La Junta tribune., 1911-02-18
SHORT STORIES OF COLORADO.

any aNa OF SOlOrauO AIapIe lanuS
In acres is, approximately, 22,400,-
900 acres.
The area Of lands which can be
placed under irrigation In Colorado is
100000 acres.
The area OF lands irrigated In
the state and in actual cultivation is
1000. 900 acres.
Colorado is an empire Of undevel-
oped territory-a little kingdom OF
big opportunities.
Do your farming In sunshine.
There are no barren soils under irri-
CATION in Colorado.
Number OF railroads in Colorado.
%. Miles OF railroad rack-main
lines. January /, 1911. 1925.
During last year Otero county pro-
duced $1,000, 900 in crops Of all kinds
over million more than any other
county in the state.
total output OF beet sugar in the Unit.
ed States and the product Of the
past year was worth more than
$S,000.0O0.
Beet sugar factories are now In
successful operation in sixteen
states. Colorado leads all other
states engaged in the industry, hav-
ing sixteen factories.
Otero county is the buckle of the
Arkansas Valley belt. The irriga-
ton OF the valley almost began in
this county, and has progressed far
ther in Olero than in any other part.
weanling mules have sold as high
as $50 apiece, and at a recent auc-
ton sale Ul two year olds past. the
average price Tor seventeen head, av-
eraging 1850 pounds, WAS sliy, with
maximum OF slS6.
The population Of otero county ac-
cording to the census OF 1910 was 20
20l-an Increase In ten years OF
about 10 per cent. otero county
stands ninth in population among
the fifty-eight counties in Colorado.
AT present the entire country is
using 50O,OOO,OOO tons OF coal every
year. Colorado has enough coal cas-
ily capable OF being mined. TO supply
the country for / 200 years. During
1910 l2.UOO, 900 tons of coal were
mined in Colorado.
II has been es mated by compe-
tent authorities that the state OF col.
orado can well sustain a population
of 100000 people. The population
OF the state during the recent cen
sus was 1904 Colorado's greatest
need is more people.
An eastern farmer bought eighty
acres Of land that Was In alfalfa. in
the Arkansas Valley OF Colorado. The
land cost him little over $1,000. He
paid half down. This fall he took
his alfalfa crop OFF the land. and
found that he had over 400 tons of
hay. This sold for s. ton. or $1,000.
nearly paying half the price of the
farm.
Colorado has an area OF 1888
square miles. It's population, as
shown by the official count last
April, is 7g9.02i. and It's density OF
population, or average number of peO-
pie to the square mile, Is ~. Com
pared with most OF the other states
Colorado is sparsely populated. ln-
deed, in the number OF people per
square mile II ranks thirty-ninth
among the forty.eight states and ter.
ritories.
Joseph A. Hart. X. r. u. No. ..
Rocky Ford. Otero county wrote as
follows about his alfalfa crop: In
September cut my fourth full crop
OF ripe alfalfa. The crop was grown
on four and one.halt acre patch that
averaged about nine tons OF alfalfa
per tultihg. Inc fitth crop lh now
growing and viii make first-class pas
turc Tor some time to come. No
trouble 20 dispose OF hay at any time
at Eood figure" -Four cuttings at
nine tons per cutting would be tbir-
ty,siN tons. or $500 gross, with hay
selling at $40 ton. FOR the four and
ouc,halt acres. or about ssi50 per
acre.
The first dccrccd ditch la the state
dates back to 1896. It was near Trim.
dad The region near Denver has
two or three dated back to 1888.
unill 1870 bitches were confined
mostly To the bottoms. beginning