Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-06-04
WESTERN FARM NOTES.
(Fmm Field and. Farm.)

five cents lower than Chicago paid on the
same days. May enthusiastically sell the
highest In the year at Denver.
The Western Union Cattle company
has just received on Its range In Morgan
county 1000 head Of southern cattle
shipped up last week from Tucson, Ari-
zona, and unloaded from the Santa Fe at
Las Animas. Jud Brush was at the un-
loading point to receive the stock and says
they are a smooth lot OF young things.
Now is good time to rub of sprouts
that have started out where they are not
wanted. Take heavy pair Of buckskin
gloves, and the sprouts can be easily
rubbed of while they are tender. 1t In
great deal easier to rub them on now
than to let them grow and then have TO
saw them of and have the limbs to clear
away.
Experiments have proven that moist
ure In the soil is preventive OF frost. 3.
r. Herdman OF Otero county has proved
Il by wettlng tender bean plants BY
means OF hose on evenings when frost
was threatened. The plants which were
well soaked escaped damage. while others
near them which were not treated with
water were destroyed.
Low heading OF orchard trees Is one OF
the favorite customs in Colorado. The
summer trimming Is usually made In
June by clipping on an inch or two OF the
tips by means OF sickle or pruning knife.
Heading In the branches always makes
thIck.topped tree and in this connection II
Is probably best to cut out the small un-
profitable wood In the center OF the tree,
a plan that Is popular with some OF the
western slope growers.
Some farmers down In the Colorado
raInbeIt, especially in Phillips county. are
complaining about the Russian thistle In
their wheat fields and fear that 1t may
injure their crops. 1t Is claimed by some
farmers that where there are many
thstles coming up In the wheat, the best
thing to do is to harrow 1t. This would
kill many Of the thistles and would NOT
injure the wheat much. II any. The only
thing to do with Russian thlstles Is to
aeht them from start to finish and never
| give up to them.
The farmers on the divide and In the
higher mountain attitudes can grow ehriy
potatoes with more assurance OF success
than those In Weld county. where the
late crop is such big thing. Mr.. Hoover
of Garfield county says 1t Is the better
plan to withhold water from early pota-
toes until the tops show signs or wilune
during the middle of the day. or till signs
of blooming. then irrigate thoroughly ana
repeat once a week till the tops begin to
turn brown, when the spuds are rlpening
and require no more water.
Alfalfa does best on deep. sandy loam,
the richer the better On hardpan soil
or where rock is near the surface, the at
tempt to grow alfalfa will be failure,
as also will be the attempt upon land not
we'll drained. 1t is generally conceded to
+ he true that any tract Of good land, that
has an omen subsoil down to permanent
moisture, Is adapted to the successful
growth of alfalfa. The plant becomes
successful resister OF dry weather simply
for the reason that its tap-root penetrates
to moisture. unless prevented Dy an IN
peryious stratum. When once estaphsneu'
with the terminal roots feeding IN per
petual moisture. eight. ten or twenty rect
below the surface. alfalfa Is Independent
nj rainfall, and remains dark green and
thrifty during the most protracted
drouths.
At the Utah agricultural statioh an eA'
perIment has been made having Tor its
object the determining of the relative
seedinr value of alfalfa cut at dinerent
, stages of its growth that is very instruc'
Z rive Three sets of steers were used ID
r making the experiment being FED ninety
' days during the past winter. One SET was
t fed alfalfa cut before coming into bloom.
9 another set being fed alfalfa cut while In
4 early bloom, and the third iot ieu On 'ne
t same cut after it was entirely out oi
9 hloom The rsults were decidedly In 10
t cor of the early cut alfalfa. The steers
Q red on this made an average gain OF three
d fonrtbs of a pound day. those FED on Inc
9 medium cut made an average gain OF one
q half pound day, and the iot leu ol
9 tbe lote.cut hay made an average gain OF
t but ope-fourth pound day.
T, 10 a fact that more fruit trees OF dif
. ferant kinds are ruined by too muct
water than by not giving them enough
!. Unless the winter has been unusually
- drv fruit trees will not require watering
= in the early spring, as there VIII D'
. enough moisture in the soil to give tnen
!, A sufficient quantity to last them tnrougl
q the cold spring weather. When they hav'
= formed the fruit they can stand goot
. soaking. and one is sometimes enough
unless the season is very dry, then goo'
Judgment would be required, as OF cours
il would be in all cases. These Few sus
uest;ons are not laid down as rules, pu
: have been found to give best results u
many Instances. 1t is the custom OF man
growers to put on the water In Angus
when the fruit buds are forming for tn
. rext aeason's crop, and we have Away
! favored this practice.
1 We have found In irrigating strawpei
/. -,os that the best results are obtained D.
: v,thholdIpc the water until the fruit ma
not and is well formed. This Will max
!. more fruit and less vines. II irrigated
: early spring the plants may be forceu ii'
Z bloom in time to catch late frost.
The new sugar mill at Eddy, New mex "a
, ,co will create a, new industry IN tn