The La Jara chronicle., 1906-11-16


tunity in the world lies right at the
hands of the farmers of the San
Luis valley.
Prof. Cottrell, the new expert on
animal feeding of the Colorado
Agricultural college, was in the
valley two weeks ago, looking up
the matter of feeding peas to stock
of all kinds, and his report gives
the San Luis valley the biggest
boost that it has ever received
1from the pen of any expert.
Prof. Cottrell knows what he is
talking about. He is one of the
first students of the Kansas agri-
cultural college, and after gradu-
ating was engaged to take charge
of the great 81 100000 farm of Levi
p. Morton. afterward vice-presi-
dent of the United States. Later
Prof. Cottrell returned to Kansas
as a professor of agriculture He
had twelve pupils in his classes
the first year and eight hundred
the last year. He introduced al
falfa and katir corn into Kansas.
He then was engaged to assume
charge of the biggest farm in
Iowa, the Brookmont farm at
Odeboldt, owned by E. A. Cook.
Here he continued his feeding ex-
periments. in connection with
the Iowa state agricultural college,
for several years. He and his
brothers started the first alfalfa
meal mill at Elgin, Illinois. He
is known and quoted all over the
United States as the leading au-
thority on stock foods. His letter,
which was addressed to Zeph
Chas. Felt. president of the COM
Dpany operating at Romeo, is as
follows, and the San Luis valley
farmers should read every word oft:
Fort Collins, Colo, Nov. I, 1906.
Mr.. Zeph. Chas. Felt,
Denver, Colorado.
Dear Sir:
| have Just returned from
a trip through the San Luis Val
ley, made to study the conditions
as adapted for feeding and fatten-
ing stock. / have lived in six
states and seen and studied stock
growing in thirty states and in two
foreign countries, and l have never
seen better conditions for produc-
ing cheaply high yields of grain
and forage crops and cheap gains
and high quality Of meat in feed
ing cattle, hogs and sheep.
The crops, water and conditions
of climate and soil are particularly
favorable for feeding baby beef,
hogs and lambs. These classes of
farm animals grow while fattening
and therefore need II large amount
of muscle. blood and bone making
material in their feed. The field
peas as grown in the valley fur
nish these materials in palatable
form and at an exceptionally low
cost. The flowing wells furnish
pure. artesian water, the gravel in
the soil provides good drainage
0ind the dry climate is just sutfi-
ciently cool to give stock sharp
appetites.
The San Luis valley has about
the same tillable area as Denmark.
Denmark sells annually to Eng
land alone bacon worth S1S,OOO,OOO
and besides keeps two million head
of cattle. The field peas and bar
ley of the San Luis valley produce
the choicest quality of bacon and
the valley has the advantage over
Denmark CT being under irrigation,
With conditions so favorable
there should be raised and market
ed every year in the valley mil
lion hogs and this could be done
and large numbers of calves and
lambs also fed.
If the actual results that can be
\ obtained in the valley i'll making
gains cheaply with highest quality
of meat were generally known to
stock feeders in the corn belt, it
would be but short time until
the valley would be settled to its
full capacity with experienced
,stockmen.
The trouble is that no accurate
data in regard to feed consumed
md orainc made is nhtainahle