The Kansas Pacific Homestead from Lawrence, Kansas • 3

is for bis or her exclusive use and benefit, tree seeds, including ash, box elder, and number of fine acbool bouses, some costing Pais Railway- and for actual settlement and cultivation. LAND OFFICE FEES FOR HOME-STEADLANDS ARE AS FOLLOWS? ANNUAL REPORT OF INDUSTRIAL AGENT. To the President ami Directors of thes Kansas Pacific Railrtad Co Gentlemen The experiments in cultivation on tho plains, continued during tho past year, have sustained the opinions expressed a year ago. The three stations where most of the work has been done, are tho following Name of Station. W.

from K. City. AlxivewaleveL COMMISSIONS. Vtt. 4 II Payabla Payable Payable 4 when n- when lin o- 1 try la eertillcale try la i made.

laauoa. made. IIO 1 1 8 4 00 00 10 oo IS 00 1(1 goo 900 5 oo too i tea oo i oo 5 oo ho ll lti 8 00 8 00 10 00 00 'HO 50 4 00 4 00 10 00 18 00 40 BO 9 no 8 oo a "0 00 uioKory, nave seen planted at eaon ot toe 1 it. I A.J omuuus, nuu mo resuus win do noieu future reports. Cuttings of Cottonwood, Lombardy and white poplar, and white and goldon willow, did well at Wilson and tho Cottonwood and willows at Ellis.

Upon tho wbolo, the assumption of last yoar report, that we may grow on the plains, without irrigation, luoern and other valuable forage plants, winter and spring grains, and trees from seed, as far west as tho one hundredth meridian, and probably to the mountains," appears to bo abundantly sustained. TOAX8PLASTED TKEKS. Trial was niado at Wilson of transplanted trees as follows Evergreens White Pino. Strobus, Scotch P. Syhestri.

Austrian Pino P. Austriava. Coreican Pine P. Laricio. Norway Abies Excelsa.

Rod Cedar Junipcrus Virginiana. Deciduous: Ailantus Glandulosa. Americana. Box Elder Negundo Aceroides. Catalpa C.

Jiignonoides. Chestnut Vcsca. 1 Cottonwood Pomim MonUifera. Elm Ulmus Americana. Hon3y Locust Gkditsehia TriacantJios.

European Europea. Tilia Americana. Silver Maple Acer Dasycarpum, Syoamore A. PseudO'Platanus. Osage Orange Madura Aurantiaca.

Lombardy Dilatata. White Poplar P. Alba. Tulip Tulipifera White and Golden Willow Salix Alba. Walnut Juglans Nigra.

These trees, whether transplanted or from seeds or cuttings, grew well at Wilson last season. As a general rule, the growth was equal to what is usual in Eastern Missouri or Illinois. Ellis, the same transplanted trees were tried as at Wilson, except Cottonwood and red cedar. The result was encouraging, as a whole, although the chestnut and laroh may be said to have failed on' this first trial, the Norway spruce to have been nearly a failure, and some others less vigorous than at Wilson; The hail storm of 1st June greatly damaged the trees, cutting off the leaves and shoots, and splitting the bark. The damage retarded the growth of all the trees, and some were killed to tbe ground, but kept alive at the root, and are now sending up strong shoots.

At Pond Creek the growth of some kinds of trees, in one of the most forbidding spots of all the plains, was highly encouraging. Ailantus, ash, box elder, catalpa, honey looust and Osage orange promise well for the future. Elm and walnut made moderate growth, and seem to have established themselves. The willows did not come un to exnectation. and the poplars and silver maple are of doubtful value.

European larch (except one plant) failed, and also most ot the evergreens but a few of the pines have survived, and promise well. Further trial of laroh is being made this season at Pond Creek and Ellis. Some Scotch and Austrian pines have also been planted at Ellis, and will be at Pond Creek. There is reason to believe that these two species of pine will be ot great value on the plains A consignment of seedling pinon trees is expected tor trial, with hope oi success. NO IRRIGATION.

The experiments were all without irrigation. Except to soak some of the seeds, or to puddle the roots of the trees as planted, not one drop of wat was ap plied. Nor had the trees the of well-prepared ground, or good care and cultivation they were not aided by mulching, nor had they any shade or shelter from the winds. Owing to the distance of the stations apart, and the limited means applicable, it was not practicable to give the attention usual in nurseries, and therefore the suooess aotually realized is the more remarkable and encouraging. All the conditions of the experiments were such as the ordinary farmer may easily imitate and equal.

