The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-01-18

iiac Growth OF Potatoes and Kindred
sVeyetabies-The Corn Crop ABUNDANT
A Grand Country.
nfxc1AL co-ARxsroNDxNc1l
DENVER. Col. Dec. 70. 1888.
Three days 3 4 got back to my cosy
hotel here from an extended trip over the
State of Colorado. The genial editor of the
Field and Farm u short time ago extended |
TO me an Invitation to accompany him in u |
jaunt through the State. 1t was his usual (
veafiy trip at the close OF the harvest season |
10 gamer up items regarding agriculture
ana is kindred belongings. The gentleman.
Saptnin cutler: is ono of the best posted
men In the Rocky Mountain region. and. In /
,uditioh, u splendid travelling companion.
Possessing the personal acquaintance Of
hettfy every ranchman in the State. with u
phenomenal tact in getting information.
l. mad my doubts last spring us to the
ability. of Colorado farmers to raise sue
tn. rainfall being very small. al'Ia' to
one accustomed to regard abundant rains
as essential to crops. 1t did seem to me that
correct that impression. now hut I have
had visible proof. and to say that 1 am
thoroughly convinced that the most invit-
ing and profitable farming sections of the
United States lie within tho boundary lines
Of Colorado. 1t seems strange to talk of
Colorado and adiac,nt States as especially
adapted to farming. yet such is the actual
TACT. Ihe. Colorado ,armer does not care.
so lar as his crops are concerned, whether
or not the entire year passes without a
shower. An ever-compensating nature pro-
vtdcs an abundance Ut. water in the melt
ing SHOWS of the mountains. that flows
down during the warm. dry summer
of, the farmer to store the water md dis
tribute it over his fields at the time when 1t
is most needed. 1 learn that ut the present
time there are over 5.0O0 miles of main line
than eG miles in process o OF S con.
struction. to be finished by next spring.
The soils OF tho plains. apparently so ster-
lie. are the worn down debris of rocks
Astounding IN potash and ,lka.lics. tho
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
have long required the application OF those
here. In ono place. near Sun Is,tbel. where
last spring the plain looked to ms like Il
worn-out door-mat. %uninviting and sterile.
l saw this month an immense potato field
from which the yield of the meals tubers
amounted to TWO NuNDRE usHEl PER
ACRE, and in some instances exceeding this.
The water brought by q small %irrigating
ditch from one OF the numerous branches
Of the Snn Luis River was the magic elixir
that had brought about such marvellous re.
in fact. the usual thing. for the
potato o crop to range from $50
10 done one re aasns,i RR sfl Ny issTs frtend M csp.
tain Cutler. had been busy gathering sta
tisttcs. l give you some OF his figures.
The Captain is inclined to DO conservative.
and l told him SO. His reply was. with a
lived here m;ny years. and have some prop
'ertv. Iexpect to live some years to come.
II l only tell half of what the land viii. do.
and let the buyer find out the value of his
agood advertiser of whit l ave left. "His
figures are thoroughly reliable. They show
the wheat crop of 1883 to be not less than
three million bushels. averaging from
twenty five to thirty bushels pei acre. The
crop Of winter wheat was nh experiment.
heretofore 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.
II used to be thought that corn would
ern corn growers said: Your altitude is
too great. and your nights are too cold"
Let me shy. that during the trip from which
Ihave just returned | lave seen thousands
Of acres of splendid corn. from every mere
Of (which twenty-f five bushels have been gath
cred. lido not mean TO say that l have not
seen poor crops. l have: but they were
the result. not of any unfltncss of the
oOAAt ~ AaO ~ StItttGS5 SUI.
pidity of the fellow who cnlls himself u
farmer. The man who floods his fields
with water in early spring time. before the
irosts have lett the ground. and then me-
elects the needs OF his 9 OPP during the bal
ance of the season. preferring to loaf around
a whisky mill in town; such a chap couldn't
raise half II btshcl of sweet potatoes to the
acre on the choicest spot in the Garden of
Eden. b alfalfa hay is one of the great
staple crops OF Colorado. 1t is u planted
crop. and. though not requiring what might
be called cultivation, does require some at
tention in irrigation. 1t yields. with fair
treatment. an absolutely reliable crop Of
five tons per acre. worth in the stack from
soto $40 per ton. Three cuttings are made
yearly. and in many instances four. There
is no better hay for all kinds OF stock. Pigs
eat 1t greedily and fatten rapidly, upon It.
me Dat crop y. has Y been an abundant one;
weighing as high as IS pounds per bushel.
The dry climate. tho strong mineral soil,
and the timely application of the water to the
growing crop. combine to make oil grain
Mr.. Charles Fassett. near Monte Vista. in
the great San Luis Park. I saw an ont field
that had yielded ninety bushels to the acre.
The crop Of barley has been good. Tho
quality 81 the ne grain Is to he
eagerly sought for by Eastern brewers.
Vegetables have kept pace with the grains
In making a record for prolific growth.
Onlon6s peers. patSn1ps. turntps, are simply
enormous The cabbage crop alone wifi
this year net. round million of dollars. u
large proportion OF the crop finding its way
over the new railroad line from Denver to
the Gull. to Old Mexico.
good many acres {" be farmed to produce
such quantities. Nell. the returns from the
various county officers. made In obedience
to law. to be presented to the State Legisla-
ture which meets tho second day of Janu-
AIRY. show that there are now In Colorado
twenty thousand farms averaging lGO acres
s saSs; an the increase 9erors Of Il Iss Sys y t TSe I Rsr cent !.
Colorado has one advantage not possessed
by his agricultural brother Of the East. The
roads In Colorado are without any
question the finest. natural roads in the
world. 81
Now. Iexpect that you will ask what Is
land worth In Colorado. and what does II
cost to farm itl Well. land can be bought
ten dollars per acre, including n perpetual