Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1888-09-29
Colorado, Its Climate and Fruit.
COLORADO, September, 1888.

DEAR CHRONICLE: Six weeks in this goodly
land serves to confirm all we have heard in its fa-
vor. It is certainly not overrated, the climate
being simply perfect. In other respects the coun-
try is far ahead of my expectations, particularly
so in regard to fruit raising I have always read
and heard that little or no fruit was or could be
raised in the state. That all in the market came
from California, and consequently was of such
high price that only the wealthy could afford to
even look at it, with view of partaking. Those
who have written and said this of the state UNI
doubtedly spoke the truth, as far as they saw;
unfortunately, most people only visit the cities
and places of resort in the mountains. The best
is in the country, and why will people leave city
home and rush into some other city for rest and
recreation when country life is 50 much better for
both?
But to the fruit. Apples first, aud always, my
song has always been like Solomons, Comfort
me with apples" and here in Boulder county,
Colorado, they are grown to perfection none
finer can be produced in the United states, and
what is true of this country, am told is true of
any part of the state if the same case is taken.
The first trial was of the crabs of which there is
great variety, and they are beautiful beyond de-
scription, the trees being loaded with the bright
est of every shade of yellow and red, and some
are even purple. When it was found that crabs
fourished then large varieties were planted, all
within the last fifteen or twenty years, until now
all the farms in this region have fourishing or
chards bearing from one to five hundred bushels
each, Of summer, fall a'oi winter apples none of
them bear names familiar to me except the Ben
Davis, and those | would not recognize on the
trees, they are so much finer and larger than |
ever saw them elsewhere. We have not seen
wormy apple yet and very few decayed ones !;
people bury the winter ones in the ground taking
out as they need through the winter and spring;
old and new are taken to market together some
times. Pears, pums and all the small fruits, are
abundant also, such as strawberries, raspberries,
gooseberres, backberries and currants; the red
raspberry grows wild in the mountains and plums
on or near the streams. One man let people pick
plums on his land at fifteen cents gallon, and he
took in one hundred and twenty-five dollars at
that. The early cultivated plum is large and quite
like those raised in Arkansas, while the late ones
not yet ripe, closely resemble, Winter pears are
still on the trees, and look likely to continue grow
ing until frost. You shall see samples of the late
varieties of apples when we get home. "Seeing
Is DelleNlnS.
Of wild flowers there is great variety, foremost
among them is the sunfower, growing everywhere
from one to six feet high the smallest blossoms
being only an inch and a half across. Dame Ma
ture must have been in quite an Oscar Wilde mood
when she scattered seeds in Colorado, Judging
by the prodigal display of these, and other yellow
flowers; among them is the resin weed, nearly like
the sunhower, but with lighter center, taking its
name from the resinous nature of the juice. Then
the shrub or foliage plant we cultivate, and call
snow on the mountain grows wild in the pastures
and by the roadside; it is much prettier wild,
growing more compactly. A pure white, single
poppy, reminded me, when seen at distance, of
growing cotton. The beautiful golden red, with a
multitude of still finer yellow blossoms, have been
coming and going all these six weeks, and still
they come! condensed sunshine scattered all
about under our feet, and fresh over our heads
i. L.. ~. 4