! 
MARCH 34 THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Various. 
SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS. 
Cherokee, the Southeasterly County of 
the State—Its Capabilities, Crops 
and Prospects—Col tun bus— 
Baxter Springs. 
MESSRS. HOLMES AND SWEETLAND. 
[Special Correspondents of the Rural New-Yorker.] 
As we have mentioned in former letters, sta¬ 
tistical information and actual observation 
lead us to think that the best developed coun¬ 
ties in Kansas, as well as those containing the 
largest aggregation of advantages, are those 
forming the eastern portion. Probably one 
reason for the statistical preeminence is the 
fact that they were among the earliest settled 
counties of the State; but, aside from that 
reason, there are others in the numerous and 
varied sources of wealth to be found there. 
Cherokee County staurls among the highest 
in the acreage of corn (averaging from 150 to 200 
bushels per capita), oats and castor beans* 
possesses a good record for Winter wheat and 
broom corn. The daily product averages 
above $50,000 per annum, and the horticul¬ 
tural interests are unusually well developed. 
The county is 25 miles square; contains 376,- 
060 acres, 35 per cent, of which is under culti¬ 
vation aud 10 per cent, timber—hard woods 
principally—skirting the streams an average 
of about half-a-mile on either side There are 
351 acres of artificial groves. The principal 
streams ai*e the Neosho and Spring Rivers, 
with nine good creeks of pure water valuable 
to stock growers. The altitude above the sea 
level is about 000 feet; the rainfall for 1882 
about 47 inches. The climate is delightful aud 
the temperature oven. Being on the Indian 
Territory lino, it vies with that Nation for its 
salubrity and healthfulness. It is gently roll¬ 
ing. with perhaps 20 per cent, of bottom land, 
and somewhat bluffy iu the region of the 
min®s. The soil is diversified, and includes 
the alluvial, silicious and limestone, averaging 
about two feet in depth, being underlaid by 
clay in portions, and gravelly deposits in 
other parts. Coal is a principal product under¬ 
lying the entire extent. It Is bituminous, aud 
Cherokee with Crawford County has the only 
four-foot veins in the State. It is delivered in 
the towns at only $2 per ton. The zinc and lead 
deposits in the south eastern portion are the 
only mines of the kind in Kansas, yielding 
millions of pounds per annum, and furnishing 
an extensive industry in manufacture. 
The growth of native grasses is ample and 
nutritious, while the cultivated grasses yield 
well. Increased attention is being given to 
the introduction of thoroughbred cattle, and 
the raising of high grades. Short-horns are 
the favorites. In horses, the Forcheron-Nor- 
mans are preferred for draft and farming, and 
finer stock for roadsters. Berkshire and Po- 
land-China hogs, aud Cotswold, South Down 
and Merino sheep are the breeds principally 
patronized. The raising of the latter is lie- 
coming a most important industry, both for 
coarse and fine wools. 
We take pleasure in acknowledging the re¬ 
ceipt of the Kansas State Agricultural Report 
for '77 and ’78 from J. F. Shearman, Colum¬ 
bus, Kansas, shnwiug by contrast the rapid 
developmentof the agricultural interest. Aver¬ 
age yields given us by practical farmers, are: 
wheat, 20 bushels: oats, 40; corn, 40 to the 
acre. Vegetables of all kinds arc prolific and 
of excellent quality. The price of farms 
varies from $6 to $30, according to improve¬ 
ments, location and surroundings, while unim¬ 
proved lands sell from $4 to $15. The county 
has increased in population since its organiza¬ 
tion in 1866, from 3,000 to about 25,000, 
The horticultural products are apples, peach¬ 
es, pears, apricots, plums and cherries, which 
thrive nicely. Nearly every farm has its 
orchard of apples and peaches, which average 
a good crop three out of every four years; the 
yield is immense, aud the quality unexcelled. 
In Cherokee County thore are 67 acres of vine¬ 
yard, 125 acres of blackberries, 78 acres of 
strawberries. 45 acres of raspberries, and 23 
nurseries. F, A. Childs, whom we interviewed 
regarding strawberry culture, has 30 acres 
two miles oast of Columbus. The Charles 
Downing is the principal variety. He is ex¬ 
perimenting with tho Big Bob. Glendale, 
Finch’s Seedling, Cinderella, Sharpless and 
Windsor Chief. He 1ms a good many Crescent 
Seedlings aud Captain Jacks. In raspberries 
he finds the Turner (red) hardy and prolific; 
the Gregg (black) of strong growth, but a little 
late; the Doolittle is relied upon for an early 
variety. Iu blackberries tho Lawton and Kit- 
attiuny are reliable and successful, both in 
quality and quantity. 