STORM SHIELDS. In the report of last year, it was assumed that "the growth of living storm shields along the line of the Kansas Paoifio Railway, and of timber for the uses of the road, is only a matter of effort and time." This assertion is repeated now with increased confidence. It will be wise eoonomy to begin at the earliest possible day, to prepare for timber plantations and for wind-breaks where snow fences are needed. All of which is respectfully submitted. R.

S. Elliott, Industrial Ag't Kansas Pacific Railway. Ellis, Kansas, April 30, 1872. Tbree thriving towns and numorous post offices about the county afford good trading and mail facilities. Fruit of all kinds grows finely.

Peaoh trees tbree years from the seed are bearing a bushel apiece tbis year. Apples bear at four and five years. Grapes, melons, sweet potatoes, peanuts, Ac, grow to perfection. All kinds of grain do atr wcll, winter wheat yielding from twenty-five to forty-five bushels per acre, oats fifty to eighty, oorn forty to one hundred, and many a field will reach the latter this year. The population is about five thousand, and for morality und intelligence will compare favorably with any county.

There are still 100,000 acres of the best Government land vaoant in the county, which soldiers can lo under the late law. The K. P. Railway have nearly another hundred thousand, which comprises some of the best stock ranges for sheep or cattle, as well as some of tho choicest farming lands to be found anywhere. This has for years been the favorite pasture grounds of the Texas droves, and the valley is universally admitted to be the most beautiful in the great West.

Messrs. Eaton OIney are agents for the K. P. 11. V.

lands, at Lindsey, the county seat, and will attend to the looa. tion of soldiers' homesteads. They are thoroughly posted as to all the lands in this county, and are familiar with all the laws regulating the entry of lands. CROPS ON THE PLAINS. Successful Experiments.

Htm. Jno. P. Demeux, Land Commmioner K. P.

Dkar Sir I send you by baggageman samples of sorghum, millet and Hungarian grown at the Pond Creek field, without irrigation sown broadcast April 26, and cut August 3, 1872. This experiment shows that fodder to any amount can be cheaply raised on the plains of Western Kansas and Eastern Colorado. Planted in drills, the sorghum, with cultivation, would be much taller and heavier in the stalk but my object was to 83e how cheaply and with what rude processes it could be produoed. Sorghum is a forage plant of great value. It was Erst introduced for this use and, dried, as it may be in tho climate of the plains, it will be found to be of superior nutritive character.

These samples are sent for exhibition in your department, if you think worth while. I shall take care to have samples at the fairs this -fall Topeka, Leavenworth, St. Louis and Kansas City. A trial of corn at Pond Creek would have been an entire sucocbs, but for gophers and prairie dogs. The seed was planted in time, but during the absence of my outfit at Wilson and Ellis, the seed and and young plants were nearly all taken.

A few stalks which escaped have grown well, and have ears eight to ten inobes in length. The value of these experiments can hardly be estimated. Without the possibility of growing fodder and grains, depending only on the rainfall, in a region where irrigation is impracticable, except at heavy cost, this bountry could only be occupied by scattered ranches a few men with large herds of half-wildj cattle, and themselves but little better than savages, would1 have been the only population to be expected. But this little patch at Pond Creek, with its rye, sorghum, millet and Hungarian, and the little trees also, suggests a denser settlement and a higher condition of civilization, and proves their possibility. This 'work, done so near the west line ot Kansas, is of great value to the State.

It shows a possibility of sustaining settlements which was not dreamed of when I oame out here two years ago to see what could be done and find out now to do it. Truly yours. It. S. Elliott, Industrial Agent K.

P. It. W. HOMESTEADS AND PREEMPTIONS. The existing homestead laws give the right to every citizen to homestead 80 acres of land within the limits of any railroad grant, or 160 acres outside of suoh limits.

