The Lamar register., 1892-05-14
Garden Of Colorado
Tho Arkansas vaiIey-The Most For
tile In the State.


To most of the eastern minds, the name
OF Colorado is more poetical than practi-
cal. 1t carries with it the idea of beau
tiful summer resort or an exciting min
ing camp. Her scenery is not equaled
the world over and it has often made a
picturesque background for romantic
story.
Mountains are natures cenotaphs and
they mark periods in her evolution. The
western two-thirds of Colorado is nu-
merously covered with these, and untold
wealth lies hidden within their granite
walls. Many think that the mining in
terests are the only resources Of Colo
RADIO, but last year the income to the
State through it's agricultural products
was s20,O0O0O0 more than all the re-
markable income from gold, silver, lead
and coal mines.
According to the latest report from
Secretary Rusk at Washington, Colo
RADIO stands first among ali the States of
the Union in it's yield per acre of wheat,
the average for the last ten years being
| 1875 bushels per acre.
The average receipts per acre for these
crops was s16.22; being the largest
amount for any State west of the Alle-
ghany mountains.
In the eastern part Of the State lies
the most fertile valley in America. For
years people have travelled over it's roll
ing surface and called it the great Amer
ican desert, never dreaming that it
| would one day be covered with waving
grain. Yet they travelled for miles by
the banks of the rapid Arkansas river
and unconsciously saw what great
storehouse for irrigation nature had
made. Some one has said it ought to-
day to be called the great American
garden.
In 1896 the 4voice of the boomer wal
heard in the land" and towns sprang W
like mushrooms during the night. But
there was no permanence to the boom
and, at one place where there were 4.O0(
inhabitants, to-day there stands but two
houses.
i However, the agitator opened the wa,
and was followed by steady, enterprisint
people with capital, and IN this shor
time thousands of acres are yielding
enormous crops. Men in their ignOranc,
often declare that to be impossible which
the next generation proves to the world
to be brilliant success And 80, in the
not far receding years, men have passed
these rolling plains and sighed because
so many broad acres were perfectly
worthless, and yet the well-stocked
costly farms OF the east do not make
near the incomes that these newly
opened ranches in the valley Of the Ar.
kansas do.
Colorado has world wide reputation
for its healthful climate. The wealthy
and learned must seek for health as well
as the poor and lowly; and SO each year
every class of humanity crowds to her
borders. But the hills and mountains
do not hold in their rugged grasp all o'
this health-giving air. They overshadou
the valleys, and pushing their shoulders
high against the sky, protect the low
4 ~oAS
blasts of winter.
| Our cities along the shores Of the great
lakes OF the north use every means to
| catch the 'lake breeze" and yet the
papers are daily compelled to record
death after death by sunstroke.
But it is not so here. Although the
thermometer may record high temper
ature, still We have yet to hear OF the
first case of sunstroke in all the hun
dreds of miles which compose this valley.
As the mountainous region ls called a
summer resort, so this valley may be
called winter resort.
While those "above u.s. are hemmed in
by the snow, we are basking in the warm
sunshine, with but little snow to greet
our eyes.
Especially is this true of the counties
in the extreme eastern portion OF the
State. While storms have ragged east
and west, but little Of them is felt here.
During this last winter there was not
enough snow to cover the ground until
the month of March, and this month is
always the most severe month OF the
In 1890 n government weather station
was established at Lamar, and this is the
record as given at that place for the last
three winters: "The zero point was
reached but once in 1890, twice in 1891,
and twice in 1892" There are not ten
days in the year when the sun does not
shine. Verify. eastern Colorado is the
American Italy.
That which has done the most to make
such success of this country has been
the irrigation ditch. Eight years ago
saw nothing but native grass and sage
brush. To-day, by means OF irrigation,
every crop known to the American far
mer is successfully produced. l know
l..or ,r,,, =, daecr;ba these great in