The apiariau products of the county exceed 
25,000 pounds of honey per annum. The Ital¬ 
ian apiary of H. Seovoll, north of Columbus, 
was established in 1874. He has 140 stands of 
Italian bees in improved Langstroths hives. 
Each stand averages 50 to 75 pounds of honey; 
1882 gave an extraordinary yield, being 85 
pounds. The bees feed from the range, on 
Heart's-ease, Golden Rod, Spanish Needle 
(which is the best) and asters. The increase will 
average 1()0 per cent. Mr. Scovell allows no 
natural swarming, but conducts the increase 
artificially. The moth does not trouble the 
Italian bees, and he keeps his colonies. His 
product from 112 colonies in the Spring, and 
140 in the Fall for 1882, was 11,737 pounds, and 
he also propagates for the market. 
The aggregate assessment on the real and 
personal property for 1882 was $3,372,689, 
being not far from one-third of the actual val¬ 
uation. There is no indebtedness and the total 
tax, exclusive of school taxes, is 18,W mills. 
From conversation with recent arrivals we 
find that the favorite route from the East to 
Chicago by a large majority is the Pennsyl¬ 
vania Central and Pittsburgh and Ft. Wayne. 
From Chicago, the Chicago. Rock Island and 
Pacific to Kansas City; from St. Louis, the 
Chicago and Alton; aud from Kansas City 
south, the Kansas City, Ft. Scott aud Gulf, 
two branches of which penetrate Cherokee 
County. There are also three branches of the 
St. Louis and San Francisco, making in all 69 
miles of main line track in the county. 
Columbus, the County seat, is pleasantly 
located upon the undulating prairie. Its popu¬ 
lation in 1880 was 1,406, which has increased 
to 2,300. There is a good graded school of five 
departments; six churches; an opera-house. 
42x70, with a Reating capacity for 600; one 
bank: two flouring mills; one complete roller 
mill; a bee-hivo factory; a flax mill; three 
wagon and carriage manufactories; an oil 
mill iu process of erection: a broom factory; 
a pop factory, and oue brick-yard. 
The grain aud hay traffic of Columbus will 
approximate $500 (100 annually. The perma¬ 
nent improvements for 1S82 exceeded $60,000, 
and a commercial business of over $500,000 is 
reported. The principal interests of the city 
are agricultural aud mineral. The two rail¬ 
roads of the county cross at this point, and 
there is one grain elevator. The activity and 
enterprise of the business men are evinced by 
the support of some seven newspapers and one 
magazine: viz., the Courier, the Advocate, 
the Times, the News, the Border Star, the 
Refugee’s Star of Hope, the Reporter, a real- 
estate journal, and the Baxter Springs Journal. 
Baxter Springs is located in the extreme 
southern part of the county, within one mile 
of the Indian Territory, Its surroundings lire 
varied—hills and volleys, groves, streams and 
improved farms. Its population isabout 1,500 
cosmopolitan, and quite au increase from the 
Census (1,195). There is a good school of five 
departments: a high school with efficient in¬ 
structors, which affords excellent educational 
facilities, not only for tho residents of the 
Springs, but for visitors who remain for the 
season. We noted six church edifices, and 
ascertained that all had organizations. There 
is a neat hall for public entertainments, with 
a seating capacity of 400. The tributary in¬ 
terests are agricultural and mineral aud those 
which are prominently represented by its su¬ 
perior attractions as a health and pleasure 
resort. The permanent improvements for the 
preceding year have been worth $55,000, while 
the commercial business is given us at $526.- 
000, which includes the agricultural products 
ami stock. There is one uesvspuper, the Baxter 
.Springs Nows; also one bank, with an average 
daily deposit of $2,500. 
The springs from which the town takes its 
name, are becoming quite well and favor¬ 
ably known as a health resort. The daily use 
of the water for drinking and bathing pur¬ 
poses has l>een productive of the best results 
in a large variety of diseases, especially of the 
blood. We have seen the analysis of the water 
and would give it did spare ]>ermit. The 
grounds, including a park, cover 800 feet 
square. The bath-house is nicely fitted-up 
and is 36x4< • feet, with good accommodations, 
the permanent improvements having cost $11,- 
ooii. Everything is kept and conducted in a 
manner conducive to the comfort of the guests. 
There is an attractive stand in the square for 
music in the season. IVe found a number of 
invalids at the resort, and more are arriving 
daily. The additional attractions are found iu 
the surrounding country. The railroad run¬ 
ning here (the K. C. Ft. S. & G.) is affording 
every facility for cheap rates aud excursions. 
