The Holly chieftain., 1900-01-12
HOLLY, COLORADO FRIDAY JAN. u, 1900.
sose Wholesome Advice.


Some Wholesome Advice.
After niskinga careful survey Of
the situation from Pueblo to the state
line along the Arkansas valley. unless
great storage rssery0is are erected in
the mountains and other natural
locations along the valley we can term
ourselves irrigators under food water
canals only, and as floods occur here
only In the summer months, we the
farmers, as Mr.. Noble OF Topeka says,
must commence arranging for crops
that will be profitable under as few
lirrigations us possible. Alfalfa Is the
Icrop that will do this. Cereals Of all
kinds are not profitable unless plenty
OF water is obtained almost the entire
year and az the time has arrived that
our valley has reached and passed the
thousand mile OF irrigating canals we
cannot reasonably expect to enjoy ir-
rigation water the entire year. At
low stage OF water we must be content
with domestic water and this will be
ample for orchards and gardens.
Cereals to be a paying crop must have
at least six irrigations; alfalfa will do
as will with four az with six irriga-
tions and it takes less water per acre
for alfalfa than for cereal crops.
Cereals can be and are grown the
world over and very few are raising
them at a profit unless passed through
stock OF their own. 1t is no longer a
question that alfalfa is king OF the
forage plants and 1t has been clearly
demonstrated that in this climate ir-
rigatiOn and alfalfa must go together
for maximum profit. Our soil here is
IA sandy loan to the depth Of 20 IT. or
more and of u porous nature, easily
penetrated by alfalfa roots which
naturally enters the soil to depth Of
from 20 to 30 1T. straight down il the
roots meet an obstruction such as
hard pan or stone they spread out
over the hard surface tending to make
the plant shortllved. Our soil and
climatic conditions are all that alfalfa
needs and consequently every availa-
be acre should be put into alfalfa, be-
cause the demand for it cannot be
met. 1t should be worth five dollars
per ton in the stack, eight foot
msasurement, yet the buyer feeds It
to stock more than doubling HIS
money. The farmers should oaganize
in this valley to keep the price OF hay
at a good figure with some severe pen.
atty attached for selling under price
to be maintained. Call it an alfalfa
trust If you will, but it would be
merely keeping pace with the steel,
oil and other trusts that are prevalent
in our land today that will live ON not
withstanding the denunciations of
President Mckinley and his rival W.
j. Bryan. Let us fight the devil with
his own weapons, let us organize and
keep up with the rapid strides of
American organizations. Farming by
irrigation is but in its infancy IN this
valley and II We expect to be success
full we must be thoroughly organized.
The effect Of organization was demon
strated on the 11th Of last month ut
the election OF the Fort Lyon canal
directors, when we received more than
we expected and have all that we
need in that capacity: there were a
few farmers who were afraid they
might offend some one if they voted
their wants publicly, but we are will
ing to let them come in and share the
pudding, expecting them to stick up
for their rights next time. In con-
clusion we want to thank the Urge
stockholders of the Fort Lyon canal
for the courtcsies extended to us small
stockholders and ask only for a con-
tinuance OF the same. me.-PATRoN, In
Las Animas Leader.