Gilpin observer., 1904-01-28
FARMING MATTERS.

a farmer in the HolbrCOk country
down in the Arkansas valley recently
sold wagon load of alfalfa seed for
$54S.73. an amount equal to the full
crop of many eastern farms. We can
generally see our mistakes after they
have been pulled Off and some of the
growers in the alfalfa kingdom fell
down last year when they forgot TO
save the second cutting for seed. The
country is full OF hay in the mildest
winter ever known. while the CONNER
cial gentlemen who deal in seedy
things are securing the country with
fine-toothed combs in a frantic search
for more alfalfa seed at 12 cents the
pound-Field and Farm.
In making farm leases. says farm
Journal. the almost universal practice
is to have the contract begin and END
on the lst day of March. This is wrong.
and is to the disadvantage OF both
landlord and tenant The common
practice of renting farms for one year
at time Is also desperate policy.
No tenant can do the best for his own
interests or those of the land owner
who does not know during one season
where he will be located the next year
This enables the tenant 10 do some
winter irrigating and to be well locat-
ed and prepared for work when spring
opens. A still better plan is to make
all changes in the fall as soon as the
crops are harvested and out of the way.
In speaking before the House COM
mittee of agriculture Secretary Wilson,
in discussing the problem of irrigation
said that the experts of his department
were studying the problem of how to
handle the soil so as to conserve the
water already available. In this con-
nection he mentioned the sugar beet
crop. which, he said. was steadily on
the increase despite the dire predic-
tions made at the time of the passage
of the Cuban bill. I'VE cannot raise
more than seven ard a half tons of
sugar beets to the acre" he said, but
with conservation of the water in the
soil by cultivation we can increase this
amount and when we produce fifteen
tons to the acre we can repeal ali the
sugar tariff laws with impunity."
After standing for the virtues of CAL
.ifornia barley for the last fifteen years,
says Field and Farm, we are pleased
to note that such a good farmer as S.
c. Newcomb OF Conejos county finds by
having tested a number of varieties
that it is the best feed grain for this
country. He says that ordinary beard
less and hull-less sorts are too hard
for stock to eat; and that while the
California barley is not suitable for
mailing purposes. it is unexcelled for
feeding. and when ground is an all
around ration for farm stock hard to
beat He usually produces from fifty
to seyenty-five bushels of this barley to
the acre, and when this can be done,
what Is the use OF repining about our
inability to produce corn as it is grown
in Iowa.
The celebrated Greeley potato is
likely to have rival as the favorite
crop in the cantaloupe, reinforced by
the juicy watermelon. At a farmers
meeting in Greeley few days since, A
M. Marsh of Rocky Ford and Paul
Gregory of Platteville, who have inter-
ested the farmers in the melon-growing
project. were present and said that
the sandy loan soil in this neighbor-
hood was identical with that found at
Rocky Ford. and with as favorable eli
matte conditions and irrigation facili-
ties. northern Colorado could easily ri
val those parts of the state where mel
one have been grown with marked sue
cess. 1t is expected that at least 500
acres will be planted to melons near
in other sections of Weld county
We believe that those farmers who
irrigate and who pay for the actual
amount of water drawn from the canal
get the best of the bargain. says Field
and Farm. In New Mexico last year
the farmers who paid according to the
quantities received used twenty-one
per cent. less water than others under
the same canal who paid fat rate
and used what they wanted. A similar
test in Idaho showed ths, those who
paid for the quantities received used
twenty-nine per cent. less than those
paying the acreage rate-an av-
erage for the two sections of
twenty-five per cent. A large
majority of farmers receive water
from ditch companies of some kind.
and whenever this is done the means
OF inducing economy is available. Most
farmers, however. use excessive guam
titles of water in the belief that il Is
necessary to do so; hence We see waste
everywhere.
Although the United States is def
cient in creating new breeds of ami
mails. according to Secretary Wilson.
who outlined the policy OF the Depart
ment of Agriculture TO the House COM
mittee on agriculture. Sir Thomas Lip
ton buys horses and pigs at Chicago.
The horses. said the secretary. he ships
to Ireland and trains as jumpers, then
sells them in Great Britain to ten
stone Englishmen" as Irish jumpers"
The pigs, of which he selects the thin
ones, he cans as Irish bacon" which
he also sells In England. Secretary
Wilson believes that the United States
can furnish the mounts for the cavalry
OF Europe. with proper study OF the
breeding of horses. and the department
Is turning its attention to this subject
at present The only thing the United