Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-06-06

II ls our nope Gnnt me E-nterpr1se may
DO with you many more years to help ir
the future development OF the countr,
and share in whatever OF good there i.
in store for the garden spot of the Arkan
sas valley.
-Those of our nonresident reader.
who are interested in Watermelon Day
are hereby informed that the plants are
prosperous and the outlook for the usual
luscious feast is promising. And We
hope to serve artesian water red lemon.
ade with the melons.
General road overseer Hale says that
while his energies last year were devoted
to opening new roads, the work Of the
the present season is largely grading old
roads. MEch work has been done and
tho job approaches completion. The
spring has been quite favorable and the
roads Throughout the county are in OK.
cellent condition.
Experiments have proven that mois-
ture in the soil is preventive OF frost
s. r. Aerdman has tried it by wetting
tender bean plants with a hose on even
inRs when frost was threatened The
beans which were well soaked escaped
damage, while others near them which
had not been treated with water were
destroyed.
The members Of the Town Council
on Tuesday inspected the water works
reservoir and the lateral which supplies it
from the High Line canal. An effort is
being made to get complete under
standing with the owners OF the land
through which the lateral runs, and it is
hoped that satisfactory arrangement
will be effected before the negotiations
are dropped.
The town council is to be commend
ed for the aid given the hose company
for the purchase of needed appliances.
The council also does well in requiring
the company to practice regularly. At
these meetings the roll is called and a
report made to the council. An efficient
fire department is an important part OF
tion Of the council with the hose COM
pany will insure valuable protection from
the hazards of fire.
The International industrial and
Mining Exposition is rapidly taking
shape. It will open July 1, 1886, and
close November of the same year. 1t
will be in and adjoining City Park, Dem
yer, where plenty Of land Is obtainable,
0SAa WA4CAo ~ Will POo51U1o W uudA6 tu6
outdoor features as complete and attract
i've as the indoor displays. The exposi-
ton is a Colorado enterprise and its ben
efits will be conferred upon the state.
This great enterprise should have the
hearty cooperation and active support oi
every public-spirited citizen Of the state.
The fact that some alfalfa seed is vet
being held by dealers In the valley, should
not prevent farmers giving their attention
to seed raising, as in the past. Had the
present holdings Of seed not be kept out
of the market for speculative purposes il
would have found sale at fairly re-
numerative prices. The alfalfa seed crop
has in the past proved most paying one.
Experiments have shown that there is q
wider territory adapted to alfalfa growing
than heretofore supposed, causing an in
creased demand for seed. The time may
come when the growing of alfalfa seed
will not be profitable, but that time now
seems some distance in the future.
The directors Of the High Line ca.
nal held a meeting in Secretary Halls
Office Friday last. The principal busi.
ness transacted was in relation to lands
adjoining their dam at the headgate
For some time the officers have been try.
ing to arbitrate with g. e. Gilbert of Pue-
bio in regard to the price Of acres oi
land on which to make approaches to the
north end of the dam. Being unable to
agree with Mr.. Gilbert the meeting on
Saturday ordered that condemnation pro.
ceedIngs be commenced. This has nc
relation to Mr.. GIlbert's claim against
the High Line for damages alleged to
have been caused by the building ct the
dam.
Deputy State Engineer Cogshill, and
T. j. Preston, the state gauger, came
down from Denver ten days ago and es-
tablished a gauging station fat Pueblo
Of these and the one at Canon City, the
present Superintendent of Irrigation,
Geo. J. Rankin, will be able to know
nearly what water there will be for dis
tribution each day. Mr.. Preston also
rated the fumee in several bitches, 80
that it will be possible for the water com.
missioner and the ditch companies to tell
how much water is in each ditch. He
went down to rate fumes at Lamar, but
owing to floods in some Of the creeks
they were unable to do much. Several
headgates are washed away and serious
damage done. Mr.. Preston estimated
over the Amity dam Sunday last.
Irrigation Superintendent Matthews
has written letter to the La Junta
Times on that vexatious topic, the equit-
able distribution of water. We make the
following extract and heartily commend
the position taken: "An the fussing and
complaints do not help to fill the dry
bitches. The water officers have no dis
cretionary powers, they must follow the
letter Of the law. So far as can See the
only redress the farmers under the late
or dry ditcbes have is to appeal to the
humanity Of those under older ones.
There is no ditch which has been con-
stantly running water which could not
get along easily with one-fourth of what
it is entitled to for a week or two and
give their neighbors a show. Throw
aside all jealotsy of bitches, localities
and priorities. All parties would sleep
better, feel better and have better
chance OF an easy chair and q harp ir the
next world"
Jos. Stretz is perhaps Rocky Ford;s
most extensive market gardener. He
will this year raise acres of cantaloupes
besides many tomatoes and much gen.
ernl garden produce. His largest crop,
however is an experimental one, which, il
it prove successful will be highly profita-
BILE and to which he will in the future
devote most of his ground. This trial