Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-02-10

SeTlntOE VI W. oWAuh hu5 Juos ASeuAhSNs
to his home in Rocky Ford after tour Of
six weeks in California. Tho senator
always keeps his eyes and ears open at
home and abroad, and an hours talk
with him relative to his Pacific coast
trip brought out many observations
which will be OF interest to Coloradoans.
He says that throughout many sections
of the state there is complaint about the
unusually cold and dry winter. just at
this season, when rains should be copi-
ous and frequent, there is no precipita-
ton and the soold is such as to cause
great discomfort. Few households have
stoves, and providing this sort OF COM
fort is delayed from day to day hoping
that the unexampled frigid weather (for
California; may be changed to accus-
toned mildness. The cold has had a
very damaging effect on the orange and
lemon orchards. Much damaged fruit
is being thrown on the market, growers
holding back the good stock until the
frost bitten oranges are worked of. The
damage TO the lemon orchards has been
greater than to the acres devoted to Or
anges, the former frult being moro sensi-
tive to low temperature. Many lemon
orchards are SO badly damaged that the
trees are being cut down.
Orange and lemon trees have their in
sect pests the same as do the apple or
chards OF the coast. Their worst enemy
is the scale, which can be eradicated only
by fumigation. A hood or tent is pnt
over tho tree SO that the fumigating poi
sons have full effect where they will do
tho most good. This work is done at
night as it has been found that tho chem-
ical action OF the SUMS rays on tho smoke
is such as to kill the leaves on tho outer
branches.
Mr.. Swink says that California is no
place for man OF small means, but that
man who is able to own few acres OF
ten.yenr-o oranges can live most COM
fortably on comparatively small
amount Of labor. But five acres OF this
income-producing soil cannot be pur-
chased for less than $1,000 or 10000, such
lands eligibly situated near the foothills,
where there is least danger from frost,
always commanding from $1,000 to $1,000
per acre.
Mr.. Swink regretted that he did not
have the time and opportunity to study
the irrigation problem ns much as its i'm
portance deserved. He found that n far
greater economy in the use OF water pre-
walls than is practiced in Colorado. This
is really n matter OF necessity as the pro-
portion OF water to cultivated land is
much less than in this state. Most
bitches have cemented bottoms SO that
Improbable sespage is prevented, and
the laterals on tho best ranches are pipes
Of coment or other material wholly under
ground, except ut convenient intervals
there are standpipes or hydrants for the
irrigation OF the adjacent soil.
In the application OF water TO tho land
there is carefulness which the average
Colorado ranchmau rarely exercises.
When the water is turned on field the
lrrigators stay with it every minute, see
ing that it is directed where it will do
the most good and none OF the precious
fluid wasted. Halt mile Of country
road converted into mud, us frequently
seen in this state, Inns no duplication in
California fruit districts. Tho econom-
ical use of water is also promoted by the
thorough cultivation given the fields.
Thorough pulyerization OF the soil has