The Lamar register., 1892-02-20
At CERES SHRINE.
The Farmers Institute for the
Lower Arkansas Valley
Successful Beyond
Expectations.
The Most Enthusiastic institute
That HAS Been Mold In the
0tate-The Meeting,
Music, Ball and
Banquet.

Banquet.
The farmers institute for the lower
Arksnsas valley convened at Lamar last
Tuesday morning. The meeting was
called to order by President D. E.
Cooper Of the Lamar board of trade, and
was opened with prayer by Rev. W. l.
Taylor.
Letters Of regret were read from Gov
ernor Routt and others. The report Of
the executive COMMITTEES recommending
for president, G. w. Butler; for vice
presidents, ]. E. Gouger of Otero
county, L. M. Campbell Of Bent county;
F. M. Friend Of Baca county, R. 8. Cap
lin OF Kiowa county and M. ]. McMillen
Of Prowers county, and for secretary, ].
o. Stream, was adopted.
Hon. G. G. Goodals was then intro
duced and delivered. the address of vel
come. He said:
"MR. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLE
MEN-It is with pleasure discharge the
duty delegated 10 me by the people Of
Lamar, Of extending to you q cordial
and hearty welcome. Situated in the
great Arkansas Valley, surrounded by q
rich and fertile country, they give cor
| dial greeting to those who have gath
cred together to discuss the best meth
| DDS Of developing the agricultural
resources OF our great commonwealth.
"They feel and know that the success
| Of their town and this county depends
upon the success Of the farming popula-
tion and therefore hail with joy this in
stitute, which they believe is the first Of
| series OF farmers conventions, to take
into consideration the best methods Of
| promoting the welfare Of tho tillers Of
| the soil.
~The majority of the people who made
q settlement in this county during the
boom period in 1886 and 1887, believed
| in the rain belt theory, including your
humble servant, and we could tell you to
the fraction Of q mile, how far annually
the rain belt had moved westward
| from the Missouri river, Transforming
the great American desert into fertile
prairies, upon which had grown immense
| towns and cities and even states. Be-
lieving in this delusive theory, towns
sprang up in this valley like magic with
all the rapidity and grandeur Of Allad-
din's palaces, only to become in as short .
time deserted villages, leaving those who
had invested, nothing to realize upon OK
cept Colorado's glorious climate and
brilliant sunshine. So here we were with
nothing but sunshine and climate and
no money to take US back to our wife's
relations. 1t was then that the genius
of the Anglo-Saxon came to the rescue.
| We know that in the western part Of this
valley, at Rocky Ford, farming by irri-
| CATION had been great success, for the
fame Of the Rocky Ford watermelon, ex-
tended throughout the length and
breadth of this state, and we felt and be-
lieved that irrigation was to be our sal
vation and if we were TO succeed It was
to be by farming under bitches" and
not by speculating in the town lots,
| founded upon the delusive rain belt
theory.
$50 numerous irrigation bitches have
been built and the waters Of the great
Arkansas river, that forcenturies ran muir
murlng through its sands undisturbed
| to the sea, has been diverted to the fer
tile lands upon its borders and the
barren plains transformed by irrigation
are beginning to teem with fruitful
farms and hundreds Of homes are being
started in this valley, where there is be-
ing built up an agricultural empire
L RTeAt6I III bbnt tuhu hAohy "a sAlO Mug
| doms Of Europe.
! but this is only being accomplished
by trial, labor, and experiment, and there
| are many failures as well as many sue
cesses, for to most OF us the successful
| way Of farming in this glorious climate
| ie unknown and has to be learned, and
loving this country we hail with pleas
ure this farmers institute where We can
exchange views and gather practical
ideas as to the best time and method OF
planting and irrigating crops, fruit and
ornamental trees.
"Therfore / bid you welcome, thrice
| welcome, md If the results Of this insti-
| tute shall BIO to teach US to grow two
blades of grnss where we grew one be-
F., fore, or amid fields Of waving grain and
groves OF fruit and forest trees, to build
homes surrounded with the vine and
| the rose under whose blossoms shall sit
the aged grand sire listening to the
merry laughter Of youth and innocence,
sporting in its shadows rs the shades
OF evening lengthen, looking with pride
into the intelligent face OF his sturdy
son returning from his daily labor with
the consciousness Of . well kept farm
and happy home, thon you will not only
have boen public benefactors but pro-
moters OF the happiness and prosperity of
our state.
aye, we give you cordial welcome and
the people Of Lamar throw open to you
their hearts and homes and bid you God
speed in your laudable and praisworthy
undertaking"
After the address an adjournment was
taken until 1:3O p. m.
The program as carried out was ~
follows:
AFTERNOON sEssIoN-TUEsDAY.
tObjsct of the Farmers Institute"
Prof L. G. Carpenter OF the State Agri-
cultural college.
"Fall Wheat and Barley" J. X. stey-
enson. Discussion.
.The Arkansas valley as found It