The state herald., 1907-05-17
100000 COMING
SETTLERS POURING lNvo EAST
ERIN COLORADO DAILY.
ARID LANDS BLOOM AS ROSE
The Land That Has Known Naught
But the Tread of Grazing Cattle to
Be Stirred by the Pillow.
By Alvin T. Steinel.

Like n mighty army, settlers are
pouring into eastern Coll .ado from the
Canadian border on the north to the
Gulf of Mexico on the south, from
every state as far east as Indiana, de-
serting the humid regions of the Mis-.
sissippl valley. buying ranches or filing
on homestead land in the semi.arid
counties that are now being TILED and
made fruitful under the dry soil cul
ture system.
AT Denver's back door there has
been an influx of population estimated
by the most conservative citizens at
10000 in the past twelve months.
There is room for 10000 more. Every
train is bringing It's quota of home.
seekers who become home-finders and
establish farms where once the cattle
kings held undisputed sway.
generation ago there was Just
such movement. flank of the west
ward.bound army going into Colorado.
But 1t was made up of vastly different
material. There were school teach
ers, invalids, Adventures and fugitives
from justice. hundreds OF whom came
to secure shoestring titles to home.
steads on which to borrow money
They got the money and left the coun-
try Those who remained were too
poor In cash or experience to tackle
the raw prairie hundreds OF miles from
established settlements. They gave
up the struggle after the first year of
drouth and returned to the settle.
ments with tales of woe that have
scarcely been lived down by Colorado
In twenty-five years.
Ninety cents an acre used to lie the
price of land along the Union Pacific
from Denver to Cheyenne Wclls-and
nobody wanted II at that The Union
Pacific owned every other scc.ion for
twenty miles back on both sides of
the track-an enormous grant given
by the government as n subsidy. But
even the shrewd men at the lead OF
the great railroad system did not real.
ize the value OF the land. IL was Just
so much waste-a veritable white ele-
phant on the hands OF the mana cement
that finally was disposed OF at from 81
to $3.50 an acre-good riddance at that
II was due TO the railroad officials
themselves that Fasteners began TO
get Interested In eastern Colorado
lands. The railroad men said Il was n
good buy" But they really didn't be-
litvs II was. The tale was 80 oft re.
peated that the railroad company's
land agents began themselves TO be.
lleye. This self.hypnoiism having been
accomplished. II was comparatively
easy to convince the land,hungry farm
ers OF Missouri, Iowa, Mlnnesosa and
farther east. that their opportunity laid
In Colorado Homeseekers' excursion
rates furnished the opportunity for n
visit and they came-from Pike county
and Podunk, Oshkosh and Kalamazoo.
And they bought-first at 81 and s. an
acre and, as the demand grew, from 80
to $40 and sl2. Buying stimulated
homesteading and now the tide Is at
food, homeseekers and purchasers OF
decided land pouring Into every town,
village and hamlet from the Arkansas
basin TO the valley OF the Platte and
from the eastern boundary Of the state
TO the foothills. fllllng n vast empire.
heretofore devoted almost wholly to
grazing with population Of expert.
enced American farmers, from the best
agricultural sections OF the Mississippi
valley.
A bulletin by Professor Olln gives
the fundamentals Of soil culture rs FOL.
lows:
After the SHOWS OF winter have
melted. plow the ground nj least seven
or eight inches deep. With dlsc hnr'
row, corrugated roller, imperial pulyer-
iler or packer. level and arm this
ground as soon after plowlng ns pos
gibie, nj least not later than each half
day, and follow up with smoothing har.
row to establish the earth mulch TO
check evaporation. This mulch must
not bo too fine, as the Winds OF tho
plain tend TO rift the soil or blow tho
earth mulch entirely away. II possible,
stir tho surface soil with good spike
tooth or acme harrow several times
through the summer from two TO four
Inches deep. Follow every summer
rain with good narrowing OF this
summer cultured ground. preventing
tho formation OF crust nj tho sur
face. Keep this ground clean-irco
from weeds,
Ground that has been woll cult
yatcd for several years will produce
two crops IN succession and can be
given summer culture. In this way
Il IN possible 10 grow two crops In
three years on wolltillod soil. n n
farmer expects TO cultivate eighty
acres, he should divide II Into two crop
dlyiaions-cropping forty norcs the
first year and giving summer culture
to the other forty neros. This gives
him crop ON onohnlf his land each
year while he IL storing up moisture
In the soil reservoir Of the other half
10 make the next years crop.
"a farmer on the non'lrrlRaiod lands
In Weld county last season. after seed.
Ing HIS spring crop. nt once prepared
HIS fall wheat nood bcd-ib0 horor.
Tho writer visited his field early In
July, aud found his seed bed In fno'
-. -. .anllVl.u fnt uAgnIuH