Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/769

 KANSAS 749 disagreeable feature of the climate 13 the severe winds which sweep over the prairies during the winter months from the northwest ; during summer, pleasant S. W. breezes prevail. The mean annual temperature for five years was 52-8 : spring, 52-2 ; summer, 75-5 ; autumn, 54 - 3; winter, 29 - l. The average annual rainfall was 44-09 in. : spring, 10-82 ; summer, 18'6; autumn, 9-79; winter, 5-42; from March 1 to Oct. 1, 34-15. The climate of Kansas is said to be highly favorable to consumptives and those suffering with asthmatic or bron- chial complaints; the central and W. portions are singularly free from the diseases which prevail in miasmatic regions and mountain dis- tricts, such as fever and ague, and rheumatic and acute febrile diseases. The soil of Kansas is highly favorable to agriculture. On the bot- tom lands it is from 2 to 10 ft. deep, and on the uplands from 1 to 3 ft. In the E. half of the state it is a black sandy loam intermixed with vegetable mould. In the W. part the soil is light-colored, and is deeper than that of eastern Kansas, being from 2 to 10 ft., but it contains less vegetable mould. The soil of the entire state is rich in mineral constituents; this feature, together with an unusually good drainage, gives to it valuable qualities for the growth of vegetation. Reports covering nine years show that the average production of Indian corn per acre was 18 to 48-4 bushels, wheat 11-6 to 21-4, rye 17 to 25'8, oats 25 to 42, barley 23 to 38, potatoes 85 to 149. Fine grazing and good hay are afforded by the prairie grasses which everywhere abound, growing from 1 to 6 ft. high. The plains in the W. part of the state are covered with a small grass, which has a short curled leaf and spreads on the ground like a thick mat. It is known as buffalo grass, and is extremely sweet and nutritious. Good timber is well distributed throughout the E. part of the state, being generally found along streams and adja- cent ravines. The abundance of coal and stone, however, diminishes the need of wood for fuel or building purposes. The most abundant kinds of trees are oak, elm, black walnut, cottonwood, box elder, honey locust, willow, hickory, sycamore, white ash, and hackberry. The buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, prairie dog, squirrel, horned frog, prairie hen, grouse, wild turkey, wild goose, and many varieties of small birds are found. The rearing of cattle is a prominent industry, and the W. part of the state presents unusual advantages for sheep raising. According to the census of 1870, there were 5,656,879 acres of land in farms, including 1,971,003 acres of improved land, 635,419 of woodland, and 3,050,457 of other unimproved land. The total number of farms was 38,202 ; there were 5,478 containing be- tween 10 and 20 acres, 13,744 between 20 and 60, 8,732 between 50 and 100, 5,346 between 100 and 500, 42 between 500 and 1,000, and 13 over 1,000. The cash value of farms was $90,327,040 ; of farming implements and ma- chinery, $4,053,312 ; total amount of wages paid during the year, including value of board, $2,519,452 ; total (estimated) value of all farm productions, including betterments and addi- tions to stock, $27,630,651; value of orchard products, $158,046; of produce of market gardens, $129,013; of forest products, $368,- 947; of home manufactures, $156,910; of animals slaughtered or sold for slaughter, $4,156,386; of all live stock, $23,173,185. The number of acres under cultivation was returned at 2,476,862 in 1872, and 2,982,- 599 in 1873 ; the value of farm productions in the former year was $25,265,109. The chief agricultural productions in 1870 and 1873 were as follows: PRODUCTIONS. 1870. 1878. 1 814 522 1 076 676 17,025,525 29,688,848 Rye 85,207 801,957 Oats .... 4,097,925 9,837,681 Barley 98,405 508,002 27,626 76,929 18,109 2,892 521 8028 1,558 490 289 78,400 1,410,804 Flax 1,040 Cotton 8,500 2.M.222 83.241 898.8S2 Wool 835005 6 022,758 6,804,698 226,607 148,982 151,172 110,627 135.854(1672) Wax ... . 2,208 8,688 (1872, 14,889 84,505 Milk sold 196 662 718,954 $356,977 828,120 (1672) $42,441 The number of domestic animals on farms re- ported by the census of 1870, and the number and value of all in the state as reported by the state authorities in 1873, were : ANIMALS. 1870. 1873. V.lu In 1873. 117,786 176,161 $10,898,499 11,786 17,816 1,862,971 128440 109.088 61,166 119,728 gwine au;..v-7 880,701 2.098,852 CUtle 250,527 684,021 13,814,441 Though having an abundance of water pow- er, Kansas has not yet attained a high rank in manufacturing industry, the people being de- voted chiefly to agriculture, stock raising, and fruit growing. According to the census of 1870, the total number of manufacturing es- tablishments was 1,477, having 254 steam en- gines of 6,360 horse power, and 62 water wheels of 1,789 horse power, and employing 6,844 hands, of whom 6,599 were adult males, 118 adult females, and 127 youth. The capital invested amounted to $4,319,060; wages paid during the year, $2,377,511 ; value of mate-