The Delta independent., 1910-04-29
Season Starts Off Auspiciously and
Farmers Are Hopeful.
E. w. Taylor Tells in the Colorado Fruit
Grower Of the Happy Conditions in
Delta County nty---Busness Will
Continue to Prosper.

With the year still in its infancy
Delta county is already making pre-
dictions that 1910 Will easily be the
greatest in its history, not with
standing the wonderful record made
last season. 1t may be a little early
to begin boasting. but thus far. re-
ports from every section show that
the fruit trees have escaped injury
during the winter. there is every in
dication that the water supply will
be plentiful. and Delta usually has
little to fear from the late frosts.
The biggest change that the year
will see. aside from the increase in
shipments made possible by the new
orchards coming into bearing. Will
be marked improvement in the
packing situation. The growers are
practically a unit in insisting upon
n better pack. and while not all OF
them are in favor of the fancy pack
which is used in the northwest they
are determined to have a uniform
system of grading throughout the
country and to make their markings
guarantee of reliability. In this
they hope before long the entire
"tbltlH Nii JUN. ahh Ahu
make the Colorado pack as world
famous as that of Washington and
Oregon Is at present.
A great deal of care also will be
taken this year in securing of ex-
hibits for the different fairs and
expositions. In the past the growers
taking the best fruit they could find
In their orchards and have not made
any special effort to raise 1t for ex-
hibition purposes. This year the en-
tire county will be organized. and
committees will see thai good fruit
Is taken care of and kept for displa..
In this manner Delta expects to be
able to eclipse its own record of
1909. although in practically every
place where It made exhibits. 1t came
away with the lions share of the
prizes.
1t now seems entirely probable
that the influx of new settlers in the
county this year will be greater than
ever before. Store rooms in the
town of Delta are at a premium and
good dwelling houses are hard to get.
Several are now being built. but
most of them are rented as soon as
the foundation is laid. Deals in
ranch land are very heavy. and there
will be an immense acreage of new
orchards planted this spring. The
largest orchard company operating
in the county, was obliged three
months ago to refuse further orders
for spring delivery. having already
contracted for all the trees II could
furnish this territory.
Aside from the fruit growing in
dustry, Delta is now working hard
to secure the erection of n beet
sugar factory In time for the cam
pnign of 1911, with every prospect
Of success ut present. There is al
ready ample acreage to more than
support the 600-ton factory. which
is planned. and this will be greatly
Increased by the raw land which
will be brought into cultivation as
n result of the completion of the
Gunnison tunnel, which will furnish
later for vast area hitherto un-
tiled. Railroad promoters are also
NJ work on proposition to build n
lilc from Delta to Cedaredge. thus
bringing the splendid Surface Creek
country. one of the greatest pro-
ducers of the county. in closer touch
with an outlet to eastern markets.
Orchardists are yearly giving
more attention to grapes and small
fruits. One of the first to take this
up was u. Il. Hubbard. who has a 40
acre orchard in the lower Sur
face Creek country. This year Mr.,
Hubbard marketed Ave tons of
grapes from one acre of land. for
which he received $50 per ton, thus
making n profitable adjunct to his
orchard which also paid him well as
his books showed that from his 20
acres of trees now bearing, ho net
ted $500. The growers OF small
fruits are also busily preparing for
their spring work. Some OF the
strawberry patches In North Delta
last year yielded $1,000 an acre
II. w. TAYLOR, In the Colorado
Fruit Grower.