Durango semi-weekly herald. (Durango, Colo.) 1899-1907, 1906-07-16
MANCOS
ORCHARDS
A Beautiful and Productive
Land Fast Forging
to the Front.


but basin lying at the west of one
OF the coal cretacious hills, with a
series of hog backs" running through
its center The country is abou,
eight miles in length by a mile OF
more wide, and is one of the most
favored sections of the southwest
You might be in Durango long time
before hearing about Weber canon
or visitor to Mancos without hear.
ing of it, SO quiet and unpretentious
are the people there Weber canon
is bee hive of industry where all
the people work; a place where there
are more fat hay shocks waiting for
the stack; more hay with less foxtail
than has been seen within a radius of
100 by 80 miles; section where all
the people appear to be happy and
quite contented, for they all have
learned how to have something to do.
Here about 800 people live in com
munity or colony small empire in
itself. They have a good public
school, church and general hall for
public meetings. You go south from
Mancos two and a half miles, over a
hill, then another, and you are in tle
Weber country where you see no va
cant or barren ground where anything
will grow, and you will not find use
full ground good for growing anything
spoiled by building a house or barn:
these are built where nothing will
grow.
More than 20 years ago one of the
pioneers named Weber dt was in
1SS0)) located there and begun the
construction of ditch from the Men
efee place about six miles, to carry
water to his land. He toiled alone
until encouragement overlook him
and he sold the place and gave up the
enterprise, but few years later 9th
ers came and renewed the irrigation
plan, which is one of the best in the
Mancos valley, covering much of the
high lands on the east side of the
Mancos river. A campaign of 20
years, since 1886, has resulted in CIV
ing what is known as the Mancos sec
ton one of its most productive areas.
On either side of the basin were hills
covered with cedar and pinon trees,
and along these slopes which have
been cleared are some of the prettiest
orchards and patches in the West.
Where these trees were as thick as
they can grow, in many places, not
a vestige of them is left. The old
Webber place itself is under high
state of cultivation. Part of the log
house built Is years ago is utilized as
a portion of modern dwelling by Mr..
George Halls and family. The or
chard is one of the best the CORE
spondent mas found in three counties.
big counties, embracing pears,
peaches, apples, cherries, plums,
crabs and various vines, all bearing
abundantly, only the pears having
suffered from the recent frost, the Sc
verest in years. Mr.. Hans has found
clever way to check the pestiferous
and destructive bird by covering his
cherry trees with mosquito netting.
and 1t requires several hundred yards
TO do this. The plan gives the cherry
a chance to ripen instead of having
to be picked green to cheat both the
bird and the buyer. When one tree
is picked of the ripe cherries the net
ting is taken to another tree more in
viting to the bird, there being about
half as many MEETINGS as there are
trees.
Where that orchard stands" said
Mr.. Halls, when | came here. there
was the thickest growth of cedar and
pinon trees, and you see the orchard
is skrted on all sides with those trees
which make good wind brakes.
think slopes like these, surrounded in
this way, are the most favored for
the production OF fruit, and you will
agree with me, | think, when you
have visited about 20 more such
places in this locality"
Seeing more houses around Mr.
Halls premises than are found ordi
narily about other farms he was ask
ed what he did with so many build
ings, when ne replied:
Il found had more land that |
could cultivate as | would desire to
do and having opportunity to sell a
number of small tracts, five and IL
acres, | sold the east and north
skirts, leaving roadways both ways
Each of these small tracts constituted
a nice country home, with the garden
orchard, COW. chickens. pigs, etc. The
houses are all attractive. appearing