The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-25
Farming a Favorlts Pastims
with One Of tho Oil Kings.
HAPPY LIFE IN KlOWA COUNTY.
Buildings Arc Picturesque and Il Is Ono d
the M,si Beautiful Spots 10
tha Stats.

Farming has become favor.te 'pastims
| OF American miilionairss. and not the
| least successful Of these wealthy tlllers
| OF the soil Is Frank Rockefeller Of cieve-
| land. Ohio. one OF the Standard OH com
psny msgnates who has chosen Western
| Kansas as the field OF his agricultural
| operations
| His ranch. called Soldier Creek park.
| lies In the southeastern corner OF ZSiowa
| county, and IL Is one of the garden spots
of the Suunower state. There are 1900
acres IN this ranch. which Is eight and a
half miles long and three or four miles
| broad.
The land is watered by one OF the pret-
tiest streams I'm the West. rushing
creek. clear and pure. and broken here
and there by picturesque cataracts. Sol
dier creek has its source in number Of
small springs and little lakes AT the
northern end OF the ranch
IL flows swiftly i'm a zigzsg course. and
cmpties into Medicine river after water
ing the fertile fields that have been under
cultivation for nearly a quarter Of cen
tury.
I'm 1879 Mr.. Rockefeller went TO Kansas
10 visit an old-time friend. He became
interested I'm cattle raising and invested
i'm some land
From very modest beginning the en-
terprise has grown to tremendous pro-
portions. The millionaire spent two win
ters on his ranch, and there found health
Since then Soldier Creek park has been
THE happiest moments OF my life
spend on this ranch. away out here IN
him at Soldier Greek park Il enjoy
every moment that | am here.
OF the 1900 acres comprising this
ranch $500 are under cultivation, and OF
the cultivated land 800 acres are I'm al
falfa. This plant has. more than any
other one thing. redeemed western KAN
sas TO the farmer. IL is plant that
seems to thrive as well on dry land as on
the moister ground.
Mr.. Rockefeller has succeeded In rails
Ing large crops along the creek where
the soil is moist and where the water
comes up from beneath To within a few
feet of the surface Soil experts are
somewhat surprised at this, but the fact
remains.
SUCCESS WITH ALFALFA.
1t was only after years OF experiments
| that this success I'm raising alfalfa was
| reached. Until four or fve years ago
syery eny attempt was % almost =, & total iailnrs;
| of 1t. on all bat one field three crops
were cut and harvested last year.
| one OF the best fields on the ranch is
| one reclaimed from the swampy bottom
| land only year ago by intelligent drain
| ing. Another of the good fields IL new
land.
] This alfgifa forms the principal feed
| for the live stock on the ranch. Few of
| the cattle have had other feed than al
| falfa or rye pasture, and they are in ex-
cellent condition. In the summer aud
! fall. particularly. none OF the thorough
bred cattle are given any grain what
| ever None of them needs it
Last year 300 acres OF wheat We're har-
| vested The crop was good. The same
acreage is seeded now tn wheat, and IL IL
N rad
| are in rye. which, with the alfalfa. Is
| now used for fall pasture.
over l.oco acres is used for raising sor-
| ghum and Kaffir corn.
on the grounds surrounding the build
has aee baen Msny sf az
trees are bearing. particularly the peach
trees The orchard Is a large one and
includes all OF the native fruits, such as
| apples, peaches. apricots. pluns. cher
ries, pears. and berries OF all kinds.
Wild grapes grow I'm profusion over
| the ranch wherever there are trees es-
pecially among the timber trees that line
the creek bottom.
The various crop fields and pastures are
separated by barb-wire fences Seventy
miles OF this fence are on the ranch
Twice a week riders make the rounds
and report any breaks or weak places,
which are Immediately repaired.
GOOD PLACE FOR GAME.
Small game, such as every Kansas far
abounds. There are thousands and thou
sands OF quail i'm the valley. Jack rsb-
bits and cotton tails are seen on every
side. Raccoons are found I'm their favor
ite haunts
Hundreds OF squirrels are scattered in
tho timber along the creek. In the sea-
river creek, and lakes by the hundreds
one may walk three minutes from the
residence and begin shooting quail or
For ~ years Mr.. Rockefeller has been
trying Ia preserve the quail and SOUR.
rel ON the ranch, and has driven out
every market hunter or pot hunter who
has poached on his land.
Notwithstanding the profusion OF small
game, there are some animals that are
not represented. There Is a story circu-
lating around tho ranch that concerns an
Eastern woman who made the Western
trip for the first time In her life.
West, and was so anxious TO show her
skill that II was no trouble whatever 10
beguile her into donning her hunting
paranhernalia and accompa nving the
| crowd on gourd-shooting trim,
She missed every one bat sourds are
second ,rip--this time to shoot squash
but after that they didn't fool her.
Great care has been taken TO make all
the park Is the big frame country house
which Mr.. Rockefeller delights 10 call his
home. The rooms are all arranged for
comfort. They are spacious and their
The house Is heated by n hot-water
plant. and 80 ~ lighted by gas manufac-
tured on the premises Tiled bathrooms
and the latest improvements In plumbing
have been put into the building. In tho
rear of the house rises n high rock-faced
blum to a height Of ~ feet.
ON the top of this blum Is a huge water
tank which supplies the works
system OF tho headquarters. This tank
will soon give way, however. To n large
30x60xi0-foot red sandstone reservoir
which Is now being CONSTRUCTED ana
which will be completed In a few weeks.
There is more Cstarrh IN this section of
the country than all other diseases put
together. and until the LAST few years
was supposed 10 be ircursble, For q
great many years doctors pronounced IL
local disease. and prescribed local
remedies and by constantly failing 70
cure with local treatment. pronounced "a
incurable Science has proven catsrrh 10
be y constitutional disease and therefvre
| requires constitutional treatment Hall
Cstarrh Cure. manufactured by n. J.
~. a. -.