The Delta independent., 1910-01-21
Hotchkiss and Vicinity.
RY N. 5. CORrRN.

Hotchkiss and vicinity have no cause
for complaint and much to be thankful
for. being up TO the standard of other
localities in producing large crops of
fruit and other fam products.
The fruit crop was unusually large, of
the best quality. and sold for the high
est prices ever obtained. Peaches per
20 pound box sold from so to 60 cents
per box. and apples per bushel box sold
for 81 Is to 81 20 f. o. b. at loading sta
ton. The yield from the orchards was
upward of 500 cars of $1,000 pounds
each. Many full bearing orchards
netted the owners from 1900 to $500 per
acre.
The fruit industry is in the lead of
all others, although by no means the
only occupation followed. While thou
sands of acres of new orchards are be-
ing planted annually throughout the
district, there are other thousands of
acres devoted TO general farming and
stock raising. Alfalfa, grain, potatoes
and other products yield large crops,
which prove quite profitable. Sugar
beets are also a profitable crop, and
some engage in raising them almost
exclusively for the sugar beet factory
at Grand Junction, 70 miles distant.
The growers got s5 per ton f. o b
nearest loading station, the factory
paying the freight The yield is Is to
25 tons per acre. often running 80 tons
where extra care has been given,
Farming in the irrigated districts of
Colorado might be compared to the
business of merchants in the cities who
carry only one or two lines of goods
The Colorado farmer makes a specially
of growing a certain product, such as
large fields of alfalfa, others large or
chards, and still others from 80 to 100
acres of potatoes and sugar beets; all
of which produce bountiful crops and
command good prices. Others engage
quite as extensively in stock raising,
grazing being free on the surrounding
mountains. Cattle are driven to this
left there until November. when they
are brought down to the valley and
either shipped to market or wintered on
the ranches, making a good market for
all surplus alfalfa hay. Some feed their
beef cattle on this hay thr, ugh the win
ter, keeping them in the fat condition
in which they came off the range, there
by putting on the growth, and getting
better price in the spring. Over 100
cars of fat cattle have been shipped
from Hotchkiss to the Denver. Kansas
City and Chicago markets in the past
six weeks, and many more to go.
The climate is ideal-very little
stormy or cloudy weather, no cyclones,
or blizzards, the mercury seldom falling
to zero. During the past twenty-seven
years there have only been few days
each winter when it did not thaw in the
middle of the day. Flowing has often
been done every month in the year.
For the past two years no ice has formed
thick enough to put up for summer use.
Fuel is abundant; wood on the hills ad-
joining can be had for the cutting, from
one-half to two miles distant from the
farms and orceards. Coal of the best
quality is also plentiful and can be had
at the nearby banks for lbs per ton,
Having travelled quite extensively.
nearly all over the United States, dur
ing the past eight winters, have no
hesitancy in saying that Hotchk!ss and
the North Fork Valley have more nat
ural advantages than any other section
visited.
The unlimited supply Of pure water
for both domestic and irrigation pur-