The Delta independent., 1891-04-07
Hor,icu,.ur. in Colorado.

Only . limited number Of people in
Colorado, and still fewer outside oil the state,
have any realization of the rapid progress
which the past ten years has seen in the de.
veiopment Of fruit culture in Colorado. or si
in this direction. Fur the ediicstion Of our
own citizens and of that vast number Of
people in the middle and eastern states and
hey ond the sea, who desire the fullest and
most reliable information on everything that
relates to Colorado, this article 10 written,
only attempting to deal with the orchards
proper and nnt with the small fruits such a.
titles.
In 1858, William Lee hauled a quantity Of
apple trees over 600 miles by mule team
from low City, Iowa, and planted the same
on his ranch on Clear Creek. nine miles
from Denver and i've miles from Golden
lie first planted them IN the bOtt"in near the
creek and freshet came and washed then,
wood from the mountains. Search was made
for them, the greater part Of them found aud
subsequently planted on the hill where they
are now growing, the oldest orchard in the
state.
Apples can be and are succsxsf,lly grown
over the entire state below the. altitude ol
6, 600 feet, both Oh the eastern and western
slopes; in fact. 25O varieties Of apples have
been successfully fruitel here, aud at the
recent state fairs held ut Pueblo aud Mont.
rose no fewer than Z. 500 plates Of Colorado
Spries. osp,pri.iax all the weli.known and
lexIing varieties, were exhibited.
The pear is al.o successfully grown wher.
ever the apple asurishes.
In Delts, hontrose and Mesa counties. no
fewer than twen,y-one varieties Of plum,
yield abundaatly, soMe Of them of foreix,
origin. such - the German pruns, green
ysse, yellow egr. etc.
About 6fty varieties Of peaches are sac.
csssfuiiy grown on the western slops.
Aprieots. nsctariues aud ounce. do equally
we'll with peaches in the same Localities.
As to grapes. the harder varieties eau be
grown on the eastern slope, requiring pro.
tsctiou in winter.
The spring Of 1890 saw more fruit trees
planted in Colorado thas all the previous
years siuce 1862, asd this spring will see .n
equal number. Further, this fruit tree
planting wss not limited to any one or two
districts, but vas general, and the same re.
MARK will apply to the current season, for
wherever 1t has been demonstrated tha,
orchards will do we'll there the area oi
orchards Is being rapidly increased and there
are to-day hundre.ls Of thousands Of flourish
ing young trees which have not yet borne
fruit. but which will. as the yssrs 60 on,
aunusliy augment the fruit crop of the state,
the value Of which for last year was estims.
tel At over 81, 100000.
Colorado is destined to rival and possibly
surpass any of the great apple growing
states of New York. Michigan. Ohio. Kan
sas and Missouri. Our anil an.i clin,ats pro.
duce apples Of equal. IL not liner flavor
finer appearance and better keepiag quai,,i.,
tasn ether states.
Bat some may asks fruit culture pro6t
able: Ofcourse il depeads somewhs, on III,
fruit grower. One man succeeds wher,
another fails. as in every other business.
Be it under-tood; however, that fruit grow
ing is not all "beer and skitties," or all easy
snccess aud tree from difficulties. I, need,
enterprise, intelligence. care aud attention
10 - successful. II may, h"w~ver, be oh
served generally that where water was a
command snd good care aud cultivation w.,
given to the trees, thers has not b~sn singl,
failure at orchard planting in Colorado.
S.ms one may ask: II sll this orchard
planting continues where will market b,
E,und for the fruit? 1t Is Questionable IL ths
supply will ever overtaks she d.mani, 70,
the population increases faster than th,
orchards, the consumers Of fruit vastly out
numLer the prsducers. aud In Colorado ssid,
from the urban population, one.third Of til.
populatioa is engaged In minisx, etc. At high
attitudes where fruit cann"t grow aud xovd
home market Is always assured.
Moreover. canning and preserving indus
tries srr springiny up as different point. In
the state. In adiirisu to which railroads con
meet Colorado with vast area Of outside ter
ritory whers the varieties Of fruu grown ia
Colorado cannot he grown. snd there is no
reason why there shsuld not finally be COL.
siderable foreign exPort trade of Colorado
apples, etc.. via Galveston; while pears ess
Be s.d are grown a. cheaply and ~ Of 6ne
quality in Colorado ~ 10 California.
Colorado orchards asd fruit far~s will
tend Ia diminish the immense Gums now
annually sent out Of the state for fruit
THOMAS Tos0E IN Great Divide.