The state herald., 1897-09-17
WESTERN FARM NOTES.
(From Field and Farm.)

Corn Is comparatively just as cheap
as it was last year and feeding cattle
are higher priced on account of scare
ity.
An Otero county sheepman has some
May lambs which he says will weigh
eighty pounds and they have not been
feeding on buckshot either. They are
probably merinOs topped with some Of
the big English mutton types.
The cattle ranges in Colorado never
looked so well as they do at present,
and there is enough grass in the noun
tain parks and on the plains to feed
ten times the number of cattle running
thereon. AS consequence range
stock is rolling fat, and cattlemen are
correspondingly happy, the more so in
view of the fact that beef is bringing
higher price this season than 1t has
for years.
Growers around Denver who raise
cucumbers for market say that the first
crop from a particular field is better
than any subsequent one. The soil be-
comes filed with enemies of the crop
and a change is necessary. Some
growers find it advisable to take new
soil every year, and in this western
country, where land is plentiful and
cheap, this can most generally be done.
Besides the ground that is virgin is al
ways best and that which has rest Is
often improved.
The necessity for plowing fire guards
Is once more apparent now that the
dry autumn season Is so near at hand.
The rank vegetation which covers the
prairies will make the danger Of fire
this fall more of a menace than usual.
Every farmer should have a good fire
guard around his place, ana the range
country should also be protected by
several good fire guards. If this is
not done. the chances are that the
grass on a good portion of the country
will be burned off before spring and
great loss would thus be involved.
A Greeley gardener has stumbled
upon new variety of cabbage, which
is going to rev0lutionize' the business
of growing that great plant, at least in
Weld county. 1t is a hybrid produc-
tion from the Winningstadt and the
Flat Dutch. As the crop now stands
in several OF the market gardens
around Greeley the heads will average
seven pounds each and with $500
heads TO the acre there will readily be
60,OO0 pounds of marketable stuff on
each acre. At half n cent pound
this means $500 an acre, and the crop
ought TO bring that much this year.
Last year the Greeley cabbage crop ran
only about 10000 pounds an acre, so
II can be seen how much better the
yield is this season
In writing from Oversteg. Gunnison
county. n / an altitude of $500 feet, Rob
ert Imobersteg says: I'm your issue
OF August 2lst, on page =, is good
picture of a stool of tall meadow oat
grass. Your description of II Is right,
but too much credit is gwen TO its use
fulncss. II well put up 1t makes a
most attractive looking hay, blush in
color. but it is very light. Horses will
actually starve on 1t and refuse to eat
Il. Cattle eat 1t, but cows go dry
when made to eat it. l had three acres
OF It that grew three feet high without
water and five feet to six feet the first
three years with water, but timothy
two feet high is worth more than the
other five feet high. II Is the most de-
celving grass know Of. Any kind of
wild grass or hay is preferred by stock
even swamp grass.
In the Ordway district. Otcro county,
d. c. Roberts has just sold his wheat
crop for a trific over S1,IOO. This was
the product OF 100 acres and the price
at the elevator was Sl.03. The yield
averaged 2Ii., bushels to the acre. Mr..
Roberts says the intense heat for two
weeks before harvest shr,rnk the grain
10 an extent he estimates at one third.
Some wheat fields adjoining Roberts
land were almost n failure. In some
cases II will not pay to cut the stun.
This was due 10 lack OF winter lrriga-
tion. The Ordway country, being high
bench land. becomes very dry during
winter and Mr.. Roberts and others
who have made either full or partial
success there say that heavy irrigation
In the late fall and winter Is the saliva
tlon of crops. Trees and small fruits
that are not watered In winter are
likely to die or retrograde.
A new and destructive cut worm has
appeared In the orchards of Utah and
Is especially partial to the plum. The
cut worm eats on all the substance
from the grass roots TO about three
Inches deep In the ground. The ren :
cdy for the destruction OF these pes
IS 10 place wood ashes around the roots
of the trees. which VIII have the effect
of driving the fly away. Should aLy
eggs he laid strong soap or lye wa,er
poured around the roots VIII destroy
not only the eggs bu, the cover ms well.
II the egg has been hniched. which gen
orally occurs during the months OF
May, June and July. the same spray
as used for the apple worm VIII be
found effective. hut the spraying viii
have TO be done around the roots In
stead OF the brnWlcs. All fruit rails
crs should now bc putting old rags In
the crutch OF the apple trees, measur-
Ing from two TO Ave feet above the
ground. When there are no branches
rags should he tied around the stem
Of the trees. where the worms Will 20
IN for winter quarters. The rags must
be taken OF and burned when the first
frost comes. Millions OF Insects can
be destroyed In this manner.