The Clifton clarion., 1886-06-02
STOCK NOTES.
and Summer Ranges.

state, and that this, added to tho
 already extensive fields, will givt
 Colorado greater acreage in al
 falfa than has any other state. Il
 would seem that there Is nothing
 that the farmers of Colorado could
 plant with greater assurance ot
 profit than alfalfa. It is the cror
 which Is to supplement the gras:
 of the range in making Colorado
 more truly than ever a great cattle state. This is especially true
 where the mountains and broad
 agricultural valleys lie close to- gether, so that cattle can be profit. ably driven from one to another.
 There are upon the mountains of western and southern Colorado millions of acres of summer range. Upon this grass cattle could grow fat in summer; but as in winter the grass Is covered with snow, the summer range is useless. The cattle which would thrive in sum- mer would starve in winter. But the problem of how to utilize the summer ranges is solved by the discovery of the uses of alfalfa, md the luxuriance of it's growth in this state.
 There are great many valleys in Colorado where alfalfa can be grown in abundance, and which are surrounded by mountains or elevated platesus that in summer are covered with the richest and most luxuriant grass. Take for in stance the Uncompahgre. the Grand and the Cactus valleys the latter lying between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction. Thousands of feet above them on the Uncompahgre plateau, the Grand mesa and the White River plateau, there are miles upon miles of summer range, where the grass is so luxuriant that cattle cannot eat it down. But the number of cattle that can with safety be put upon these ranges is limited by the number that can be supported In winter upon the range of the small valleys below. But if the farmers in the large agricul- tural valleys just named would plant alfalfa they would raise thereby enough feed to support during winter all the cattle that during summer could be put up- on the summer ranges surround ing the valleys.
 From three to four crops of al- fslfa can be cut each year, and the yield will average four tons to the acre throughout the state. Care ful farming can easily raise the yield to five tons per acre. and in exceptional, to six or seven tons. But the majority of farmers are not careful, and the average must therefore be counted at four tons. It Is estimated that with careful feeding a ton and a half of alfalfa will support one anlmll from the time 1t must be taken off the range in tue fall until the grass grows again in the spring. But the ma jority of feeders are not careful, and therefore the average amount that one animIl would consume is placed at two tons.
 From this it can be seen that 500 acres of alfalfa would support 2,0O0 head of cattle during the feed- ing season. It would not mere ly support them. It would keep them in good condition. Anyone who has seen the summer range of the plateau between the Grand river and the White, which we have referred to as the White river plateau, will readily admit that i've acres of It would keep an ani mal rolling fat during the summer months. When we consider the siz5 of the valleys in which alfalfa could be raised and the millions of scros of summer range that are in western Colorado, it becomes ap- pirent what an immense futuro could be made for the cattle busi- in the western part of this state. as for the expense of raising alfal- Ia after it is once we'll set, it con sists only of the irrigation and cut ting and curing the crops. It is about the same as the expense of raising timothy in the Mississippi Valley ates.-Denver Tribune.
 Our Cattle T,auda