They also give the like privilege to any person over the age of 21 years, who has deolared their intention to become a citizen also to persons who are heads of families, although they may not be 21 years of age to widows of any age, and to single women who are over 21 years of age. Tf obtain homesteads, the application must go before the Register and Receiver of the land office for the district in which the land selected is loeated, and make affidavit in accordance with tbe above facta and also that the entry to be made TK3 Great Overland All Rail Routs KANSAS CITY AND LEAVENWORTH TlIItOUUK Kansas and Colorado TO The Shortest Route from KANSAS CITY to DENVER. The Shortest Line to PUEBLO. TRINIDAD, SANTA FE, FORT UNION, and ALL POINTS IN NEW MEXICO and ARIZONA. Ho Ferries.

Ho Omnibus Transfers. ITo Change of Cars. The Direct Line LAWRENCE, TOPEKA, ST. MARY'S, BBLVUE, WAMEGO, MANHATTAN, JUNCTION CITY, ABILENE, SOLOMON, SALINA, BROOKVILLE, WILSON, BUNKER HILL, FOSSIL, ELLIS, WALLACE, CARSON, DUNVER. Shortest and Best Route to all points In Kansas Colorado.

Don't fail to take a trip 'through Kansas and view the great advantages offered for a home. Everybody in search of health and pleasure, should make an excursion over the Kansas Pacific Railway. 6,000,000 OF- Choice Land for Sale. Millions of acres of government land free to actual settlers. Special inducements to colonists and emigrants.

Only Line Running Pullman Palace Cars to Denver. Only Line through Ha Buffalo Most desirable route to all points in Utah, Montana, Nevada, California and all points on the Pacific Coast. EOM'D 8. BO Otm'I ShmL BEVERLEY S. KEIM, Om'i Tkktt Agt Kmms City, Mo.

oewveb aaHBaMHaiHHlaa MWs Wllwm (now BoaUml) tulle, l.WtlfiH, Ellin, aw fouU Creek (Wallace) 3.175 WINTER GltAIXS. The wheat, rye and barley sown Novem ber 11, 1870, at Wilson, all yielded fair orops. no same grams sown at jvhib, October 20, 1870, were in very proaiiinr condition, when a hail-storm of unusual severity, June 1st, 1871, totally destroyed them. At rood Creek, as stated in last year's report, the wheat and' barley sown 28th Soptember, 1870, was partially winter killed; but the plants whioh survived made heads of the usual length, well filled with grains of good size and quality. The rye at Pond Creek grew finely and matured a good crop.

The Missouri State Hoard of Agriculture visited the stations in June, and in their report the President and Secretary say We fuund wheat, rye and barley (sown November 11, 1870), at Wilson, equal to, if not beyond, tbe average crop of any part of the Union and of Pond Creek, they say The rye (sown 28th September) on raw ground, would rate as a good crop in Missouri or Illinois and of winter wheat and barley, the plants which had survived the winter were heading out finely. Bye maj be re-garded as a valuable crop to the west line of Kansas (without irrigation) and further trials of wheat and barley of the more hardy kinds will, in all probability, be successful." On 1st September, 1871, wheat, rye and barley were sown at Ellis. The barley suffered much by the unusual severity of the past winter but the wheat and rye are doing so well as to be the wonder of all observers. In the same neighborhood, wheat and rye on the farm of Dr. L.

Watson promise finely. At Pond Creek, rye was sown 28th September, 1871 (the seed having grown at Wilson), and gives promise of a good crop. In a part of the ground (not re-plowed since harvest last year) the surface is well covered with a vigorous growth of rye the seed dropped. Your experiments show that an immense area of the State of Kansas will produce winter grains without irrigation, in a region heretofore reputed to be too arid for cultivation without artificial supplies of moisture. GRASSES.

Trials of grass seeds at the stations named, have shown that sorghum, timothy, lueern, red clover, and Hungarian grass, may be regarded as future forage crops on the plains the first and last being the most promising for immediate use. Luoern is more difficult to establish than the others, but will last many years, enduring the extremes of both summer and winter in even the most exposed parts of the plains. Maize may be grown for fodder at eaoh of the stations, and for its grain also at Wilson and Ellis. At Pond Creek, sorghum made a good length of stalk last year, and matured hne panicles of seeds. At Ellis and Wilson, the stalks attained a height of nine to ten feet, and abundance of seeds were matured, even with broadcast sowing and no cultivation.

