Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-06-11
GENERAL.
From the Greeley Colony

THE Third YEAR IN GOLORADo-THE SEVERE WIN
TER-dRAss aRowfNd-FRuTs -LUMBER cur
TING. Erc., ETC.
Correspondence 9f he Commercial
GREEL y, UJLnHADc, June 4.
Experience has taugh, tue people of Union
Colony, it did the Mormons Of Utah, the ne
ssity and value Of trees a. a screen against the
hot sun of summer and as a break to the fierce
sweeping winds Of spring. Last year, consider
able money was invested in fruit and ornamen-
tai shade trees, but scarcely five per cent Of thom
are alive to-day Now, the harder varieties and
the kinds Indigenous to the soil and climlte, az
the willow, aianthus cotton wood, and box
eder--as the mountain-ash here is called-are
preferred. More than one hundred Thousand
white aud golden willow cuttings were imported
during the past spring into Greeley, from Iii
nois and planted out along our numerous water
ways and borders, for future hedges and shelter
belts The cultivation OF tree-fruit, without
the aid of ehelter-beltH and late irrigation has
been found impracticable, though vines and all
kinds of small fruits, common TO temperate
countries, thrive and yield amazingly At Salt
Lake, which has greater altitude than Greeley.
the quantity and quality Of the peaches and other
fruits raised, are seldom equalled and there
is no reason we Of the POudre Valley should not
succeed equally we'll.
lnb DltltT anu ulhhb TOlh lbbsOn VI WlnlbI,
Zone of the severest ever known here) 30 far an
providing shelter and food for stock are con-
cerned will not. fiom present appearances, be
lost upon the members Of this COLONY, and the
Btock-owners of Northern Colorado.
From lack Of three especial things their stock
persisted by thousands. Should the present
rainy weather continue, however, there will be
grass enough and to spare-bOth for grazing
and and for hay. Hay has been 30 scarce and
dear the past. and thus Yar the present year that
a ms faru md haya
menced the cultivation of roots, as a remedy
against any possible deficit Of this important
crop. A lack of vegetable mould in our sol, our
bright sun and dry air, makes tho propagation
of cultivated grasses nearly impossible. Nearly
all attempts TO start them have ended in failure
Ovid Plumb, owner OF 1000 acres Of bottom land
on the Plat below Greeley has, however, Be-
cured fine stand OF timothy. red and white top
clover and other graeses because the season was
favorable Had other hay raneheros followed
his example this spring we should soon have
plenty of tame instead Of wild grass for hay.
A sufficient quantity of timely moisture. sup
piled either artiticially or naturally is all that
this rich generous soil requires to insure an
hundred fold yield. The deep, rank green color
of our wheat. oats and barley tieds, bears wit
ness OF this. Greeley has now passed tho crisis
Of her infancy. Unless some untoward circum-
stance arise, we shall hereafter be exporting,
Instead Of importing breadstufs.
A new kind OF business has lately sprung up
in this part Of our territory. l allude to what is
technally called river driving" During the
intense cold Of last winter, when nearly every
body was enduring an enforced ideness in the
colony, large party of wood choppers organized
and proceeded to the mountains to fell lumber.
AS result, we shall soon have more than
thousand cords Of cord-wood, and between three
and four million feet of saw logs ahoat and en-
route for the yards and mills Of Greeley. As il
to facilitate this new business. the river (the
Cache la Pondre) il booming full Of water, and
probably will be much fuller yet. We still need,
however, tho establishment Of wooden manufac
tories to work up our woods, and make home
market for our grain and vegetables In the
fulness of time we shall have these for / am
convinced that our ample and cheap water-power,
clear Skies soft and solvent water for securing
and dyeing, cannot long remain unused.
Fewer but more substantial buildings is now
the order in Greeley. Brick instead Of
wood il now the material demanded and used
for building rather large and handsome
brick Academy, for the colony is under contract
to be finished ready for use this fall. Several
blocks (bricl) for stores are also being built,
thus furnishing employment for large number
of workmen. Common lRborers are greatly in
demand wages are good. Send us out some of
your spare force and we shall feel thankful.