The surface of the state is generally undulating, with a gentle slope toward the e., where there is a succession of fertile prairies, rich valleys, mid grass-covered hills. On the western line the altitude above the sea is more than 3,000 ft.,while it is less than 1000 ft. near the Missouri river. The river-bottoms vary in width from one-quarter of a mile to 10 miles. Back from the bottom-lands are bluffs varying in height from 50 to 300 feet. The state is abundantly watered. On the north-eastern border the Missouri pre sents a water front of nearly 150 miles. The Kansas river, formed by the union of the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers, in Daviess co., flows eastward 150 in., and empties into the Missouri near Wyandotte, where the latter turns from a southerly to an eastward course. The Smoky Hill rises in Colorado, and after entering Kansas receives the Saline and the Solomon—the former about 200 and the latter 300 m. long. The Republican also rises in Colorado, flows across the n.w. corner of Kansas into Nebraska, and after wards returns to the state, joining the Kansas as above mentioned. The Big Blue, which rises in Nebraska, and the Grasshopper are northern tributaries of the Kansas, while the Wakarusa joins it from the south. About two-thirds of the state lies s. of the Kan sas and Smoky Hill rivers. The Osage rises in the e. part of the state, flows s.e. 125 m., and enters Missouri. The Neosho rises near the center of the state, flows s.c., receives.the Cottonwood, and enters the Indian territory. The Verdigris, 20 in. further w., flows nearly parallel with the Neosho, and also enters the Indian territory. The Arkansas, which rises in Colorado, runs through nearly three-fourths of the length of Kansas, in is course so tortuous that its windings in the state have been reckoned at 500 miles. With its tributaries, the Walnut, the Little Arkansas, and Cow creek, it drains the larger portion of southern Kansas. No one of all these interior rivers is navigable.
Bituminous coal is found in the entire e. portion of the state, but some of the veins are thin. The coal-bearing region embraces an area of 17,000 sq.miles. Some coal of an inferior quality exists in the w. part of the state, where salt in large quantities and of the purest quality is found. Iron ore is found only in small quantities and of a char acter which will not repay working. Lead, alum, limestone suitable for hydraulic cement, petroleum, deposits of lime, line building stone, and brick and other clays, arc not lacking. The climate of Kansas is very pleasant, the great proportion of fair sunny days being one of its features. In winter the temperature rarely falls below zero; in summer it ranges from 60° to 100°, but the nights are cool and the air is dry and pure. The winter winds, to which the prairies offer no obstruction, are sometimes very severe; but on the whole the climatic conditions are highly favorable to consumptives and those suffering from asthma and other bronchial troubles.
The fossils in the w. part of the state are of great geologic interest. They embrace dicotyledonous leaves of many species, some of which are new to science: cinnamon, such as now grows only in the torrid zone: large sharks and other fish; saurians aed amphibians of great size; and marine shells, reptiles, and fishes of species previously unknown.
The soil of the state is admirably adapted to agriculture, being rich in the mineral constituents which promote vegetation. The bottom-lands are especially fertile, the soil being from 2 to 10 ft. deep, On the uplands it is from 1 ft. to 3 ft. in depth. In the e. half of the state it is a black, sandy loam, intermixed with vegetable mold. In the w. part it is of a lighter color, but deeper than that in the east. The e. part of the state is well wooded, The trees most abundant are oak, elm, black walnut, hickory, sycamore, cotton-wood, box-elder, honey-locust, willow, white 'ash and blackberry. In the most sparsely-settled portions of the state the buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, and prairie-dog may still be found, while the prairie-hen, wild turkey, wild goose, and other game birds are plentiful.
The prosperity of Kansas since its Admission to the Union is hardly paralleled by that of any other state. In 1855 it bad a population of 8,501; in 1860, 107,206; in 1870, 364,899; in 1875, of 531,156; in 1880, of 995,335. The increase since 1875 appears to have been at the rate of nearly or quite 100,000 per annum. It is mainly an agricultural slate, though its manufacturing interests and mineral resources have been rapidly developed. The assessed value of property in 1875 was $137,480,000. The total number of acres of land is 33,599,600,, of which 5,595,305 were then under cultivation, and 28,004,295 were uncultivated. In 1878 the cultivated portion of the state had increased to 6,583,728 acres. The true valuation of property for 1870 was $188,892,014; that for 1880 $260,000,000. The value of agricultural productions for 1878 is reported as follows: Field products, $49,914,434; increase in total value of farm animals, $6.401,871; products of live stock, $10,415,339; products of market gardens, $247,510; apiarian products, $55,141; horticultural products, $2,642, 770—total valuation of faint products, $69,677.067. The acreage of winter wheat in 1879 was estimated at 1A7,525, that of spring wheat at 412,139—making a total of 1,709,664 acres. The arca in corn was 2,925,070 acres; in oats, 573.928 acres; in potatoes, 65,000 acres; in flax, 69.383 acres; in cultivated grasses, 139,976 acres; in prairie, meadow, and pasture, 484,019 acres; total area in all farm crops, 7.757,130 acres. The apple crop of 1877 was valued at $1,445,128; the peach crop at $539,056; chei ries, $138,239; wine from grapes, $11. 201; small fruits, $707,060. The number of farm dwellings erected in 1879 was 15,952, valued at nearly $3,000.000. The latest statistics, of manufactures are those of 1870, when the number of establishments was 1,477, employing capital amounting to $4,819, 060, and paying in wages during the year, $2,377,511; value of products, $11,775,833. The chief industries were: carpentering and building, flouring and grist mills, foundries, lumber-mills, saddlery and harness, and woolen mills. A state commissioner was engaged in 1878 in stocking the rivers with fish, chiefly salmon and shad. The number of national banks in 187d was 20, with a capital of $1,975,000, and a circulation of 81,5'17,496. In 1874 there were in the state 34 fire and marine and 20 life insurance companies.