The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1890-08-02
That Colorado will have grand pota-
to crop this year is now past q reasonable
doubt. The late rain came at the oppor-

tune moment
Alfulfa will be the saving clause in our
agriculture this time over large sections
Of the State Where small grain has
failed alfalfa has hourished.
The day is at hand when many Of the
irrigating bitches Of the State need be
piped for the better economy OF water.
Water is too valuable to be wasted by
seepage and evaporation.
Over three-fifths of the agricultural
portions of the State there will be good
crops of potatoes, fairly good crops of corn
and an excellent crop hay. Wheat will be
a little short in yield, but the output OF
the entire State will be larger than ever
before.
A farmer in Huerfano county who has
two hundred acres of alfalfa had an ex-
cellent crop last year which he fed to
sheep and cattle for mutton and beef
and kept a close account with the same
His land netted him just twenty dollare
an acre. This would seem - be good
enough for a man who did not expect to
get rich in minute.
Mr.. Frank Watrous on the State agri-
cultural farm near Rocky Ford has euc-
ceeded in growing fine potatoes-the first
we believe in that section Of the country.
It had been thought that the great tu-
Der would never succeed In the Arkansas
valley, but Mr.. Watrous claims he has
the secret Of their success, which will be
made known in his report to the agricul-
tural board.
In an irrigated country agriculture be-
comes a science, and the Colorado farmer
of all other can employ the greatest
amount of skill. The Mississippi valley
farmer can only regulate the fertility OF
the soil and experiment in the produc-
ton of different species of plants. But in
Colorado in addition to these things he
can exercise his skill in supplying the
moisture, that is making the season as
it were, x es4,,
Thinking cattle men are confidently
expecting that cattle prices will greatly
improve in the near future. Said Col.
Holt of the Holt live stock company: II
expect the present census report to put
the number OF cattle in proportion to the
humans at about seventy per cent.
Should this be 30 then cattle prices will
commence to advance. A surplus Of beef
above the needs Of the consumers has
been the trouble"
1t takes but moderate mathematician
to determine that corn and alfalfa for pro-
fit should be reduced to pork or beef be-
fore it is disposed Of. Every farmer in this
country, at least, should be q feeder
There is but meagre profit in selling
either hay or grain and drawing it away
in bulk Grind the grain and chop the
hay and feed it to hogs, sheep or cattle.
This has been demonstrated to be the
correct way of farming.
Every farmer should, as fast as posi-
BILE stock his farm with horses, sheep,
and cattle. None but the best breeds
should encouraged. While the farm is
fully stocked its acres are improving. II
wheat should go up in price farmers
would be tempted to grow it, but they
will not at present prices. We are well
satisfied that the limit of soil robbing for
wheat is about reached. The arid regions
can extend but little for want Of water to
irriCate. The farm extension will in fu
ture be through excellence instead OF
added acres.
The first annual report OF Secretary
Rusk of the department OF agriculture is
at hand, and is superior to any document
of the kind that has been sent out from
this office for years. 1t excells in the
clear and concise way in which are
treated practical matters Of vital interest
to the farming portion OF the country In
the words of Secretary Rusk, "Ihe elm
ination O. all scientific terms and lam
quage from various reports is impossible,
while at the same time it is feasible and
essential that all practical conclusions
arrived at, as the result of scientific OBJ
servation or investigation, must be so
expressed as to be understood by all
ordinarily intelligent people OF average
education"
The Centennial State has already be-
come famous for its great system Of irri-
eating canals-the largest and most per-
feet in the world. 1t may be interesting
to know that the largest ditch in Colora-
do and one of the largest in the universe
is the Arkansas Valley, which heads at
La Junta, terminating in Big Sandy
creek north of Lamar. This immense
canal distributes water supply along .
territory OF 100 miles. The Bob Creek
in the same valley, which is now In pro-
cess of construction, will when completed
cover a stretch of agricultural country
11S miles in length. Six hundred teams
are now employed on the construction.
They each move on an average forty
cubic yards of earth per day. We may
add something that would be Of interest
by naming the largest bitches in Colora-
do. They are the Arkansas Valley, Bob
Creek, La Junta and Lamar, Otero Ca
nal, Catlin, Amity, and Colorado and
Kansas Highline.
In discussing the advantages Of farm
ing by the best methods the Saguache
Crescent thus refers to q model farm:
"Just above Villa Grove the small but
solid, compact farm of R. Briley is cou-
vincing proof Of the profits Of small hold
ings Rough and ready farming has
made its tentative efforts in the west,
and tickling the earth with q hoe, ex-
poets it it to laugh with q perennial har-
vest Now the exhausted soil refuses to
respond to such amature Establishments,
and it is becoming more and more .
matter of necessity to return to the land
the constituents withdrawn from it by
the constant rotation Of the same crop.
There are two accepted methods. Manure
the land or let it lie fallow. Fsllow land
encourages weeds; fallow land gives NO
return; fallow land pays no taxes. Ma
nured land is productive and profitable.
The days Of the patriarchs are past and
the agricultural legislation Of Moses 10
an anachronism. Nuke use Of every acre
you own. If you cannot make use Of IL
give it to some one who can. Better an
acre OF onions and q profit therwith than