual condi-
tions face to face. Artificial water
supply, the kinds of grain that would
stand drought, etc, were the sub.
jects that attracted the attention Of
the farmers rather than the best
methods Of producing fast trotters.
The effect Of this discussion and the
better methods OF culture that grew |
out Of it were seen In the crop re-
turns, and it was evident that the
day would come when the fruitage
would be at hand.
But greater than this fortutous
happening of the conjunction of good
crops aud big prices has been the
turning Of farmers attention to other
lines than the ones that they were
taught in the east. There has been
m increase In the acreage OF kahir
,orn, millet and sorghum-all dry
Weather crops--that has been simply
marvellous all over the plains region.
'oople have come to the conclusion |
hat the better way is, instead Of /
rying to change the face of nature, |
0 adapt the crops to nature.
People who live beyond the middle
ne OF Kansas and Nebraska have in
he past few years undergone trials =,
nat cannot be comprehended by ~
rose who have resided in the older
,ttled states. They have seen two =
birds Of the population move away. T..
he price of land has decreased in "
and there has been little
} eat for some Of those who stayed. ~,
here have been gifts Of seed wheat, y,
d for the poor from the state and n,
onl charitably minded folk east and |,
est and all OF 1t has been needed and
served. But there came a time in .
Ie past years when the people Of that n, ~
ction gave up farming and said that a. a.
10 old adage was true: 1.-The Al. ~
lightly meant something when he -
1t the buffalo and the prairie chicken ~
the prairies. He meant that we W W
ould raise cattle and hens"
This they have done, and along
ith the cattle industry has come the
Of creameries; in almost
cry county have been started sta o.
rms for the making Of good. butter. H. A..
lese are doing large business, and ~
Kansas alone the helpful COW will =,
is year produce about s6,OOO,OOO =.
,rth Of milk The return per COW .
IS increased from $70l to 80. IS in .
e past ton years proving that the -,
ople are keeping better stock. ~,
any a county receives from the ~
eameries a quarter of a million dol -.
"a Annually aud this roos int .Lo nus