Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-11-24

Total ..................S sac 800 600
II cattle. horse and other livestock
were added to the agricultural col
umn. as they well might be, 1t would
lift the total TO much higher figure.
but this table is enough to illustrate
the situation.
This is expected to be a banner
year for the Colorado farmer, for ev-
erything has been In his favor and he
will celebrate Thanksgiving with n
full pocketbook, as well as a full
heart and 1t is expected that the re
suits will bring in thousands of i'm
migrants and materially enhance the
value of farming land, which is now
already worth from $50 to 800 an
acre wherever irrigation can reach IT,
Most OF the farms are small. and com
pared with eastern states the acreage
under cultivation is limited Indeed,
20 acres is considered as much as one
| man and team can cultivate, but
| under the system OF intensified farm
ing that land produces about the
same yield regularly, so that the only
risk is in the market. OF course the
entirely at the mercy of the dealers
and the dealers are controlled by the
law of supply and demand. II the
markets are flooded with hay, wheat,
melons. vegetables and fruit. prices
must go down and the Colorado farm
er has his profits reduced accordingly.
But there is never any failure of
water and there is never any lack of
sunshine, which are the most impor-
tant considerations next To his own
Industry and intelligence. A fool can
not farm better than he can do any
thing else. and 1t Ia the last thing a
lazy man should think of taking up
To succeed in intensified" farming a
man must work just as hard and get
up Just as early as he would be com
PEELED to In any other kind of work,
and he must mix his brains with the
water and seed Intelligence and in
dustry are necessary for success in
every occupation, but in none are they
more essential than in farming.
Hay is the best crop in Colorado
as you have seen, and 1t Ia mostly al
falfa or Spanish clover, which yields
three crops a year at the rate OF
about a ton and a half per acre eacf
cutting. and sells from $3.50 to $40 G
ton. according to the demand. Fol
feeding stock II Is worth about 81 :
ton at all times and seasons. Alfalfi
is not only a staple but 1t Is q perpet
ual income-producer, and demands
less labor and brings better cash re
turns than any other. 1t is hard!
perennial, and once planted requires
: no attention except to turn on th'
= water into the irrigating bitches occa
2 slonally. and to turn in the mowinl
a machine when 1t is ripe.
e Colorado is the great potato state
: and my latest information Is tha
r 500 carloads have been or Will b
d shipped to the eastern markets witt
L In the next few weeks from the tow
g of Greeley alone, and the return I
the farmers Is from 5000 to $225 pc
e car. There Is no limit to the produc
It i've capacity OF the state. nor is ther
0 any limit to the demand for potatoes
n The eastern markets can absorb an
& quantity and shiploads are sent
d Europe. Cabbages, Gninos and otht
p vegetables grow with equal prof
and although prices are low this yea
1t II is impossible to lose any money o
n them The agricultural authorities I
"a the state report that the average NJ
e profit on sweet potatoes never fal
Is below s75 per acre, and often runs {
rs high as $3.50 per acre; tomatoes wi
m pay a net profit of $50. and celel
H. $3.50 per acre, although that require
it more labor than any other crop.
lille most OF the farms are sma
ie as I have alredy told you. there a.
ID some very large ones. For exampl
n Longmont claims the largest bed
he peas, the largest asparagus bed al
ne the largest currant patch In the worl
IN The bed Of peas is $500 acres in si
ry and Is cultivated entirely by mach
,y cry. The seed is planted, the win
are cultivated, cut and threshed. Il
pods are shelled, the peas are grad
and put into cans, cooked, sealed
=, beled and packed almost without
ing touched by human hands Eyei
thing Is done by automatic machine
and I am told that the factory cc
So nected with this farm puts up an Z
do erage of 10000 cans Of peas per d
,r. during the season.