The Republican journal., 1909-05-20
AGRICULTURE IN COLORADO.
Three Belfast Boys Who Have Made Good
in the West.

Mr.'J. F. Wilson, who spent the winter with
his son, Jessie E. Wilson, in Fort Collins. COL
orado, visited Greeley and other places in the
vicinity and gives very interesting account
OF the ranches and of agriculture in that sec
ton. Irrigation is used in many sections and
this obvates any danger of crop failure, while
the land is SO rich that no fertilizer is needed.
Beets, which are grown for sugar making, will,
however, exhaust the soil in years, and the land
is then laid down to alfalfa. which seems tn
to renew it. Three crops of alfalfa are cut each
year and it sells for about half the price of
nay IN the eastern markets. 1t is said that the
roots of the alfalfa penetrate the soil to the
depth of 18 feet and Mr.. Wilson had convincing
proof as to IL feet. Potatoes cannot be grown
successfully in this rich SOIL but land in
the vicinity of Greeley, which is the banner
potato section, produces good crops Mr.. Will
son was often asked what was raised down in
Maine, and when he replied that one county
alone had raised 20,OO0,O0O bushels of potatoes
the past year the questioners were astounded
potato buyer in Greeley, however, had heard
of Aroostook. Mr.. Wilson was much amused
by an article in Maine paper telling the farm,
ers of Waldo county that they could compete
with the west in raising beef for market IL
Colorado cattle are grazed on government lan6
for which they pay 25 cents per head each
year, and Mr.. Wilson cattle in the market
just from the range that were in prime con-
dition. Here cattle must be kept up and fed
seven months in the year, which puts compe-
tition with the Colorado cattenlen out of the
question. In the matter of fuel Colorado is
highly favored, having abundance of coal
resembling the English camel coal. thai costs
in Fort Collins and other places only $3.50
ton. 1t igntes as readily as wood, burns freely,
and leaves no clinkers.
Mr.. Wilson visited Mr.. A. T. Condor the
head of the Condor Mercantile Co of Greeley,
and told an interesting story of the success
which has attended this Belfast boy in the
west. For several years he was on the road
for large concern at salary of over $1,000
and expenses, and had built nice residence in
Colorado when he found in Greeley what he
thought to be favorable opportunity to en-
gage in business for himself. Two Jews who
had gone into business there had not met with
success, and Mr.. Condor bought them out
His first years sales amounted to 100000, and
each year since mas shown an increase This
year he has enlarged his store and Mr.. Wilson
believes his sales will reach S250000 or more
With Mr.. A. W. Thompson he is engaged in a
real estate speculation, of which mention was
recently made in The Journal, and which prom
ises to be very profitable. They bought
section of land near Greeley, which will be
irrigated by a big irrigating canal now under
construction at cost of nearly $l2, O0O, 600 and
two railways which are coming into Greeley
pass through or near this tract. They were
offered handsome advance over the price
paid soon after buying the property. From
other sources we know that Mr.. Jesse E. Will
son is fourishing and is popular and prominent
in his new home; so that it can be said of the
three Belfast boys mentioned that they have
made good in the west.