Delta chief., 1883-03-21

of sand, are also very productive and desir-
able. The greasewood lands, being the most
extensive of the valley lands, do not appear
to contain particle of sand. They are light
and SIdusty when dry, and sticky and slippery
when wet'
The valleys proper-of both the Gunnison
and Uncompahgre - are from two TO five
miles wide, back of which rises the first mesa
to height of from thirty to fifty feet. This
mesa is an extensive bench of good land
which will in time be irrigated and covered
with farms. This mesa exists on both sides
of the rivers and extends back to the foot of
the plateaus, or as they generally called,
the grand mesas. The rivers run through the
central part of the valleys, so that good farms
are located on either side. An abundant
growth Of cSttonwoods extends along the
banks of the streams, and il is from these
trees that the settlers have for the most part
built their cottages, and for a new country,
it must be said, these places are very pretty
Yellow pine of the best quality covers the
mountain ranges. There is belt beginning
near Ouray and running parallel with and on
the wst side of the unconpshgre and Gun
nison TO Utah, which is from fifty to sixty
miles long, and from five TO twenty miles
wide. II is fifteen miles west OF Delta, and
can he reached by wagon road. II affords a
good opening for saw mills. The lumber
made from this timber is as good, if not bet
ter than the best Chicago or Milwaukee ium-
Der.
LAND.
The lands since July IS, 1882, are open to
pre-emption, 10 town-siie entry, and to entry
nader the mineral statutes but not 10 home
stead or scrip entries, or timber culture.
government survey has been ordered, but the
pre-emptor viii have about three years to
pay for his land.
WHAT WILL GROW BEKEy
To this question there is but one answer to
make: Almost anything in the agricultural
line and in the way Of fruits, a possibility
tina, all kinds can be successfully grown.
The first assertion has been practically
demonstrated. ON one ranch was raised
corn, alfalfa. potatoes, turniPs, hects, carrots,
par.nips. cabbage. onions. tomatoes, beans,
squash, peas, cucumbers, lettuce, musk and
watcrinclons, and rslshes. The domestic
Eti-N'S M XIV ~ ia"-aS'h
top, clover, Hungarian, milict. etc. Potatoes
weighing six and half pounds were raised
on the North Fork, and green corn and mel
ons were furnished TO the Gunnison market.
Last year odessa wheat yielded over 10 bush
els To the acre, oats from 80 To 20 bushels, and
potatoes from zoo TO 400 bushels. IL can be
safely asserted that all the cereals and yere-
tables suited TO temperate zone may be
raised. II may be that here, MS in the valleys
ON the eastern slnp. of the Rocky Mountains,
that the intense winter warmth followed by
sudden extremes Of cold, may be-fatal TO fruit
culture; bu, soil and climate matching that
soil aud climate where the peach and apricot
flourish to perfection thought 10 he here.
Young apple trees set ont last spring grew
from fifteen to thirty-siS inches during the
season.
The plaieaus, or grand mcsas, they are
commonly called, drained by the ,ribu;ries
Of the Gunnison and uncompahgrc rivers, is
a fine cattle country. There are great mes;s
slopiug down from the foot of the ranges,
containing hundreds OF thousands of acres of
fine. rich, alluvial soil. which in summer, as
far as the eye can reach, is one great waving
sea Of grass resembling bluc;joint, but in
reality gramma grass. Here are vas; ranges
We, to hc.occupicd. and TO become the stock
growing paradise. In winter stock can he
run in the valley country below these high
mesas, where bunch-grass abounds and but
little snow is met with, save in exceptional
winters Last year q profit of so to 100 per
cent. was made on stock. Mich ows are
from $50 TO S75; stock cows, S3j; work oxen,
slo0 to SIPS per yoke; beef S to 10 cents per
pound sheep, $3.50 TO So; horses, S75 to
SIoo; mules, 500 to $3.50: ponies, $50 to $50
GAME.
Game can he found here in great abund.
nncc. II is estimated that last winter fully
5000 deer were killed within few miles of
Delta. Rabbits, ducks, geese, plovcrs, cur
lcws, grouse and prairie chickens, beside the
larger game, such - elk, deer, and scTcral
varieties of bear, are found in every direction
Mountain sheep can he found on the higher
mountain ranges. The streams are full of
spcckled trout and salmon, nfioriing fine
sport for the manipulator of the line and fly.
COAL.
Delta is in the ncighborhood of twenty
p,il,s from Smiths Fork, North Fork, and
Surface creek, where coal deposits are eSten.
sivc, and the quality equal to that of Penn
sylvania. By analyses make by experienced
metalurgists in the East, the bitumiuous coal
contains 75 per cent. of carbon and but