Durango semi-weekly herald. (Durango, Colo.) 1899-1907, 1906-08-13
FRUIT GONG TO WASTE.

ington orchards. when 80 miles away |
there are people In Durango who can
rot buy fruit, some who probably |
have not tasted 1t this year; doubt |
less children who would eat greedy |
of these apples and peaches ana
plums and other fruits lying about
the ground, having fallen from over
ripening.
The people tell you they have no
market for ito bring your boxes
and take 1t away for nothing. Some
of them say that people are too lazy
TO pick 1t on the shares, and that
some are too lazy to come after IT
when they can get all they can gath
er for taking it away. In one In
stance a 1O-acre orchard Is not fenc-
ed away from the wheat field and the
hogs cannot be turned in to fatten on
the wasting fruit. In another, ~
acre orchard there are 100 hogs
feasting on the fallen fruit. But in
many places there is difficulty in get
ting through the orchard without
walking on fruit. All about may be
heard peaches and apples falling to
the ground. At one place where the
| heavy-laden trees are near pitch
peaches and apples fall rapidly
enough to keep train of fruit run
| ming on to the San Juan river.
| Were you visitor at Pennington
now you would regret this situation.
| after realizing that there are hun
| dreds of people in Durango and else
| where who are fruit hungry without
the daily earning that will pay the
retail price. And You would regret
that these people who have made so
much effort to produce fruit find so
little reward in the sale of their early
products.
It Is learned that much of the fruit
is not properly packed when shipped
to get the price or patronage, but
thousands of pounds of the products
! lying about on the grounds are as
good as any ever offered in Durango,
regardless of packing. The can
ming factory is not running
Some of the producers say that the
factory does not offer enough for the
fruit to justify picking and hauling
it. Others say that the only solution
of the dilemma is to get southern
outlet, as Durango cannot create
market big enough to relieve the
present producing capacity And
thousands of young trees have been
set out during the past year or So
good. bad and Indifferent Pity the
producers and the fruit hungry
The first hay cutting is reported to
be exceedingly light. Those who are
making or about to make the second
cutting will get better results. Where
three cuttings had been made many
will make but two this year. 1t was
late or backward spring and every
thing that grows here was delayed
in maturing. Scanty grain fields are
seen all along the lower Animas val
ley. Corn is good In spots and there
are some very good oat and wheat
fields.
Transfers In realty are not as ac-
tive as they were during the first part
OF the year and on till June One
good sale was recently made, that of
100 acres of the Blake holdings ad-
joining Pennington, next to the Ami.
mas river. This tract was sold to
the pleasant Home Spiritual Col
ony.' Differed by II. Robert Paul
president; Rev. DR.. J.. II. Dickey
superintendent and general manager:
Mrs. G. B. Roberts, treasurer; Aug.
ust j. Fritz. secretary. 1t is under
stood that these colonies will be es.
tablished here to operate on a CO.
| operative plan. Members of each
colony will be given certain tract
each on which to reside and engage
In the various industries for which
the respective lands are suited. On
printed stationery appears the line,
Growers of Fruits and Vegetables
Other options are being taken nv the
officers of the colony, one 1t is said
up the Animas river. at 100000 for
S2o acres. 1t Is expected that 100000
VIII be invested by the colony peo-
pie In lands here before fall. This
appears to be a practicable way of
cutting up large and unproductive
tracts as well as those under yarious
states OF cultivation, and Increasing
population.
Improved lands are now ouoted at
from $50 to $1,000 per acre there he.
ing many tracts held at from 500
10 s4oo per acre. Homeseekers and
spectators with small capital are
moving out to the fringes, around the
arroyas and hillsides. Some of the
purchasers of large tracts are i'm
PROVING them In oHor l.. ..~..,,