This plant will prove of immense value in Western Kansas and Eastern Colorado. Hungarian grass grew rapidly to the usual bight, and matured its seed in due season. THEE SEEDS. There were planted at Wilson as follows Fall of 1870 Seeds of ailantus, chestnut, oak, peach, pecan, and pinon or nut of New Mexico (Pinus edulis); Spring of 1871 Seeds ot ailantus, oa-talpa, elm, looust, honey looust, silver maple, Osage orange, and black walnut. All these seeds, except the pinon, did remarkably well and the seedling trees exhibited at various agricultural fairs in the autumn of 1871, elicited much favorable comment.

Seeds of ailantus, catalpa, looust, honey locust and Osage orange, were tried at Ellis with encouraging prospects, but most of the seedling trees were destroyed by the hail storm of 1st June. Seeds of ailantus, sown broadcast at Pond Creek, resulted in a moderate growth of trees, of which a fair proportion have survived the heat of summer and cold of winter, and are now in leaf. Seods of honey locust have also yielded thrifty young trees at Pond Creek. Though very limited, the experiments with tree seeds have sufficed to show that trees may be grown from seed without iffieation alone the line of your road to the west line of Kansas, and in all proba bility to tbe base of ue mountains. During the present spring, a variety of Upon payment of this fee, tho Receiver of land office will issue his receipt there for, and furnuh claimant with a duplicate.

The homestead nartv must avmar in person for this class of lands, and live on tho land nve yoars, at the end of which time, or within two yerrs thereafter, he must prove by two witnesses bis continued occupancy of the land for a period of five years, and, on payment of the fee, a certificate for the land will be issued to him, and in due time a patent, which is equivalent to a warranty deed. As to soldiers rod sailors any person who has served "ninety days in the army or navy of the Uoited States, and been honorably discharged, may enter 160 acres for a homestead, either within or outside of railroad limits in which ease the time of service, or the entire term of enlistment when discharged on account of wounds or disability, will be deduoted from the time heretofore required to perfect title but no matter how lone such per son may have served, he must reside upon the homestead, improve and cultivate the same for at least one year, and all such cultivation and residence must immediately follow tbe date of entry. The like privilege is accorded to the widow of any such person, if Bhe has not married again, or in case of her death or marriage, the minor children may enter land under the above provisions, with the additional privilege accorded, that if the person died during his term of enlistment, the widow or minor children shall have the credit of the entire term of enlistment. Suoh homesteads may be obtained by making application in manner similar to that of ordinary homesteads, or the applicant may file his or her claim for a tract of land through an agent, and may have six months thereafter before being required to make the entry or to settle upon the land; but failure to make the entry or to begin the improvements within that time, is regarded as abandonment, and the homestead privilege is forever lost. In case of the death of the homestead party, his or her rights go to the benefit of the heirs.

If the settler does not wish to remain on the land the full period required by law, he or she may pay for it in cash, with a land warrant, or with college scrip, at the Government price. Absence from a homestead claim for a period of six months, is evidence of abandonment, after which any qualified person may enter and occupy. PREEMPTION LANDS. Lands may be preempted to the extent ot lbU acres, and by persons having the requisites as set forth above. The first thing to be done is to make improvements on the land selected, after which he has ninety days within which to file his claim for such land, which will cost $2.

He is expected to continue his improvements and to reside on the land; and may, after six months actual residence, with his family also, if married, prove by one witness such residence, and he will be permitted to pay for it in cash or land 1 warrants at the Government price. He need not, however, prove up or pay for the land until thirty months after he has filed his claim for the same. If the persDn should so decide, he will be permitted to homestead 80 aores of the 160 he may have filed on, and to pay for the balance in such manner and time as above. The party who makes the first improvement on a piece of land has the first and best claim to the same, Thirty days continued absence is evidence! of abandonment, and the first settler thereafter would then have the best claim to the land. The law gives but one homestead and one pre-emption privilege to each person but no owner of 320 acres of land is entitled to the benefits of the preemption laws.

The United States land office for Central and Western Kansas, is at Saline county. We advise all who desire any information regarding the advantages offered to settlers and travelers in Kansas or Colorado, to apply to P. T. Diokinson, 317 Broadway, N. Y.J1 General Eastern Agent -i i mi vi ivuuom Buiuo Avuuway, WHO Will 0n tuny turnun pamphlets, maps, o..