The Delta independent., 1908-01-03
BRINGING THE AGRICULTURAL COL.
LEGE TO THE FARM.

land adapted to fruit growing is selling
at $500 to $1,000 an acre; sugar beet
land near factories sells for $1O0 to 1900
an acre; good potato lands bring 5000
and upward per acre, and the best
cantaloupe growing lands sell readily at
$500 per acre.
Experts make annually a net profit
of from 10 to 25 per cent. on this high
priced land. One Colorado orchardist
has for IL years. on as acres. made an
average net profit, per year, of s425 an
acre, above all expenses. including
taxes. In six months a San Luis Val
ley farmer made net profit of 800 per
cent. on his investment, from feeding
hogs, because he understood the special
methods needed. A dairymen in the
dry-land section of Colorado, received
81 800 in 1905 for the cream from 20
cows.
Several farmers in eastern Colorado,
through the use of seeds and methods
of tillage adapted to their localities. are
raising 80 bushels of wheat and upward
per acre on dry land, with correspond
ing yields of other crops, and have re-
neighbors, who do not understand dry
land methods, are barely making a
living.
Large profits are made in farming in
Colorado by men who understand the
conditions peculiar to the state and
know how to meet them. Those who
do not, fail. The character of the soil.
the dry climate, and the high altitude
require seeds and methods different
from those used in states east, and
varieties that produce well at one alti-
tude may be failure at differnt alti-
tude. Seeds raised under irrigation
will almost insure failure when
planted under dry-land conditions
Fattening animals is unusually profit
able in Colorado, but it must be done
with feeds not common to the corn
belt Every branch of farming returns
large profits to the Colorado farmer
who knows how, but is disastrous to
the one who uses the methods of other
states.
1t is cheaper for a farmer to get
knowledge of right methods from the
Colorado Agricultural College than it is
TO learn at his own expense through
failures and successes on his own farm.
The Farmers Short Course held at the
college has filled this need to the salts
faction of the farmers who have at
tended.
Many farmers found that they could
not leave their business long enough
to take the short course at the college,
and they asked that short courses be
held in their own towns and instruction
given in the lines of farming of special
Importance in their communities.
Last January a trial was made of
this plan and short course in horti-
culture was held for six days at Delta,
Colo, under the direc ton of Professor
Wendell Paddock, of the Colorado Ag-
ricultural College. One hundred and
twelve farmers attended. each paying
tuition fee of 81, to meet part of the
expense. Fourteen instructors from
the Colorado Agricultural College
taught in this course, and sessions were
held every day from a. m until noon;
from ! until p. m, and at night.
Several orchard men who attended
this course were selling from $500 to
81, 900 worth of fruit per acre each
year. and yet We're SO well pleased
with the help to make larger profits
that the short course gave them that
they voted to make the school per-
manent annual event.
The college is planning to hold sew
eral of these short courses the coming
winter. Any subject in agricultural
lines will be treated by instructors
from the college, the community where
the school is held to select the topics.
Each course will be held six days,
with morning, afternoon, and evening
sessions each day. Our requirements
are 100 people who will agree to attend
and each pay fee of $500, the town
where the short course is held furnish
ing hall for holding the school. with
heat and light.
Write II. NJ. Cottrell. Director of
Farmers Institutes, Fort Collins.
Colo, in regard to date and arrange
ments.