The Fremont County record. [volume] (Canon City, Colo.) 1877-18??, 1881-08-27
Fruits and Flowers Of the Rocky Noun.
tains.

ID. S. Grimes In Prairie Farmer.
1t is not generally known that the
largest fruit of the native or wild
plum is found growing in the noun
tains and valleys of Colorado and
Wyoming. Since we first came to
this country ten years ago, our atten-
tIon has been often directed to the
superior quality of both natural and
cultivated fruits. Many varieties of
the wild plum found here are inferior
and unworthy, but once in q while
we find among these inferior kinds
one that deserves more than passing
notice. In the valleys of the Arkan-
sas, Platte, Boulder and st. Vrain, we
have seen varieties of purple, red
and yellow plums double the size of
the Wild Goose or Miner, with small
seed, firm rich flesh, apparently fill
ing the bill of this delicious fruit,
plum full.
In our wanderings along the upper
Arkansas we came upon variety of
the plum differing widely from any
thing we had ever before seen or
heard of. This plum was very large,
roundish, the skin smooth but spot
ted with bright red and yellow spots.
In this group were eleven trees. The
parent or largest tree, measuring six
inches in diameter and about eight
feet in height. The branches of all
the trees in this group put ON a PEN
dent, dropping or weeping charsct-
er. Whether this dropping of the
limbs was owing to the bearing of
heavy crops of fruit, the altitude, or
was the natural growth of the tree,
we are unable to say. The tree be-
ing a dwarf with symmetrical and
weeping head laden with rich, ripe,
spotted fruit as we saw it. Could it
be transferred from its Alpine home
and retain those peculiar character
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time will come when the origin of
some OF ourgfinest fruits and flowers
will be traced to the Rocky noun.
tains. The famous Weaver plum
hrst found growing near Cedar
Rapids, owa,-was doubtless carried
there from the Black Hills by the
Indians. The same variety is found
in several localities near Custer City
and Deadwood.
Inc commissioner of agriculture at
Washington could do the horticulture
al industry of our country valuable
service by careful investigation of
this region of country, gathering up,
and sending out to intelligent culti-
vators many promising varieties of
our wild fruits and flowers. In cur-
rants we find large variety of the
black, red and yellow, in size from
the smallest to the very largest, many
OF which could be improved bv cul-
tivation.
The fora of these grand old noun.
tains for beauty anil variety cannot
be surpassed by any country: Our
conifers, on account of their beauty
ana hardness. are attracting the at
tention OF western nurserymen.
The beautiful dwarf oak, the dark
green alder and gray leafed shep
herdi, interminglc with roses, spire-
as, columbine, lilies and thousands of
other flowers, while the mountain ivy
and fragrant clematis covering trees
and rocks, all combining to teach us
that the Creator did not form these
mountains and cafions as a hiding
place alone for gold and silver, but
has placed his richest treasures on
the surface, free and visible to all.
and yet man in his greed for precious
metals passes them all by, unhoticed
and unappropristed.