Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-02-12
GRAND JUNCTION, COLO.
"A Remarkable Fruit Region, Well as for
Agricultural Purposes, for Health, Etc.
IErnrll the Ora I11dd Ea1.nnnr

Agricultural purposes, Tor HEALTH flLc'
From the Orange Judd Farmer.l
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo, jan. 81 1890.
Ed ORANGE JUDD FARMER: For some
time past have noticed i'll the LEADING pa
pers OF this State, and moe especially in
the great dailIes of Denver. glowing edl-
toriaIS and correspondents descriptions OF
the Grand Valley. Thinking there might
be something in that section which would
be of interest to your readers, your CORE
spondent made a trip over there with a
view OF inquiring into facts and furnish
ing them to the public through the columns
OF the q. j. Farmer.
Grand Valley, or that portion OF 1t en-
braced within the confines OF Mesa County,
extending from the town OF DeBeque to
some THU ty miles west OF the city OF Grand
junction (the county seat OF Mesa County,,
did not at the first glance impress me tayor-
ably. The climate is particularly dry and
bracing, being the nearest approach to per-
petual sunshine found on this continent;
and while a climate of this kind is es-
pecially healthful and congenial to the In
valid and by no means unpleasant even to
the robust, without irrigation it is not con-
genial to plant lie. But as one looks over
the fruit orchards and farms that have had
irrigation and cultivation ones first i'm
preSsionS fade fast away and he becomes
rapt in admiration Of the prolific SOIL with
it's wonderful productions OF fruit and veg
citation.
The Grand Valley is situated in Western
Colorado on the line OF the Denver and
Rio Grande Railway. 1t has an average
altitude OF about 4, $40 feet above sea level,
and until few years ago Was occupied by
the Ute Indians. It's soil is rich and deep.
and it's climate mild and dry. having
neither extremes of heat nor cold, and Is
free from hailstorms, blizzards or cyclones.
In short it is all that corl Id be desired. and
believe. without single drawback. I'm
til within the past two years it's possibili-
ties as d fruit raising country were I'M
known, and III fact not until the crops OF
the past year were harvested did it dawn
upon the residents OF the valley that in it's
fertile soil and magnificent climate the
Grand Valley possesses greater sources of
wealth and happiness than the rich min
eral camps Immediately surrounding it.
Peaches, pears, plumS, cherries, grapes,
especially those OF raiSin varieties, and ber-
ries OF all kinds. yield abundantly. From B.
year. old budded peach trees We're gathered
this last fall 800 lbs. to the tree, and apples
even doubled that quantity. When it IS re-
membered that in an area OF country TOO to
1,2UU miles Immediately surrounding Colo
RADIO, though rich in precious minerals and
settled by prosperous communities, yet
with the exception OF few localities of
limited area this whole vast territory is
almost destitute OF fruit, and has to receive
its upply from California, then the impor-
lance and value of a it-grOwing country
which equals that of California. situated
right in the midst of this fruitless country,
can be appreciated. For the consumptive
who has not entered upon the last stages of
the disease, and in fact to nearly every other
invalid suffering from chronic diseases, this
valley Will prove vel liable paradise.
Not only does the region offer health, but
a congenial easy outdoor occupation, and
a sure competence. AS an evidence of this
fact, / wilt cite one instance brou hit to
my own observation One citizen here,
over the age of sixty years. with Il para
lytic wife. with only d lew dollars capital to
start with, and not even Il horse to aid him.
has by his own efforts put into fruit a ten
acre tract setting out about two acres the
first year. and 50 on, increasing year by
year until his whole tract was planted.
During that time he has supported himself
and taken care Of his invalid wife by plant
ing other crops between his trees until they
were old enough to yield: Here are the re-
suits: From his 5-year- old trees he gath
cred and sold over 500 worth OF fruit to the
acre; from his 4-year- old trees about $500
per acre; and from his 3-year- oldS about
$3.50 per acre. His land has also increased
in value from So per acre to 81 900 per
acre, and he has now an assured income Of
$4,000 to $4,000 per year.
This is not an isolated case What this
old man has done, surely any one with
reasonable energy and ii small capital can
do. The best fruit lands, under ditch, can
still be bought at from fifty to one hundred
dollars per acre. and can be set out into
fruit orchards at about S35 per acre, and
udUo 10 pay tuoT way ny planning OCQ6r
crops between the rows, and in three years
they will be worth $500 to $500 per acre,
and will increase in value at the rate of
500 per acre per year for several years
thereafter, while on account of climate, as
/ have said, this valley must become the
paradise of the sick and enfeebled.
/ do not wish to create the impression
til at equal inducements are not held out to
the robust, and especially to those who are
situated in countries that ject to
billiards. cyclones or extremes of heat or
cold for besides the advantage of climate
offered, more money can be cleared on ten
acres set out in fruit in this valley without
the ex pense of hired help, than on many
three hundred and twenty acre farms with
a large capital invested in stock and imp pie
ments. Nor is there danger of the fruit in
dustry being over done, as to-day Califor-
MIA is shipping to a country seven hundred
miles nearer to Grand Valley than to Cali
fornia over ten million dollars worth of
fruit per annum!
There is one advantage this valley pos
sesses I must not overlook; it has an album
dance of water for irrigation pur poses,
more in fact than can ever be used. While
so far have only spoken of fruit. in my
next will have something to say of cereals
and vegetables. Your correspondent is
indebted to W. j. S. Mcfarland. the Secre-
tary of Grand Junction Board of Trade,
for valuable information, and any one SUI
ficientiy interested in Grand Valley to
make inquiries will always find him ready
to furnish such Information as he may
have. w. W. T.