The Colorado statesman., 1910-03-12
TRACT OF FIVE TOWNSHIPS
SOUGHT FOR COLORADO Ao-
RIcuLTURAL COLLEGE.
BILL NOW IN CONGRESS
LAND CAN BE USED FOR AGRlcUL'
TuRE, ENGINEERING, DITCH
AND ROAD BUILDING.

Denver.-If the bill now pending In
Congress. introduced in the House by
REPRESENTATIVE e. T. Taylor, becomes
a law. Colorado will have one of the
greatest agricultural experiment sta
tions in the United States. The Dill
in question gives to the state about
five townships of land west OF the
State Agricultural college and adjoin-
ing the college pasture lands. The lahu
is in n tract six miles wide and about
thirty miles long, and extends from an
elevation of 5000 feet to timber line
While there are few patented tracts
included within the boundaries oil the
lands asked for, the bulk OF 1t is pup
lie land. Half of it is within the Tor
est reserves and half outside.
It is the idea of the state board OF
agriculture to use this land for con-
ducting experimental work in forestry
horticulture and agriculture. AT pres
ent it is mostly waste land, but IL IN
cludes practically every condition OF
soil. altitude and climate to be found
in the state, and will provide an ideal
location for experimental work.
e. M. Ammons of the state board OF
agriculture has been very active IN Try
ing to secure this land for the Agrlcul-
tural college. He will leave for WASH
ington next week to assist in explain
ing the object to the congressional
committee, and has strong hope that
the bill will meet with favor. Speak
ing of the bill, Mr.. Ammons said:
at is practically impossible to send
our students out over the state to en-
gage in practical experimental WORK
If we have this tract adjoining the col
lege it will be used by the station ana
the students in all kinds of expert
ments.
1.-THE engineering students will sur
vey it and map it. The irrigation stu
dents will build reservoirs and ditches
on it, and the road engineers Will ex-
pertinent in the construction OF noun
tain roads. The work we do in this
way will be of a permanent character,
and we hope eventually this tract Will
be one of the most interesting and ed
ucational sections in the country.
1--WE have nearly every kind OF Tor
est tree grown in the state already
growing under natural conditions. we
can study them and introduce new va
rieties, and our schools of forestry Will
find this experimental tract invalu'
| able.
"There are a number of small, open
parks scattered through the tract
which can be used by the horticultur-
al department for trying various fruit
trees and vines at different attitudes.
We can plant experimental vineyards,
experiment in all methods of irriga-
ton, study the various forage grasses
: that will grow up in the mountains,
and, in short, make this waste land
the most valuable adjunct to our col
lege and experiment farm.
"Of course, it will take years OF
work and a great deal of money to
finally reclaim all of this land, but the
value it will do the state and West can
hardly be overestimated. The work
done there will be of benefit not only
to the farmers and stockmen of this
state, but adjoining states as well. we
feel that every citizen of Colorado is
interested in this matter and we
should have the backing and assis-
tance of all organized bodies in secur-
ing the passage of the bill"