The Paonia progressive and the Paonia newspaper., 1911-08-24
CROPS OF COLORADO
CoIorado's Crops This Year
Better Than in Other States
Irrigation Main Feature

1t ia not Al particularly gracious
act to count up at the same time
ones own blessings and the misfor-
tunes OF his neighbor. But there are
occasions when this mnst be done II
one IL to get IA true grasp OF things;
and one such occasion IL furnished
by the present condition OF crops in
Colorado, as compared to that of
the crops OF the nation.
over three-quarters OF the Guilt
waited area OF the United States, the
crop Is the poorest since 1901. The
cotton states are coming on well;
the Pacific Northwest Is doing well:
and OF Colorado. type of the Rocky
Mountain states. we shall speak
hereafter. But the corn crop of the
nation Is estimated to lie 500. 900. 900
bushels short of last years product;
and this I'm spite of n much increased
acreage. The wheat total crop is
not so deficient, owing to still larger
increases In the amountplanted- But
when IL comes to yield per
acre. the spring wheat Is q per cent
below an average crop, and the win
ter wheat Is considerably below par.
The hay crop L. the lightest In fifteen
years. The potato yield this year Is
lust little over two-third- OF the
crop of last year. The cat crop shows
the same failing off: and the tobacco
crop IL estimated at less than two
thirds Of last years totai-soo.0o .0oo,-
900 pounds as against 9si. 100000.
Let no timid creature argue from
this that the nation IL going INTO
bankruptcy. Not NJ all. Our ma
tional prosperity. one sided though
IL be In many particulars. rests on
too firm n foundation To I've seriously
Injured by one years crop shortage.
But the situation throughout the
greater part of the United States
does call for retrenchment. for care
fui handling and economical admin
istration and puts a decided check
on many hopes and aspirations.
Turn now TO Colorado. In our dry
farming sections the crops are short
But they are 10y no means NJ short
M we thought two months ago. The
late rains have greatly improved the
situation. Aud one should add that
dry farming ought to be and usually
IL carried on at wider margin than
farming IN the older states. The dry
farmer expects to lose a crop now
and then. knowing that he viii make
IL up In the good and average years.
lie has not lost his crop this year.
aud the shortage which he does en-
counter finds him. IN most caser.
better prepared than his Eastern
fellow worker.
Aud when you turn to the irri-
gated region the picture changes nj
together. The alfalfa crop this year
is up To par In all districts. and In
northern Colorado Is far and away
ahead OF the same crop last year.
The grain crop II heavy through
most of the irrigated grain-raising
regions. and the lishtest irrigated
grain crop would he deemed a bo-
nanza In the older states. The potato
crop OF the state Is big this year, and
VIII I've sold at unprecedented prices.
The fruit crop is the largest In the
history OF the state, and late frosts
in the East insure reasonable prices
for this valuable output. Things are
not altogether lovely. to he sure,
even In the irrigated sections OF the
state. But the shock which has al
but stunned the Eastern farmer is
barely felt In most parts OF our COM
monwealth.
The News believes these facts
should be given the widest publicity.
The charge Is frequently made that
the prices of irrigated lands In Colo
RADIO are too high, Measured by
what they will produce and their
certainty OF producing It, Colorado
irrigated lands are the cheapest In
the country. Science can do much
for farming anywhere. But farming
can be made n science only In regions