Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-04-06
WESTERN FARM NOTES.
(From Field and FarmD

From Field and Farm.)
John A. Rankin. of Weld county, Is
going to build V shaped lamb shed
on his ranch by using sixteen-foot
boards In inch stun. set on end. toe
nailed at the top md brnced at the bot
tom by 2x4 stay braces. It will be
fixed so that It can be taken down Mt
any time or moved In sections without
taking down the sides. 1t could also
be used for shearing shed and for
protection in winter and Is about the
cheapest thing that can be put up. A
ground space Of 44S square feet can be
built for less than 500.
The foot Of snow which fell over Col
orado last Sunday proved a great help
to land, as 1t placed the ground in fine
condition for plowing, while that which
was plowed Is of course greatly bene-
fited. Some OF the rainbelters had al
ready seeded their wheat, and this
placed them In very good humor. In
Weld county. where wheat Is often
times drilled In on smooth potato land
without. plowing or even narrowing.
some seeding had been done: but, Us
n rule. not much spring work in the
fields had been started when the snow
came on.
Judge FELTON, of Fremont county has
discovered one of the secrets Of evolu.
tlon, 10 many of which have been un-
folded in this region during the past
quarter of century. This Il the fact
that he can grow Japan plums ut Can
on City when everybody has 30 loudly
proclaimed that they could never be
produced along the eastern base Of the
mountains. and It was doubtful II they
could ever be forced into growth on the
western slope. The Judge, however,
says that they have the habit of get.
ting out in the spring and blooming
week ahead of the procession and this
may prove fatal to them as continuous
and steady bearers. II he produced
them last year. with Its late. cold and
disngreeable spring, we should think
they were fairly promising for all
years.
A reader of Field and Farm living in
Prowers county, writes: Have you
ever tried seeding grain both ways of
the field? 1t will not only increase the
yield, but will help you to protect your
crop from hot winds, II any should
happen along during the season. My
plan is to drill In one-hnlf bushel Of
wheat an acre In the ordinary way.
then drill In one-half bushel an acre nj
right angles to the first seeding-this
time in the same direction the water Is
to flew. II good seed is used, one
bushel an acre is enough. By this
method I cover the ground better, get
finer and firmer seed bed and n bet.
ter stand of wheat. and better yield,
and as the rows Of grain run both
ways, it prevents the winds from blow.
ing through the grain and evaporating
the moisture. cnn count on an In
crease of three to five bushels an acre
over the Ona-wny nefhOdv
The cattle business was never as
good in New Mexico as 1t Is Mt present.
For several years It has been a losing
game Many people went out of the
business. and nearly every one was
compelled to borrow money. Some
were closed out, and a great many
were allowed to go on, simply because
their creditors could not recover the
amount Of the indebtedness by fore.
closing. But during the past three years
they have been gradually getting out.
Up to 1894. nothing but steers were
sought, and there was sale for nothing
under three years old. The result of
this condition was that steers were
rushed in from Mexico. the range be.
came overcrowded, and the cattle were
simply starved to death. During that
period many Of the breeders there lost
MS high as 40 per cent. of their herds,
and there seemed to be no future to
the business. Since 1904 the conditions
have been constantly Improving, and
now they could hardly be better.
prices being high enough to suit every.
body.
The most noticeable permanent i'm
provement OF the New Mexico agricul.
tural college this spring is the plant
ing of windbreaks for the protection
of the buildings and feeding lots of the
college farm. Thrifty trees of green
ash, cntnlpa, Russian mulberry, honey
locust and black locust are growing in
several places near Mesilla park, as
well as the college farm, and 1t was de-
cided to use seedlings of these varieties,
leaving space In the plantation for
other forms, which can be added later.
One-year seedlings We're secured at m
average cost OF 80 thousand The
trees were planted in rows seven feet
apart, and three and one-half feet
apart in the row. The forestry divis.
ion at washington donated 5000 ever
green's. These will be grown this year
under bush screen. and when well
established will be ,ransplanted to the
windbreaks, which will make the trees
31aX31a feet apart when the planting Is
completed. Seeds Of white hickory,
pignut, Texas oak and other hardwood
species will be added to the permanent
plantations. thus making them testing
grounds for large number of sorts.
On all the plats set this spring Rus
sian mulberry has been more largely
used than any other species. 1t Is well
adapted to the locality. makes a dense
shade. branches low and grows mum.
berless twigs. thus making 1t one of
fbr,1 orfn tno fnr ,tv,rr