There are two hotels, with au aggregate ca¬ 
pacity for 150 guests, aud a number of cheaper 
boarding-houses. The drives around the 
Springs and into the Indian Territory are un¬ 
usually interesting, aud the roads as smooth 
and pleasant as we ever have had the pleasure 
of seeing. Among tho many points of inter¬ 
est we mention Pino Bluff, the Devil’s Prome¬ 
nade, Castle Rock, several Indian Missions and 
the National Cemetery. The lead and zinc 
mines of Galena, seven miles distant, also fur¬ 
nish attractions of interest aud employ a 
large capital. 
(BiJitcaliottal. 
SHOULD ALL STUDENTS BE COM¬ 
PELLED TO LABOR AT AN AGRI¬ 
CULTURAL COLLEGE? 
(Concluded.) 
PROFESSOR W. J. BEAL. 
Heavy or very' hal’d work should not be done 
by students at college, except perhaps for a 
short, time by some of the older members of a 
class. I see nothing to hinder the training of 
students in the field during any portion of the 
day. any more than there is in giving instruc¬ 
tion in the class room. By taking a few at a 
time during different parts of the day, the 
time of foremen can be much better econo¬ 
mized than by taking all at the same time. 
Considering the great objections often made 
to manual labor for pay. and the difficulties of 
finding labor for studeuts, and the difficulties 
of overseeing it, I think the attempt to carry 
out the plan of daily labor in the fields and 
and gardens will sooner or later be partially 
abandoned in Michigan. Still I believe that 
well planned and well superintended paid kf.ior 
is an advantage to the student, physically 
and mentally as well as financially. Thor¬ 
ough educational labor in all departments of 
agriculture, of the two is of very much 
greater importance than labor for earning 
money, but unless one or the other or both 
are insisted on, the doors of the college 
might about as well be closed for all the 
good the professors will accomplish in lectur¬ 
ing to young men on agriculture and horticul- 
ure. Some experiments may be made by the 
professors and these, with writing for the 
press, may do much to advance agriculture. 
One of the leading causes among students 
for not liking agriculture or horticulture and 
not engaging in these pursuits after leaviug 
college is a want of manual dexterity’ in per¬ 
forming many kinds of labor. A person, as a 
rule, enjoys what he can do quickly, and well 
and in the easiest way. Agriculture and hor¬ 
ticulture in these times demand a good deal 
of mechanical skill and he who is defective in 
this respect is not likely to engage in farming, 
or if he so engages, he is likely' to meet with 
poor success and realize that he had better en¬ 
gage in some other business. 
Michigan agricultural college is now 25 
years old. Diming the first half of this period 
tho graduates were only 45 in number. Of 
these, three are dead. During their course of 
study the college was in an experimental con¬ 
dition. It was a pioneer. The classes were 
small; they all worked in the field and are 
said to have worked well. The results on the 
students were most favorable, if we consider 
the prominent places since occupied by many 
of them. If the results are good, the plan 
must be good. Later graduates, although 
younger, are showing much vigor and are 
meeting with good success. 
In the beginning of any college iu a uew 
country, it is almost always necessary to start 
with a preparatory department and to take 
into classes, studeuts, some of whom are not 
well prepared. Their rank will be low. But 
time will change all this. If the members of 
the faculty are the men for the place, then- en¬ 
thusiasm will attract better students. Prepar¬ 
atory schools will spring up and improve iu 
efficiency. Some of the best students of every 
class will have such a thirst for knowledge 
that, they will remain with their alma mater or 
go elsewhere for a post-graduate course. These 
few advanced students in agriculture will be 
to the lower classes what a university’ is to a 
college or au Academy—they will help create 
an enthusiasm and a res|>eet for study. Post¬ 
graduates are a great help to the Michigan Ag¬ 
ricultural College. The growth of the agricul¬ 
tural schools has been as rapid as any person 
had a reason to expect. Within the past few 
yeare especially, agriculture has rapidly begun 
to take rank as a very resjieetable business. It 
has always been au honorable calbng. but in 
the minds of many not a high one. Let any 
one glance over our country and hunt up those 
who are advancing agriculture by organizing 
societies or helping those which were organ¬ 
ized by others; let him search out the names 
of all the best writers for the agricultural 
press, the men active in making good experi¬ 
ments and good reports, aud considering their 
number and their age, he will be surprised to 
see how large n per cent have taken a course 
at an agricultural college. This is especially 
true in Michigan at the meetings of our State 
and local horticultural societies, farmers’ in¬ 
stitutes, granges, and other gatherings for the 
promotion of agriculture. Judging from the 
present prospects a few years must still greatly 
change these things for the better. 
