The Elbert County tribune., 1906-09-27
BY DRY FARMING
SECRETARY BURNS TELLS or
cALHAN EXPERIENCE.
SUCCESS OF DuRuM WHEAT
Heavy crop-Distrlct Settling Rap
idly-AiI Done Without Irrigation.

idIy-AiI Done Without Irrigation.
1T is not unusual for Coloradans to
argue that all this talk about develop
ment under dry farming is foolish
ness said Secretary Burns of thel
Colorado State Commercial associa-
ton TO Denver reporter. but in thel
face of this pessimism on the part of
our own people, the development in
the counties east OF the range dur
ing the pas; six months has been
simply remarkable.
One OF the most interesting Illus
tractins of what has been accom-
plished through legitimate methods
or advertising our state during tho
past year is to be found at CaIhan.
station forty mes east OF Colorado.
Springs on the Rock Island railroad,
In 1904 Calhan was practically an un-
known point on the Colorado map.
A live immigration agent took hold of
the territory, and assisted by Prof.
Olin OF the Agricultural college. de-
veloped a plan for the experimentation
with Durum wheat. Calhan Is far be-
yond the possibility OF irrigation. and
therefore. was up to that time looked
upon as largely cattle territory.
In 1904 5000 pounds of seed. OBJ
tanned from Dakota, we're sown in
small tracts, approximating 100 acres.
although the production of wheat was.
n new proposition, The yield was
from ten to forty bushels, and the,
average yield twenty-five per acre the
first year. The larger yields were In
spots where scientific methods had
been adopted The small yield was the
result of slIp-shod methods OF farm
L..
None of the wheat raised in 1904
was sold, but every pound kept for
seeding purposes. and in 1905 1000
acres were seeded in the Calhan dis
trict. yielding an average OF eighteen
bushels per acre. Several cars or
Durum wheat were shipped west and
south from Ca,han station, some go
ing as far as California. Samples in
spected by grain experts were pro
nounced the finest and plumpcst berry
they had ever seen.
This year approximately 1000
acres seeded to this cereal are pruduc-
ing as high as forty bushels to the
acre where forty-five to fifty pounds OF
seed were used per acre. The months
of May and June this year were very
dry. The precipitation for April being
2.91 and May 1.13 inches. In June the
precipitation was but 1.41. All Of the
fields stool the drouth well. malcIug
heavy growth and heading early In July,
which month there was 4.29 inches OF
rainfall. about the average for July.
Experts have been watching the
methods adopted, and among other
points decided by this years growth.
IL that grain seeded from the 1st to
the 29th of May has produced the best
results 1t has heavier straw. is
heavily stooled, with large head, and
plumper berry. and ripened more
evenly than that grown earlier. Wheat
seeded in the last week of May and the
1st of June is not so well stoc.ed or
headed.
AT the convention of the State
Commercial Association in Colorado
Springs last year, A. J. Honbest OF Cal
han, made the prediction that the en-
tire Calhan district would be a solid
wheat field, and this prediction seems
certain of realization. In 1908 but two
binders were sold to Calhan farmers;
In 1904, two more binders we're added
to the list; In 1905 twenty-one binders
were sold. and this year the sales have
reached fifty. This year three COM
plete steam threshing outfits have
been unloaded at Calhan, and one
other was shipped in from eastern
Kansas.
There ere many other districts In
the eastern counties where the popu-
lation has increased rapidly and
where the present conditions Indicate
permanent advancement. but 1
mention Calhan because, being In the
Divide territory, its conditions are in
dicative of the advancement of all the
Divide districts. During April and
May sixty-five homesieaders filed on
date within a few miles of this little
town. In June there we're seventy
eight filings and in July III. Twenty
five cars of immigrants goods have
been unloaded at Calhan. the major
part of these people coming from
southeastern Kansas and southwestern
Missouri, and all being prepared to,
enter upon the hardships of proving
up on his homestead Many of thosel
who arriv I'd early in the year have sod,
crops OF wheat. oats and corn that
equal, If not surpass. any crops they
have raised in Kansas or Missouri.
"a member of our association who
drove through this entire district four
years ago, stated to me recently that,
at that time there was no ia house to-
be seen for many miles at a time. noth-i
ing but undulating prairies occupied,
by few sheep men. At this time al
most every quarter section is fenced
and improvements will be found,
ranging from the sod house to the five;
and six-room modern farm house. and
instead OF miles upon miles of sage
brush and other worthless products.
there are endless miles of wheat. oats.
rye. barley, corn, potatoes and alfalfa
fields. and some of the finest gardens
now existing In Colorado.
while some OF the older Colo
radoans seem to delight in taking
knock now and then against the pos
sibility of the development OF eastern
Colorado OF this dry farmiug' method.
practically every one of these settlers
In eastern Ell Paso county has formed