The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-08
SHORTAGE OF ALFALFA CROP
DRAWBACK TO THE INDUSTRY.
Irrigation bitches Did Not Get Their
Accustomed Supply OF Water from
Mountain Streams.

Mr.. c. o. Sprengcr, a wei known writer
on range conditions. after a trip through
Colorado Utah, Wyoming and Nebraska,
says Of the situation.
'The hay crop in my native State tCol.
orado) shows shortage Of fully 20 per
cent The dehcit comes almost cntlrei,
from the alfalfa growing sections--thc lrri.
gated country. In the far West where
nothing hut praIIie and wild grasses are
cured, fair crop was made, but not So
with alfalfa. the chief feed that Colorado
produces, We had a most unsatisfactory
winter last year as regards snow upon tue
mountains, and as a result irrlgatiug bitches
and streams were not any too well sun.
piled. While Kansas Missouri. Nebraska
and Iowa have been enjoying rains all sum.
mer, Colorado farmers have suffered from
drouth The alfalfa crop is the worst We
nave secured In years. Already the feed )
selNng Tor 50 and So ton on the range.
whereas II could be purchased last summer
the drouth year-tor So 80 10 81 The
situation Is even worse in the Fort Collin
and Fort Morgan districts In the northern
part or the state than 1t is In the Arkansas
valley, although the latter section has moth
Ing 70 brag about. In the foothills. sevrntv
or eighty miles north OF Fort Collins, there
have been more rains than elsewhere hrt
In the Fort Collins alfalfa district a very
poor hay crop has been made
Il have looked into the situation carefully
ana am convinced that feeding OF sheen VIII
ne reduced 90 per cent or thereabouts from
last years figures. Last year as you will
remember, was very poor one with Col.
orndo lamb feeders, so you can Imagine
what the coming winter viii be. From
present indications Fort Collins will turn
out about $1,000 sheep next season, VIII lp
the Arkansas valley Will feed hut little
In excess NJ 10000, These figures represent
q reduction of - per cent from those ~ ths
banner year, 1900. Not only sheen I'M
cattle feeding will suffer as well, althour
the latter Will not be to such an extent M
sheep feeding: Colorado feeders make much
OF their alfalfa. IL II Is good they food
literally. despite high corn, but II II ~
poor, they viii not import much foreign
corn TO splice In with their short hay rron.
MY trip TO Kansas ana Nebraska was 90
caSioned by the desire TO ascertain rho A (,
manu that exists In those States this son.
son Tor western feeding sheep. In We.
ming and throughout the entire Northwes,
there Is world OF excellent feeding lamhs
10 come 70 market this fall. Fort Coll ne
ana Fort Morgan feeders will not no in y
position 10 handle many Of them so n ls No
70 Kansas and Nebraska to care for tbr
surplus lambs In the Northwest In "
nraska found the demand for sheen. ocro.
stoned by the excellent prospects for crr,
aud nigh prices OF muttons last year IL 10
Ertatest ever known, Several big r,ttte
feeders are quitting steer feeding ana WI
shsase extensively IN sheep feeding This
winter ! am told that Kansas viii fesS
angbis the sheep this year that she ala Lee ivu
thS 10 happy state OF Affairs IN the face