The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1891-04-24
AGRICULTURE IN COLORADO.
4 Report from the Experiment Sta.
tons In this State,

4 Report from the Experiment Sta
tons In this State.
tpsoial 10 the Denver T1mss.
The Department Of Agriculture has
received some interesting reports from the
Colorado experimental stations. The re-
port relating TO botany and horticulture
Includes briof record of the growth Of
seventeen varieties Of apples, sig Of pears,
'ix Of poplars and two Of willows; tabu-
lated notes on eighty-hve varieties OF
grapes, thirty.one OF strawberries, seven
81 goosoberries, six Of currants, nineteen
of sweet corn, forty seven Of peas, thirty
six of beans, hvo Of pumpkins and ten Of
squashes, and brief descriptive notes on
twelve varieties Of celery: briof accounts
'f experiments with potatoes, onions, cab
oages, tomatoes and carrots, and state
mont Of tho number of varieties Of vege-
tables grown for seed for distribution.
L. g. Carpenter prepared the report on
neteorology and irrigation engineering.
This includes meteorological observations,
studies Of evaporation, observation Of soil
temperatures, and the collection Of data
regarding irrigation as prac ticed in Colo
RADIO.
Preliminary estimates, given In the re-
port, from tho data collected by tho
station and from other sources, indicate
that tho total amount Of land under ditch
In Colorado at present is not far from
800 square miles, or 5000, 000 acres. Tho
amount Of land actually irrigated cannot
90 50 reliably estimated at present 1t Is
much less than the amount under ditch.
From the sections of the State which
have visited, 1t would be safe 10 estimate
that not over one-third Of this 10 under
cultivation.
The tabulatod monthly record Of the
rainfull ut tho station for the years from
1878 70 1850, inclusive, shows An average
yearly rainfall OF l3.s inches. Over -
per cent Of this fell In April, May and
June, ind some 70 per cent. In tho six
months from April TO October I. The
rainfall for lsS9, as recorded In table for
fifteen different localities in Colorado,
varied from 7.3 inches 10 las inches.
Tho average temperature for 1850 At the
station WIS 40 degrees; average daily
range Of thermometer 29.3 degrees, and
tho maximum range 55.5 degrees, The
average and daily maximum range Of
temperature In Colorado Is recorded for
each month Of 1Ssy, and compared with
similar data for New York for 1883. A
table gives tho average per cent Of sun
shIno as recorded at the New York State
Station during several years, rs compared
with the per cent Of sunshine for 1854 and
loso at the Colorado Agricultural College.
and for 1859 ut tho sub stations at Rocky
Ford and San Luis.
Al the New York station the average
per cent. Of sunshine for the year was 81,
and ut tho Colorado College in 1889 It was
G.7. Observations made at Fort Collins
and San Luis, as stated In tho report, to
determine the loss Of sunshine duo to tho
influence OF tho mountain range In short
cning tho day, showed tho total loss OF
sunshine In the year to DO l02 hours ut
Fort Collins and 90 hours ut San Luis. A
tabular record OF the amount Of sunshine
ut three places in Colorado Ia given for
each month Of 1859.
Evaporation, In Wow Of tho questions
arising from water storage Is Of considcr-
ablo Importance. Measurements were
made on tanks placed in the ground, here
and At tho sub stations, and also on tanks
floating In tho water Of reservoirs, canals,
and the river. Tho tanks used for CON-
parlson hero and ut tho sub stations were
three feet square and three fect deep Al
this station smaller tanks, to determine tho
Influence Of size and OF tho material COM
posing the tank, were also used. Measure
ments were made with tho hook gauge At
twelvc-hour intervals, during June, July
August, and once per day In September
and October
Evaporation depends on variety Of
conditions. The amount nuctuatcs greatly
from day TO day. Nevertheless we sue
ceedcd In producing a formula for COM
putting tho evaporation. which agrees
closely with the observed valuca Tho
evaporation as computed for the Ave
months from June To November differs
from the observed evaporation BY only a
quarter OF IN inch. Our measurements
show that tho evaporation, A measured
on days of storms,is frequently excessive,
aud consequently measurements made at
long intervals givo too great M cvapora-
ton. The evaporation for tho whole year
from our principal tank Is loss than forty
inches. At tho other stations It has been
much greater"