Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1889-01-16

enPncIAL coAnnspcupmml
DkNyER. Col. Dec. Is. 1883.
1hree lays ago 1 got back to my COS
hotsi here from An extended trip over tn
state Of Colorado. The genial editor OF tn
Ftetd aud Farm . short Tina ago extende
70 me an invitation to accompany him in
launt through the State. 1t was his usus
yearly trip ut the close Of the harvest seasoI
10 gather up items regarding agricultur
una lts Kindred belongings. The gentleman
Aaptain cutler. is one OF The best poste,
nicn n the Rocky Mountain region. and. il
auaition. a splendid travelling companion
Possessing the personal acquaintance o
nearly every ranchman In the State. with
Phenomena tact in getting information.
l mad my doubts last spring as to tn,
ability OF Colorado farmers to raise sue.
f fsss'I r., erJps. This is a dry climate
one accustomed TO regard abundant rains
as essential to crops. It did seem to me tina,
the land was hopelessly barren. want t.
correct that impression. now that / have
q visible proof. and to say that I an
tnoIoughiy convinced that the most invit-
,rS and profitable farming sections OF the
United States lie within the boundary lines
u colorado. 1t seems strange to talk OF
Coiorado and adjacent States rs especially
adapted to farming. yet such is the actual
iact. q Colorado farmer does not care,
SO Jar a. his crops are concerned. whether
SAA yCoi pdSSSS WITHOUT u
shower An ever-compensating nature pro-
Woes an abundance OF water In the melt
ing SHOWS OF the mountains, that flows
down during the warm. dry summer
months ,hd needing only the simple skin
tribute it over his fields at the m when il
is most needed. I learn that at the present
lime there are over 5000 miles OF main line
irrlgatinG bitches completed. and more
TAI oU miles In process Of con-
strucfion. to be finished by next spring.
! nne SOILS gu the plains. apparently so ster-
.apounding In potash and alkHlies. the
richest chemical materials for the growth
OF nearly all crops. They only need the
water to make them more productive than
the best soils in the Eastern States, which
nave n required the application OF those
here. In one place. near San Isabel, where
last spring the plain looked to ms like a
door-mat. uninyiting and sterile.
! saw this month an immense potato field
from which the yield OF the meals tubers
mounted TO TWO HUNDRED H PER
ACRE. ana IN some instances exceeding this.
q water brought by a small irrigating
ditch from n OF the numerous branches
the San Luis River was the magic elixir
that had brought about such marvellous re-
suits: In other places over the State /
iouhd 1t to be no uncommon thing.
potato crop to range from i5o
TO 200 bushels per acre. Wbeat
has done remarkably we'll. NV friend. Can
tain Cutler. had been busy gathering sta
tlstics. l give you some OF his figures.
me Captain Is inclined to be conservative.
shrewd twinkle Of the eye: Well, I've
lived mere many years. and have some prop
erty. ! expect to live some years to. come.
! only. tell half OF what the land will do,
and let the buyer find out the value Of his
ranch why. then. l am making every fellow
= good advertiser OF what l lave left. His
figures are thoroughly reliable. They show
me wheat crop OF 1888 to be not less than
three million bushels. averaging from
twenty five to thirty bushels per acre. The
crop OF winter wheat was an experiment,
the spring variety being sown.
The crop OF winter wheat has, however.
exceeded the yield of the spring grain by
about six bushels to the acre.
