The Delta independent., 1912-09-06
HARvESTS AND MAR
kETS OF THE COUNTY
LATE PEACHES A GoD-sEND.
Rise Observation-Disclosures Beets
Starting and All Orchards
and Fields Show Well.


the late ripening of the Elberta
peaches is a God-send The peache
themselves are going to be perfect
as a rule, and their lateness prom
ises to supply better prices, cooler
weather and better condition ofthe
fruit when it reaches market.
The Big Potato Crop.
Potatoes dropped to so and 60
cents the past week and shipments
have also declined perceptively be-
cause of the slump in prizes. 1t
is predicted that there will be a
raise again, and while this loks like
logic the recovery may be slow.
rhe acreage planted everywhere this
year was very large, owing to the
crop failure and extremely high
prices of last year. The bulk of the
early crop has not yet been dug and
the late crop is fast ripening. On
there has as yet been no storage of
market supplies of potatoes for fall
OF winter use, and while the acre
yield itself is reported at about
two thirds of a crop, the quality,
particularly of Western Slope pota-
toes being above the average.
W Gather Conditions.
Weather conditions so strongly re
semble fall as to cause early winter
predictions. Early morning for the
pasts ten days has been nearly cold
enough for frost at Delta, while
on the ranges frosts have already
been reported. Although there may
be little or no significance in this
fact, it behooves the growers of fruit
to keep busy and to reasonably en-
ploy help. for they have much to
take care of.
Grain Market.
Considerable grain has been
threshed but much remains in the
stack. Most of the threshing so far
has been done from the shock. Lo-
cal markets have been good but buy
ing money not equal to the offer
ings of oats.
Alfalfa.
The second cutting of alfalfa was
mostly saved in good shape and now
reposes in large ricks in the mea-
dows. Local prices remain practic-
ally unchanged. The record of the
kept up better in price, year by year,
than nay other one product.
Immense Apple Production.
While the apple crop is heavy, lit
tie fear is held of an over-supply
Of winter apples. whose consumption
can cover period of six months.
Our apples are of a splendid flaw
or and are good keepers. and this
year the grades will be above the
average.
Vegetables ard Melons.
Vegetables, now marketing. are Of
superior quality. The local canta-
loupe crop will be short but water
melons will be fairly plentiful. The
cantaloupes so far in home markets
are small and generally inferior in
quality. This, too, in face of the
fact that our soil has produced the
prize winners at every state fair. No
effort has been put forth to raise
this melon extensively, and the few
planted in many cases appear to
have been neglected. Better ones
may appear later. but it looks now
like our people would have TO ship in
cants If they want good ones, or
any kind at reasonable price. The
death blow the cantaloupe industry
received here last year is account
able. In the spring of 1911 an as
ISOLATION WAS formed and consider
able enthusiasm shown in canta-
loupe growing for market. The crop
was satisfactory and the melons
good. but their marketing was a
frost, some of the shippers not get
ting enough for their consignments
to pay the freight. Explanations of
the cause have been published. Civ
ing as a reason. the Cutting of the
market at that particular time. 1t
killed the interest in the cantaloupe
growing to such an extent that II is
doubtful IL there will be enough in
the district this year to supply our
own tables.
H. II. Schrader. one of the we'll