WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 871 



under cultivation, that is not well covered with a great variety of nu- 

 tritious native or tame grasses. 



The State has an extent of 400 miles from east to west by 200 in 

 breadth. Its average altitude above the sea level is not far from 2,375 

 feet. The highest portion is in the extreme northwest, and is about 

 4,000 feet. The rivers drain the country in a southerly and easterly 

 direction. The surface for the most part is a gently rolling prairie, 

 with few steep hills or bluffs, and the ravines are not often precipitous 

 or deep. The soil of both valley and high prairie is about the same 

 fine, black, rich loam, so common in the Western States. On the high 

 prairies it is from one to three feet deep, while in the bottoms it is often 

 twenty feet. The soil of the upland prairies is generally a deep rich 

 clay loam. In the bottom lands near the streams the soil is black sandy 

 loam ; the second bottom that is, the land between the uplands and the 

 valleys is composed of a rich and deep black loam, with very little 

 sand. All of these lauds are free from stones, easily cultivated, and 

 very productive. The State is well drained ; there are very few stag- 

 nant ponds, and not a swamp of 50 acres within its borders. The soil 

 and climate, the native and tame grasses, all seem to combine in adapt- 

 ing Kansas for the highest development of the sheep industry. 



As the country has become settled and cultivated the short buffalo 

 grass which originally covered the prairies has given place to the tall 

 blue-stem and other bladed grasses, and in many places various tame 

 grasses and forage plants, valuable particularly for hay, such as timothy, 

 blue grass, clover, and alfalfa. Not only do the valleys, but the aver- 

 age uplands also,- produce heavy crops of corn and vegetables. The up- 

 lands are specially adapted to the production of wheat, oats, and other 

 small grains, and to the culture of fruit. 



Kansas is well supplied with rivers and creeks. On the eastern bor- 

 der the Missouri presents a water front of nearly 150 miles. The Kansas 

 is formed by the junction of the Republican and the Smoky Hill rivers, 

 and from the point of confluence it flows east about 150 miles to the 

 Missouri. Lateral valleys on the north are formed by the Saline, Solo- 

 mon, and Blue rivers, and other streams. The Osage River rises in the 

 eastern part of the State, and after a southeast course of about 150 miles 

 enters Missouri. The Arkansas has its source in the Rocky Mountains 

 in Colorado. It flows through nearly three-fourths of the length of 

 Kansas easterly and southeasterly, and with its tributaries waters two- 

 thirds of the western and southern part of the State. Its lateral 

 valleys on the north are traversed by the Walnut, Little Arkansas, 

 Pawnee Fork, and other streams, and on the south by the Ninnescah, 

 Chicaskia, and other fine streams. The Keosho, rising in the central 

 part of the State, flows southeast about 200 miles, receiving in its course 

 the Cottonwood and other streams. The Verdigris runs nearly paral- 

 lel with the Neosho, receiving Fall River on the west. In the south- 

 west are the Cimmaron and Medicine, which flow for a considerable 