IL used to be thought that corn would
never succeed as IA crop in Colorado. East
srn corn growers said: Your attitude is
90 great. and your nights are too cold
Let me say. that during the trip from which
have Just returned l have seen thousands
d acres OF splendid corn. from every acre
II which twenty-five bushels have been gath
l do not mean to say that l have not
'een poor crops. / have: but they were
ne result. not OF any unttness of the
cts odS "a eho IHRiOtluEnI, Sunless SILL
of the fellow who calls himself a
armer. The man who floods his fields
With water in early spring time, before the
rosts have lett the ground. and then me-
fleets the needs OF his cop during the bal
nee OF the season. preferring to loaf around
WHISKY mil IN town; such a chap couldn't
'alse half u bushel OF sweet potatoes to the
ere on the choicest spot in the Garden OF
eden. The alfalfa hay is one OF the great
taple crops OF Colorado. 1t Is a planted
'rop, and though not requiring what might
e called cultivation. does require some at
ention = irrigation. II yields. with fair
reatment. an absolutely reliable crop OF
We tons per acre. worth in the stack from
3 to $40 per ton. Three cuttings are made
early. and in many instances four. There
) no better hay for all kinds OF stock. pigs
q it greedily and fatteu rapidly upon It.
ne oat crop mas been an abundant one.
veraging over 40 bushels per acre, and
yeighing as high as IS pounds per bushel.
'he dry climate. the strong mineral soil,
the timely application of the water to the
rowing crop. combine to make all grain
OF better quality. On the farm OF
u. charles Fassett. near Monte Vista. In
great San Luis Park. / saw an oat field
nat had yielded ninety bushels to the acre. |
he crop OF barley has been good. The
naltty OF TIE gain 10 p~~rnculcc [, be
.,.r.o. t" tLe best German barley. and is
ageriy sought for by Eastern brewers. !
egetables have kept pace with the grains |
l making a record for prolific growth.
MONS. beets. parsnips. ~turnips, are simply
TN cabbage crop alone will
lis year net a round million OF dollars, a
lrge proportion OF the crop finding it's way |
yer the new railroad line from Denver to |
lie Gull, to Old Mexico.
l expect you will say that it ~reuuires n
ood many acres to be farmed TO produee
ich quantities. Well. the returns from the
arious county officers. made In obedience
law. to be presented to the State Le0isla- |
ire which meets h second day OF Janu-
show that there are now In Colorado |
eenty thousand farms averaging 100 acres
nee the. report OF 1857. The farmer in
has one advantage not possessed
y his agricultural brother OF the East. The
lads In Colorado are without any
the finest natural roads in the
Grid. The roadbed il at all seasons solid.
zen and hard. and. except in the mountain
strict. every road is as level as a barn
oor. Larger loads can be hauled in quicker
h a on the highways of other States.
spirit OF railroad enterprise has pushed
the utmost the construction OF the II ron
les in Colorado. The shrewd vision OF
10 railroad man has foreseen the future
Of the land. and railways have
zen projected and built in every direction
Ter the State. running in very many cases
rough vast tracts OF country as yet prac-
.aliy unsettled. but rich In the most FRUIT
| p omises.
Now. Iexpect that you will ask what ia
worth in Colorado, and what does II
,st 10 farm it? Well. land can be bought
some Of the best agricultural districts at
n dollars -. ncre, including q perpetual
ght to tho use Of abundant water for irri-
Under ordinary circumstances the
,st OF raising m acre Of wheat Ia about as
Flowing. 81. so; seed, $t.4Oto ST. so
r 100 pounds: sowing or drilling. IS cents;
spreading water over the ground
: means OF ditch furrows,. 81. So; harvest
81; thu shing. 81; total. $40. %. The crop,
lowest averag,. being twenty Ave BUSH
: per acre OF sixty pounds to the bushel,
Hing IT ST. Is per hundred. wifi bring ,
Z. rs. almost paying tho cost OF both land
ID culture the first year. Very many crops
NOR. than this. The cost OF culture
ven above applies also to bats and barley.
nils the profits per acre are for oats %
ID barley x12 per acre. ] am giving you
il figures. not fancy ones. The cost OF
IN labhr Ii about the same a. Ia the Md
States. the cost Of living no higher.
should any OF my readers desire more de-
lied facts. ! would advise them to address
letter to the Bureau OF Information, Dem
r. Col. p. 0. Box 2S46. Ihave had occa-
IN IN onuk On form attain NJ kh - uo,.rnA urA !