Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-02-06
WESTERN FARM NOTES.
(From Field and Farm.

This winter will go down In history
as the most mild one, up to February
lst ut least. ever experienced on the
sheep range.
A local paper says that the IIarimer
county bees earned their owners n cool
$4,000 In 1895. Such little efforts help
amazingly to sweeten the miseries Of
life.
]. c. Kain Of Otero county went to
New Mexico last week and purchased
1000 wethers, which he will feed on
his farm near Rocky Ford for the early
summer market.
The machinery Of the I.ongmont
creamery has been much improved.
The daily average output Is sixty
pounds. two-thirds Of which is shipped
to Denver and the remainder to noun
tain towns.
A good lusty steer OF 1900 pounds
weight will eat half u btiShel OF corn
daily and will put on from three to
four pounds Of additional weight. 1t
makes but little difference between raw
or cooked food.
Denver is tagging these days MS
mutton market and there Is virtually
nothing offered that Is worth eating. 1t
Is season between hay and grass just
now from the market point Of view.
and very soon the ripe alfalfa lambs
will begin to arrive.
There Is liberal demand for good
dairy cattle in Colorado. 1t Is about
time for some sensible eastern breeders
to get out of the notion that Colorado
was wiped of the map In 1893 and be-
gin to do a little missionary work In
the Rocky mountain region.
The Fort Collins sheep feeders. in
Guiding those of Larimer county, have
organized the Fort Collins sheep feed
ers' association with the following Of
ficers: W. 4. Drake, president; Myron
II. Akin. secretary-treasurer; N. G. AL
ford, J. S. McClelland and J. c. Evans.
executive committee.
Geo II. Adams manager OF the Baca
grant In the San Luis valley. has
lately been visiting southern New Mex
leo where he purchased by trade aud
otherwise 1000 head OF range stock
which will soon be brought to the
ranges OF the San Luis. Mr.. Adams
also bought cattle for the following peO-
pie: N. Bowling G.OOO head. Hall &
Co. 1000. and Adams brothers 800.
Mr.. Adams traded several hundred
Hereford bulls In this deal and got
enough range stock to cat up a good
deal OF the surplus forage held In the
San Luis country. Such OF these cattle
us inny he fit for beef In the spring
will be sent TO market, while the other
stock will he matured for sale later.
The editor of the Longmont Times
says: "'rhe fine weat ther we are now
having Is very welcome and Is fully ap-
preciated by all. but continuation Of
this kind of weather may result In
great damage to the fruit trees. Should
the frost get out of the ground at the
roots OF the trees the sap will START and
the tree be killed at the first freeze.
Close watch should be kept OF the orch-
ards and II there should be Indications
Of danger some loose straw should be
placed around the trees. Many years
ago the winters In Colorado were very
chanscablc. long, warm spells followed
by freezing weather and all attempts at
the growing of fruit trees resulted In
failure. The weather Is always change
able. In this state, of course, but in re-
cent years not so much so as In early
days. Every man Interested In fruit cul-
turc will understand just what to do In
case of continued warm weather. and
needs no instruction"
Tie best grapes the world over are
produced in those sections of little dew,
and this is one reason why viticulture
has becH such a success so far rs tried
In Colorado. We need more expert.
ments to determine the adaptability Of
varieties for this or that section, and
, until this is done we will not hear of
much extensive planting. We have so
many varying conditions of soil, eli.
mate and altitude that n variety which
may 90 well in one locality is n failure
in some other section. The scoriaceous
soils on the western slope are usually
well adapted to the needs of the grape.
nnd sandy soils carrying calcareous
and gruntic compositions are well In
line for the vine and prove very salts
factory where irrigation is applied. We
will some day grow giapes for the
great central west, but !; will not be
until prices are better and there Is
more money In the country with which
to indulge in luxurics.
The Colorado station recommends
light soil, some irrigation. potash fer
tillZers and rotted manure for straw
berries. Mulching protects plants In
winter and prevents early blooming
and danger from spring frost. Michel
was the best early kind and Edwards
Favorite the most attractive to the eye
and taste Warfield, Parker Earle,
Roynton and Woolverton are also rec
commended. For grapes a warm, we'll
drained soil, with southern slope, and
fan-shape training on trellises are rec
commended. Best varieties. Black.
Champion. Moorc's Early, August
Giant, Oriental and WOrden; Red,
Brighton, Norfolk, Delaware and Aga
wan: White. Eldorado. Moore's DiI-
mond, Martha and Lady Washington.
The Utah sta ton finds Parker Earle,
Sharpless and Thompson No. Z the best
Strawberries; Concord, Delaware. Early
Victor and Massasoit the best grapes:
Early Risers and Early st. John the
best peaches: Mt. Large and Early
Richmond the best cherries. Late
peaches and sweet cherries are too ten-
der for that climate. Russian apricots
are harder and more productive but not
as large as others. Most trees In young
orchards planted In clover, alfalfa or
timothy died, while trees receiving clean
culture all lived and thrived.
The Platte Valley Sheep company of
Wyoming paid n dividend Of twenty
per cent last year. This Is better than
some of the Colorado gold mines paid.
cramery company has been crgan-