Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-03-30

Farm Notes.
In spite OF the severe cold the past
winter In Larlmer county, when the
mercury fell ms low as 80 degrees be-
low zero on two or three nights, John
Coffman. the largest sheep runner In
that section. lost only two sheep out OF
n flock of 1900. The losses In neigh
boring fiocks of smaller size Were also
light. Mr.. Cofiman fed but ten tons Of
hay during the whole winter.
In the selection of trees for the
young orchard 1t is always well to Sc
lect varieties that grow best in this
climate. Mr.. Geo. j. Speer, proprietor
OF the Greeley nurseries, recommends
the following winter apples. as best
adapted 10 Colorado. Wyoming and
New Mexico: Ark Black. Ben Davis,
Fallawater. Gano. II. Nonsuch. Rawle's
Jennctt, Jonathan, King OF 4. Co.,
Mann, McAIahon's W., Missouri Pip
pin, n. W. Greening. Perry Russell.
Rome Beauty. Scott's Winter. Sheriff,
Wagner. wnlbridge, Wine Sap, Vel
low Bellfower. etc. --.e ~
We are asked II 1t pays to feed cows
bran In the spring when grass comes
out. This Is nn experience OF n dairy
man: Three years ago my cows had
splendid pasture and quit feeding
bran and thought 1t was just as well.
Before quit feeding the bran my
cows averaged pound OF butter n
day, and the next week after l quit
feeding they shrunk down 80 that
figured the bran only cost me two
thirds of what / lost in butter. Let
me say, here Is n good point. The far-
mers are humbugged on this bran ques-
tiOn to u great extent. Fine, heavy
bgnn Is not worth within two or three
dollars a ton as much as the coarse
grade of bran for cows. Never buy
bran for cows that will go forty
to forty-tive pounds to two-bushel
bag. If ordering bran from mill, 1t
can be secured every time without any
trouble" rHr
a farmer living In the Roaring Fork
valley says: Farming and stock rails
ing is not such bad business after all.
The old style of ranching did not pay,
when we raised few potatoes and
depended on our rifle for meat. Now
we must plan what crops will sell
rapidly, and how we can get best re-
suits. Alfalfa is the, crop that Is
bringing the money to this valley. not
only for hay, but as the great fert-
lizer. After our farms have been run
to alfalfa few years we can raise
better crops of grain and potatoes
than ever before. To illustrate the
value of alfalfa land, I will state
that 1t readily rents for SO an acre
for potatoes. \ few years ago when
oats were selling at two cents n pound.
some of the farmers said they could
not be raised ut profit. Now they
are considered good crop at one cent.
BY connecting stock raising with agri-
culture farming will pay
There is no country like Colorado af-
ter all. J. S. McClelland of the Fossil
Creek fruit farm, in Lhrimer county,
has returned from second winter
spent in southern California. AMI he is
| more pleased than ever with things as
he finds them here. "There is no use
talking" he says, "our OLD state of Col
Orado is the finest In the world. Why,
l can raise more apples on an acre of
| ground on my place than they can
raise of any kind of fruit in California
under the most favorable conditions.
and right now the fruit and grain crop
of that state is in a horrible way. They
lave not had any rain for months. and
every living thing is completely dried
| up. 1 can raise 1000 barrels of apples
on twenty acres of ground here, and
in California tJ,ey are doing well to
get half as mcEy. | had an offer. to.
trade my farm for twenty acres of
walnuts on Lucky Baldwin's Santa
Anita ranch. twelve miles out of Los
Angeles, but have no intention of do
ing so. Colorado Is the coming fruit
state of the Union, and l am satisfied
to let my interests remain here" II. !.
| Governor d. Richards of Wyoming
says: "During the recent cold winter
we discovered way in which corn
can be profitably fed to sheep on the
range, giving them more strength, flesh
and vitality than any other food. and
at less expense. AT the same time 1t
is so easily transported and handled
that it is possible to feed sheep any
where on the range in the most severe
weather. Our method has been to take
several sacks of corn in n sled or
wagon and have men SOW 1t broadcast
as far as possible-tle wider it is
scattered the better. The sheep fol-
low, picking up grain Mt time.
Being separated. there is time for
thorough mastication to take place,
and the greatest benefit of the food is
therefore obtained. The fact is sur
prising, but 1t Is nevertheless true, that
we not only carried our focks through
the severe winter without loss, but in
| good flesh and Mt an infinitesimal cost.
An expense of one mill n day to an
animal has sutficed. The severest
winter would. not entail an expense
for grain of more than 10 cents n head.
The corn may be scattered on the
snow II 1t is crusted SO as TO bear the
weight of the grain, but it is better
on the bare ground. The old way OF
feeding in troughs caused gluttony and
crowding and perhaps Is per cent. of
the value OF the grain was lost. ;. If
sheepmen will follow this method of
feeding corn and at the same time use
ordinary care in handling their fiocks,
hard winters need have no terrors SO
far rs loss Is concerned. I am in
formed that Mr.. Gleason. manager OF
the Warren Live Stock Company, has
adopted similar methods during the
past winter with splendid results. the