The Falls City tribune., 1908-12-25

fBDioAiAsA4 ihHAi5t - 49,
Editor Tribune, Falls City, Nebr.
Having recently visited IN eastern
Colorado, the plains open for
homestead, | feel il my duty to
send you for publication facts con-
corning this land. Conditions IN
Cheyenne, Kit Carson and all
counties south AMI west of Denver
are very much the same. The
same may be sud of the lands Of
western Kansas. being Of high al
titude and IN the arid district, a
part of Cheyenne county Is as high
as 100 feet. The plains are COW
cred with buffalo grass; | say COW
cred, but is only sparingIy covered
as 1t grows rather in clumps and is
very nutritious for cattle, sheep,
etc. Hundreds of acres of this
land S open for homestead. though
this fact is kept from many who
60 there until they pay someone
for locating them aud often pay an
exhorbitant price for a relinquish-
ment when entirely unnecessary.
There are many vacant houses ON
claims that n can get the right
to occupy until they can find a de-
slrable location or prove to their
satisfaction whether they want to
locate there or not. This land is
really beautiful, one can see miles
and miles of rolling prairie, %reliev-
ed here and there by a sod house,
frame house or dugout and in
places even these are scarce. Many
have taken cl inns, a beautiful
piece of land and put their all in
to buildings expecting to make a
living from crops, in this they fail.
and are compelled to leave at a
great sacrifice.
Potatoes some years are a fairly
good crop, other vegetables do
very poor being a failure most
every year. Rains are scarce and
when it does rain dries SO quickly
and does little good. Corn can
not be grown at all as the nights
are cold and the season short. One
can see corn growing and a fairly
good ear but on investigation find
a cob with only a few scattered
grains. The stalk only grows to
about three or four feet. The
same a be said of Katfir and
broom corn. The latter makes no
heads and can only be used for
feed for stock. Alfalfa has been
tried but with poor results. Cane
grows thick on the ground but to
a height of only about , or 3 feet.
When the land is broken unless
kept down it is covered with a
weed known as the Russian thistle.
1t is said hogs fatten on this weed,
also cattle do we'll on it, this is
only hearsay, however. | was over
a large part of this land and did
not even see a hog. | noticed in
many places small stacks of this
weed, one can see acres of it grow.
ing on the broken lands and SO
completely does it cover the ground
that II looks as though it was sown
there. One with necessary capital
can greatly increase it by going
there and investing in stock, the
buffalo grass is f%attening being es.
pecially SO after the first frost as it
then grows Juicy and tender and it
usually frosts by the middle of
September. Kafir corn, cane, etc,
can be used through winter when
the ground is covered with snow.
although | was told it is seldom
necessary to feed. as the snow that
falls comes in the form of a biz.
zard and hence it drifts leaving
large parts Of the grass uncovered
and believe any one with Is or 20
good COWS could do we'll selling
cream, butter and cheese, as dairy
products sell at a good price.
The marketing would be nc little
task as the best claims open lie
from L to 80 miles from the towns.
The nearer the towns the more
fencino there is so II Il not x,ary