Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-02
OUa Letter BOX


In the sand Hills OF Nebraska.
VALENTINE, Neb., June 30. o. To the
Editor Of The Bee: Nowhere else in the
world can be seen such a variety OF hills.
A man with an ordinary Kinkald home
stead can truly say his cattle range on
thousand hills. from the smooth and grass
covered to the occasional blowout, where
the sand drifts like snow before big
card Yet nature, which sbhors waste, IL
continually encroaching on these sand spots
with grass, and land which one might con-
slider too sandy to grow anything. where
| Il Is near enough TO water, grows three
| crops a year Of alfalfa. In most sections
the country is smooth enough to drive a
| buggy, except where there are few
miniature grand canyons Of the Colo
RADIO" where the cattle on rare occasions
IN the winter. blinded by a bliszard, rush
TO their destruction and leave their bones
| bleaching at the bottom Of the ravine Ex-
| cept during very severe weather, the cattle
range the hills all the year round, pro-
vided they have winter pasture that has
been nursed during the summer months
| A rancher with a natural meadow has al
ways abundance of hay, and some OF these
natural meadows are being planted to red
top clover and timothy, and the higher
lands to alfalfa. Ranchers without hay
fats NOW the valleys between the hills
and get about one ton to the acre. The
rancher has quite an easy time compared
20 the average farmer except during the
hay and roundup seasons.
The homesteaders are so encroaching on
the stockman's range that ranches Atty
miles long will soon be a memory of the
past. Many small ranchers receive 800 a
month from cresmeries for their butter
fat. These Nebraska meadows and rich
grass lands are making Omaha the greatest
butter market of the world.
The lakes and streams are a sportsman's
paradise. One hundred and fifteen carp
were caught In one day, some Weighing
ten pounds. Pickerel and other ish are
plentiful. and prairie chickens ducks and
Jack rabbits while the howl OF the coyote
at night reminds one that he is on the
frontier Old settlers recall the day when
they planted trees around the homestead
that now form magnificent groves fifty
feet high. New settlers are continually
planting more trees and wind-breaks. This
tree planting and the damming up and
utilizing of the water supply Of the west
by the government lie Transforming the
great American desert into one Of the most
prosperous sections OF the world This
country, that few years ago was subject
TO Indian raids now has telephones in
nearly every house. In the settled dis
tricts the barbed wire fences form a tele-
phone system, and in the sod houses that
are warm In winter and cool in summer
are to be found such evidences of clvlliZa-
ton as pianos. books. newspapers and
ma gaines. For Uncle Sam, with his liberal
mail route system, keeps these pioneers
In touch with the world.
There are also some failures to be seen
in frontier life. where pioneers have tried
TO farm land At only for ranges or alfalfa.
as is demonstrated by the ruined sod
houses and plowed fields left behind them.
Ranchers are now successfully experiment
ing with the grasses suited for the higher
and dryer lands. and the government by
the experiment grounds, is demonstrating
that trees can be grown on the sand hills.
Many ranchers plant as high as 5000 trees
around their homesteads. Some day the
conditions of this sand hill country will
be revolutionized by a regular system Of
forestry. There are without doubt wonder
fil opportunities for the intelligent and
persistent worker.
A high salaried railway oflolal moved
to this country for his health. In seven
years he owned 1926 acres, had 800 apple
trees. some Of the oldest trees yielding SO
to the tree, and he also sells large guam
titles OF hay. live stock and butter fat,
alfalfa and hogs. He is making more
money now than when he was a high sal
aried railroad official But to onset this
example OF success, in a season Of drouth
some ranchers have lost $4,000 and went
broke. but with true western energy have
gone TO work and are again making money
There must be some charm in being near
TO natures heart for in this Wild country
where some voting precincts cover III
square miles. with but fifteen voters. are
women OF culture and refinement who
cook as dainty a meal on a stove heated
by a hay burner attachment )as do their
city sisters with servants and modern
equipment. and the college bred women
with their books and magazines are just
as interesting In their conversation a:
their city sisters with much OF their use.
less society gossip eliminated. The con
ditions OF western life gives the woman a
4 refreshing vivacity and originality that /,
especially their own. Even though thes,
pioneer women milk COWS and are no
afraid to drive a carriage through a rag
ing winter storm to get their children re
turning from school, such self-reliant spiri
appeals more TO mans admiration thar
the dollhouse beauty that weeps or fainti
when trouble or danger ls near. wha
the world needs today is women who car
he cultured graceful and refined and q
the same time useful citizens Many o.
the pioneer women claim that the isolation
OF their lives from modern society condi
tons is more than compensated for b,
improved health and relaxation from tn,
drudgery Of living for appearances, which
too often sacrifices the plain and sub
stantial comforts OF home Ilse.
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