The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1906-11-23
Among the Orchardists

The Colorado Fruit company, near
Cory, have ITO acres of fruit trees, 100
acres of which are in Elberta peaches
and so acres in apples. There are
1900 trees on the place, of which 13, 900
are peaches.
1t requires vast amount of pains
taking labor to care for all these trees.
We found Manager w. R. Lyle busy
with the final irrigation for this year
and when this is completed he will start
half dozen men pruning. They will
be all winter at the work, An addition
al Is acres of trees will be set to Or
chard the spring of 1903.
That good, rich soil is necessary in
setting an orchard is forcibly illustrated
on this place. Where peach trees, three
years old next spring, were planted on
alfalfa ground they have attained nearly
double the growth others of the same
age have made that were set on virgin
soil. The Colorado Fruit company or
chard is young. but it is going to be
one of the show places in this part of
the state within few years.
-"
DR.. Miller has been very busy getting
his crop marketed. The more one looks
at his orchard the more it is to be ad-
mired. He gives it painstaking care.
The rows are 80 feet apart with 16 feet
between trees. Every other tree in
the row is to be removed. the growth
is becoming so dense. We cannot see
how DR.. Miller will have nerve enough
to remove them. This thinning process
must come within two or three years
and the doctor says when the proper
time arrives to do it he expects to take
trip to California and if those trees
are not out when he gets back there
will be something doing.
He has an ideal location. The town
of Austin is practically at his door and
next year he will have his packing plant
at that place. He has great faith in
the future of Austin and that it will
become prosperous little city there is
every reason to believe. II is well To-
Gated and with the growth of the coun-
try its future is assured. The canning
factory is ready for business next year
and the big stone storage building will
be completed early in the spring.
Workmen could not be secured to finish
it this year.
DIR. Miller has few peach trees near
the house for family usc-lS If we re-
member correctly. Mrs. Miller canned
peaches until she got tired of the job
and then they gave them away to every
body who came along. As last resort
they sold the balance, about Si5. 90 worth.
."
l.. w. Sweitzcr is winding up the
years harvest. His packing house is
ideal. as is most everything else about
the place. Electric lights keep the
workers going until six O'Clock each
evening. Six packers have been work
ing steadily for eight weeks and an av-
erage Of twenty people have been
employed during the season. At last
years big prices Mr.. Sweitzcr had acres
that brought gross returns of more than
$1,000 each. He has acres that will
bring in more than 500 per. this year,
when prices are much lower. Several
cars of his Jonathans have gone to Cal
ifornia. with one of the attractive
Sweitzer labels pasted on the end of
each box. A few days ago he received
letter written in Spanish from Mex
leo asking for quotations. We wonder
If those box labels are going to secure
for us n market in the southern repub-
lie. 1t pays to advertise.