The Delta independent., 1889-11-26
Farming in the Uneompahgre Val.

ley.
nuriny the cold weather of the winter
months it is generally hard matter to ap-
proach \ public fire without finding it sur
rounded by certain class of gentleman
whose i,,vorite theme of conversation seems
to he "'rhe burdens of the mortgage ridden
rnnchmen." That man can make money
raising hay, grain and vegetables for the
markets is IL proposition that these gentlemen
seem to take great pleasure in discussing for
the sole peurpose of demonstrating its ab-
surdity-to their own minds at least.
As the weather is becoming colder and
business men are again warming up their
rooms we would like to give these gentlemen
u few items not only to ponder over but to
reiute il they call. We would feel espec-
tally to have them show that the enterprises
ig which their capital is invested and to
which their energies are devoted are more
profitable than farming.
We will take, for example, Nr. Israel
Stetts whose prosperity we think one will
deny being fair average of the ranchmen
of the Uncompahge waller.
Hr. Stotts located Il elaine in 1885 and
almost Immediately met With difficulties and
discouragements enough to do dishearten o
dozen ordinary men. In 1885 he could not
procure water enough to irrigate garden
and had t, depend entirely upon his indi.
vidual efforts to support his family. During
the summer of 1887 he was fortunate enough
to get II sufficient amount of water to irrigate
a small garden, which produced an abund-
snce of vegetables for family use. In the
spring of 1883 the ditch system was practc-
ally completed and he devoted his entire re-
sources to raise a crop of grain. Let MS see
if this crop proved profitable: Mr.. Stotts
bought one large mule team, one nearly new
wagon, one spring tooth grain seeder, all
the plows and smaller implements needed on
the ranch, paid off over 800 in accounts due,
bought and paid for water enough for two
ranches to be used in 1889. Every one Of
these items was paid out of the proceeds of
the crop and pasturage of 1888. Last spring
Mr.. s. was prepared for farming and seeded
almost his entire ranch to grain and now
speaks of paying off the mortgage of $1,000
and make extensive improvements as matters
of small concern.
Mr. s. Rontcitp has farfned about 160 acres
during the last five years and as he farms
almost exclusively with hired help he keeps
II book account of all ranch transactions,
He says il costs him in round numbers $40
per acre to raise aud market crop of grain
and that his wheat crop has averaged % bu,
per acre and his oats crop 20 bus. per acre.
This would give fair profit at the lowest
market prices for grain since the settlement
of the country, but Mr.. r. always manages
ia hold his grain for the highest market
prices. In 1887 Mr.. Roadcap experimental
with corn, planting 50 acres which was care
fully cultivated, and was more costly than
wheat or oats, He, however succeeded in
raising 81 bus. per acre AUD sold it at at an
average of 81 .05 per bu.
Davis Bros came to this country three or
four years age with lrrge herd of cattle and
plenty Of ca sh, and incidentally turned their
attention to farming. We do not know the
result OF their farming previous to this year.
but this year their wheat crop averaged 81
bushels per acre Us was stated in the INDE-
PENDENT some time ago, and they sold it
by controct for 90 cents per bushel. Consid-
ering their straw and pusturage they realized
profit of about $40 per acre on their wheat
crop,
We have not selected these three examples
because they have been more successful than
their neghbOrs, but to show the profits of
ranchmen under different circumstances.
Let us compare this with forming in the
Mississippi valley where the expenses of
raising grain is ut II minimum. In letter
from = young mBn in central Mississippi we
copy the following sentence: "We raised
large crops of wheat, corn and oats this year
but can not realize enought out of them to
pay expenses of raising" Iflarse crops will
not pay the expenses of raising, what must
be the condition of the farmers in that
country, especially those whose crops were
partul or total failures?
The condition OF the farmers of the Uncom-
pahgre Valley is not only prosperous but we
do not believe there are halfa dozen looali-
ties III the United States that surpasses it.
X.Q.