Delta chief., 1883-06-20
Delta, and the Denver & Rio Grande railwa!
company, stockholders of the company

Delta, ana the Denver G Eio pranuc raliW3I
company, stockholders of the company.
THE COUNTY.
The boundary lines of Delta county are rs
follows: Beginning at point two miles
south of the. third correction line extended
west to a point of intersection with the
1879 3g west longitude; thence due north
along said degree Of longitude to the divide
between the headwaters Of the Grand and
Nth Fork of the Gunnison rivers; thcnee
along said divide in soutliw esterly direction
TO point on the extreme southwestern ex-
Of the Grand Nest; thence in southwest
erly direction 10 the mouth Of the Rio
Dominguez: thence due south TO point
two miles south Of an extension oi the
third correction line; thence due cas; par
allel with said extension Of the third cor
rcction line 80 the place Of beginning. The
county scat Is Delta.
THE VALLEYS.
A rcccn, writer has said Of the soil of the
valleys that il shows at least four distinct
characteristics. The first, running in mar
row belt along the bank of the river, IS a
dark. rich, sandy loan, largely covered with
coi;onwocd>, willows and undcrbrush. The
saec-brush lands come next in order. in np-
pearance resembling the fertile lands of Utah
and California, carrying hui small quantity
OF sand, are also very productive and desir-
able. The grcasewood lands, being the most
extensive of the valley lands, do not appear
to contain particle Of sand. They are light
ard dusty when dry, and sticky and slippery
when wet"
The valleys prupcr-of both the Gunnison
and Uncompahgre arc from two 10 five
miles wide. back Of which rises the first mesa
to height Of from thirty to tifly feet. This
mesa j. 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 plateau-, or they are generally called,
the grand mcSas. The rivers run through the
central part of the valleys, so that good farms
ARE located On either side. An abundant
growth Of cottonwoods extends along the
banks of the streams, and 1t is from these
trees that the settlers have for the most par;
built their cottages, and for n new country,
il must be said, these places arc very pretty
Yellow pine OF the hest quality covers the
mountain ranges. There IS q belt beginning
near ouray and running parallel with and ON
the west side Of the Uncompahgre and Gun
niscn to Utah, which is from fifty to sixty
miles long, aud from FIVE to twenty miles
wide. II is fiftccn miles west of Delta, and
can be reached by wagon road. II affords II
good opening for saw mills. The Lumber
made from this timber is as good, ii not bet
,cr than the best Chicago or Milwaukee lum-
bcr.
LAND.
The lands since July IS. 1852, are open 10
prc-cmption, to town-ste entry, and 10 entry
under the mineral statutes, but not to home
stead or scrip entries, or timber culture. \
vovernmen, survey has been ordered, but the
pre-emptor will have about three years To
pay for his land.
WHAT WILL GROW HERE?
To this question there is but one answer to
make: Almost anything in the agricultural
line and in the way of fruits, n possibility
that all kinds can be successfully grown.
The first assertion has been practically
demonstrated. On one ranch was raised
corn, alfalfa, potatoes, turnips, beets, carrots,
parsnips, cabbage, onions. tomatoes, beans
squash, peas, cucumbcrs, lettuce, musk and
watcrmelons, and radishcs. The domestic
grasses all grow by irrigntion-timothy, blue
top, clover, Hungarian, millet, etc. Potatoes
weighing six and half pounds were raised
ON the North Fork, ant green corn and mel
ons were furnished to the Gunnison market.
Last year Odessa wheat yielded over 80 bush
els to the acre, oats from so to 20 bushels, and
potatoes from 200 to 400 bushcls.N 1t can be
safely asserted that all the cereals and vegc-
tables suited to temperate zone may be
raised. 1t may be that here, as In the valleys
on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains,
that the intense winter warmth followed by
sudden extremes Of cold, may be fatal to fruit
culture; but soil and climate matching that
soil and climate where the peach and apricot
flourish d perfection are thought to he here.
Young apple trees set out last spring grew
from fifteen to thirty-six inches during the
season.
STOCK.
The rlateaus, or grand mesas, rs they are