Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-05-06
The Fruit Outlook.
By PRANK CROWLEY.

The Fruit Outlook.
By FRANK CROWLEY.
Last spring 1885 the trees shot forth
their buds little ahead OF the usual
time, and ON the night OF April 18th
sudden drop in the temperature resulted
in more or less injury to the fruit crop
all over the state. This year. from all
reports, there is now practically no
danger from late frosts, in any part OF
the state, the season being little later
than usual and with more even tempera-
ture prevailing there is little or no cause
for fear from TINT source. The prospect
in our own county is, however, OF most
importance to our readers, especially
since the fruit business has made such
rapid strides as 1t has during the past
three or four years. An furthermore,
the fact that a great number Of our Or
chards have just reached the bearing age,
makes the subject one of still greater
interest to all who have the advancement
of Otero county and the Arkansas valley
at heart.
At this writing, May Bird, we can figure
with some degree OF certainty on the
present seasons crop. The weather las
been very favorable to all kinds Of fruit
and taken all together there is every in
dication Of the largest crop We have ever
had.
The apple crop is the first in impor-
tance, and all varieties are well loaded
with blossoms, which are in most c,sses
,l:.k - r,var kIo krooo nth Urapk
ularity. The plum, prune, apricot, pear.
cherry, and ounce trees are all loaded
30 we'll that Il would seem that there is
nut room for another blossom, and the
young fruit is setting more thickly than
ever before. It is probable that the
yield from this kind OF fruit will be
phenomenal one this year. Varieties
that have been considered too tender in
the bud for general planting are going
to produce heavy crops OF fruit this sea-
son, and as good number OF new and
choice varieties are to be frlited for the
first time in some OF our orchards it is
going to be season Of exceptional inte-
rest to the fruit planters. The apricot
has not been recommended Tor general
planting on account OF it's inclination to
start too early in spring but it has pulled
through in good shape this time and fruit
has set on very thickly. and on the early
sorts has become quite good sized. The
peach is going to give fairly good
yield although some varieties suffered TO
some extent from q severe cold spell early
in January. It WINS thought that the
peach crop all over the state would be
cut short considerably by that spell OF
weather owing to some peculiar condi.
tion OF the atmosphere at that time, but
il the fruit men in other parts were ms
much mistaken as they were in this sec.
ton there will bc an abundant supply Of
peaches this year. The grape vineyards
have every appearance OF giving full
crop, and this Is the only fruit that has
produced in sufficient quantities to cause
market and to ship to any distance, aud
the competition from the great grape
belt Of Western New York and Michigan
makes it necessary for our growers to be
very careful and to put up their propuct
in the very best shape and handle it
carefully TO make the growing OF the
common kinds profitable. some expert
ments In wine making has been conduct
ed the past fall and winter, and it has
been proven that the same climatic ind
soil conditions that make our section so
we'll adapted to the production OF sugar
beets make it specially adapted to the pro.
duction Of wine grapes and also that the
greatest profits in vineyarding will be
from those kinds. Small fruits are al
ways sure crop where properly handled
serve there will he large quantity OF
raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries,
etc., produced in this section. 1t seems
that there has been more interest taken
in the planting OF small fruits during the
past few years, the growers having just
come TO realization of the fact that our
lower altitude and southern position in
the state renders us from one to two
weeks earlier than any other place that
is attempting to supply the markets to
which we are tributary. The leaf roller
found its way into some OF the straw
berry patches last season and did con-
siderable damage which it is feared will
cut short that crop to some extent. The
eggs from this worm are laid early in the
spring and the plants should have a
sons Just before the blossoms appear,
and il the Roller still continues its raw
ages the foliage should be moved of and
burned. Our fruit growers seem to be
fully alive to the importance OF fighting
all Of these insect enemies and with the
stringent inspection laws which have
been recently enacted it is safe to say
that we are in most advantageous po-
sition to protect our orchards.
In 1896 it is estimated that there was
about 100000 set in Otero county. A
great deal Of this was close planting,
with the intention OF thinning in after
years, and it is probable that the acreage
was increased by about 24OO acres, and
as there was previous to that time about
1900 acres in fruit the acreage was
swelled to about 5000. This spring in.
spector e. N. Berry estimates that about
100000 trees have been planted. A
great many Of the planters last year un-
dertook to put out trees on land that had
not been properly prepared and owing
partially to inexperience on the part OF
some planters, negligence on the part OF
some and the procuring of very poor
trees on the part OF others good many
of the trees planted did not grow, but
this season these is marked improve
ment on all these points and Us the
weather has been more favorable than
last year and better supply of moist
ure generally, the newly set trees are
succeeding in getting started in good
shape universally. Good work and