After writing the last few- paragraphs, it 
may be modest for the writer to conclude by 
saying that he never^took a course at an .agri¬ 
cultural college. 
205 
CONDUCTED BY MISS RAY CLARK. 
THE CACTUS. 
MRS. M. P. A. CBOZIER, 
Late time I saw t.ho wondrous bloom 
Of Cerens laden with perfume— 
Of Cereus, bride of night. 
Her golden sepals nice a crown 
Around ber cup of white— 
Great cup of pearly white! 
On rugged plant the bloom wae found 
A snake-like thing, colled roundand round. 
And armed with many a sting. 
Who could have thought such beauty hid 
In such a dry, coarse thing— 
Such an uncanny thing ? 
’Tls sometimes so In human life— 
Furrowed with care,and scarred with strife. 
Or born with faulty form; 
The rough exterior hides within 
A heart forever warm— 
Sweet, great, as well as warm: 
God does not work as men may plan. 
But wisely gives his gifts to man ; 
Rough shells white pearls enclose. 
And where you only look for thorns. 
May bloom the pale wild rose— 
The pink and fragrant rose. 
And on the cactus plant maybe 
A bloom most wonderful to see- 
A great crowned soul of white. 
And all the good shall wear some day 
A golden crown of Ught— 
Star-set of heavenly light. 
Ann Arbor, illch. 
SKETCHES OF GERMAN LIFE 
BERTHA A. ZEDI WINKLER. 
The Last Harvest. 
The grapes are gathered; the i! Kelter,” con¬ 
taining the wine presses and tanks, is closed 
and silent as the grave: crumbs of the harvest 
festival are consumed with regretful sighs; 
and the hills, so lately ringing with the carols 
of merry vintagers, look bare and brown, and 
deserted. 
Travelers who see Germany and the Ger¬ 
mans from the windows of railway trains at 
this season of the year, will not be favorably 
impressed with the somber aspect of the 
country, and the solitary figures looking at the 
flying train with an air recalling to one's mind 
the tale of the “Seven sleepers.” But in the 
village they are wide awake and active. Even 
a casual observer may notice That something 
of importance is occupying them. The hay 
w’agons drawn up before the staples; sail 
cloths, bags, ropes and rakes under inspection 
and repair are evidently preparations for 
another harvest. But where ami what? Don't 
expect to be informed by the people. They 
are never so close-mouthed, and never so sel¬ 
fish as during these preparations for the last 
harvest. 
“Oh, I’ll have mine all right,” replies one? 
if you ask what it is all for and about, “tel] 
you when I come back.” 
‘•Mine will be worth while. Deep—up to my 
knees.” replies the second, entirely ignoring 
your “where and what/” 
“The spot hasn’t been touched for years. 
Smart one my little girl is that found it.” says 
a third, wfith a broad grin, which, at any other 
time, would have beeu a salute for you; but 
now is vouchsafed on the “spot.” 
Concluding that it is something worth hav¬ 
ing in a place worth keeping secret, one does 
best, to wait for further developments. This 
comes after the evening bells, when every body 
is supposed to be at home and within hearing, 
through the village constable, who, after 
ringing a hand-hell at every convenient stop¬ 
ping-place, announces that “the inhabitants of 
E. are hereby notified that to-morrow the — 
day of November Is appointed Loub-tag. By 
order of the Schulter.” 
Immediately the young element set up 
shouts of “ To-morrow we go in‘s lav hr Hai! 
for purzel bautneinhtubP' (Hoi for somersets 
in the leaves!) and the old people frown reproof 
and smile permission, whil -> gestures of remon¬ 
strance mingling with gesticulations of exhu- 
berunt joy present a vivid picture of German 
demoustrativenesrs. 
The beginning of taub-tag (leaves-day) is as 
early as the earliest arise, which, upon this oc¬ 
casion, is way ahead of sunrise. This last har¬ 
vest, being within reach of all. is gathered on 
the principle of “ first come, beat served;” and 
we may rest assured that Germans are not ex¬ 
empt from those universal traits of selfishness 
which are exhibited upon occasions of gain. 
When the leaves begin to fall then eyes begin 
to turn towards the forest rather furtively, 
and half concealing the intensity of their de¬ 
sire to find und keep possession of the largest 
and best-covered patches. Children, as shrewd 
and intent on their purpose as the parents, 
scour the forests weeks before, singling out the 
best places. This explains the above replies of 
the peasants. They are so intent upon the 
keeping of their fortunate “ find” from others 
that questions upon that subject are answered 
with more caution than intelligence. If it 
