Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-10-21
AN ILLINOIS EDITOR Wis
ITS ROCKY FORD.


And Sees Much to Commend
to his Egyptian Readers.
About the time of our Fair Mr..
j. Hartman one of the editors of
the Fruit and Vegetable Grower,
Makanda. southern Illinois, spent
several weeks in Rocky Ford and
vicinity. The September issue of
his journal contains three col
umn article descriptive of this
section of the valley. Mr.. Hart
man travelled around the valley
with. his eyes open and knows a
good thing when he sees it. We
make the following extracts from
his Article:
That this valley is wonderfully
fertile can not be questioned.
There is apparently no limit to
the amount Of produce that can be
grown upon this soil where an
abundance of water can at all
times be secured.
The money crop of the vicinity of
Rocky Ford are matermelons and
gem cantaloupes. The writer has
been in several watermelon dis
tricts, but has never tasted any
that compare with those raised in
this valley; they grow very large.
The vines are very productive.
Thousands are prodtced upon an
acre of ground of such delicious
quality that it makes Senegam-
bian's eyes pop out of his head.
The nutmegs, or cantaloupes,
grown here have butte differant
flavor from those grown in other
localities. It would be impossi-
BILE for me to properly describe
their delicious flavor or desirable
qualities. They must be eaten to
be appreciated. Hence their pop
ularity in the markets. They
have crowded out those grown in
other melon districts wherever
they have been introduced. The
demand has never as yet bene
supplied; there are always mors
orders than melons. The fact ie
also patent to an observing person
that the markets thrt are opening
up grow faster than the increased
production of the crop; hence it
will be safe to say that it will be
some years before there is q glut
in the melon production in this
valley. = The Ar
kansas valley is destined to be one
of tho largest and most productive
fruit areas in the western world.
II Looking over the
display of fruits at the Fair would
naturally give a stranger the i'm
preston that he was in the para
disc of fruit farming. Condor
compels me to say that I have
seen lorger displays, but none
better. . Twenty
men cut melons for the hungry
thousands who came from every
quarter of the globe, in every con-
ceivable conveyance-from a pal
ace car to a burro. One remark
able feature is the fact that all the
melons are donated by the grow
ers, not costing the Fair associa-
ton penny, and yet it is one of
the best advertisements ever
adopted. Strangers not only see
but are urged to taste, the delic-
ious products of the valley. This
they well know, gives the wayfsr-
er an almost unquenchable desire
to moke his home within this very
desirable locality, and among
these generous. intelligent and
delightful people. Another mon
ey maker in this valley is the al
falfa crop, which is enormous.
. Will corn grow
here? Yes, + shoulp say so; have
seen corn fields that would make
fifty bushels of cord per acre.
But the sweetest, aud to the wri-
ter the most desirable. crop grown
here is the honey crop. The rev.
enue derived from this industry
by those engaged in it in this val
ley has been very fattering. We
withhold a statemeet of amount
realized from this particular in
dustry, lest we should be consid-
cred an Annanias. The spirit Of
Enterprise and push permeates
the entire community.
Our trade is excellent--caused
by good goods and low prices
but we want yet more. If not
now a regular customer give US a
trial. We can please you.
Rocky Ford Grocery Co.
Don't forget to go to the Odd
Fellows hall Friday night, Oct.