Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-10-11
HAS been MOST
PROSPEROUS YEAR
Crop Conditions Have Been
Universally Good.
REPORTS SANTA FE
INDUSTRIAL AGENT
Farmers OF the Arkansas Valley Are
Surely on the Right Side of
the Ledger This Time.


o. w. Skinner of Pueblo, the
Colorado and Arkansas River di-
vision freight agent of the Santa
Fe, who is one of the best posted
men On industrial conditions in
the West, has contributed the fol-
lowing carefully prepared and ac-
curate report of crop conditions in
the Arkansas Valley:
The crop conditions in the Arkansas
valley as the season draws to close.
shows that this has been the most pros
porous year for the farmers that they
have ever had in the Arkansas valley.
) The wheat acreage increased 29 per
cent over l9l |. and the yield has been
exceptionally good. showing many and
many case where they have threshed
SO and SIS bushels per acre Of wheat,that
tested 65 pounds to the bushsl. In one
instance 40 acres, taking from the thresh-
ing machine TO the mill at Lamar ,averag-
ing z2H bushels per acre.
The oats show an increase OF is per
cent in acreage. with a heavy yield. Many
cases have been reported Of 100 bushels
to the acre.
Alfalfa-There have been two exoep..
tionally heavy cuttings so far and the
third cutting Is about all harvested.
The yield Of the first cutting this
year was equal to any two cuttings last
year. While the price Of alfalfa hay is not
quite as high as it was last yeae at this
time yet the exceptional yield per acre
will bring heavier returns per acre on
their alfalfa than last year.
The increased acreage in beets in the
Arkansas valley this year is 40 per cent
over last year and is the largest acreage
Of sugar that have bsen raised in any one
year in theArkansas valley. The test made
Of the beets so far shows that they are
very high in percentage of saceharine
matter. The six sugar mills in the valley
are all going to run this year, this being
the first all six Of them have run in any
one gwen year. There are about $4,000
acres Of beets and with the average yield
should keep the factories busy for at
least 100 days at each plant.
Tne raising of hogs in the Arkansas
valley has increased very materially in
the last four Jears or five years. so that
this year the number Of hogs for market
in the valley is about do uble what they
have been any previous year.
Taking all in all. the farmers in the
Arkansas valley are surely on the right
side Of the ledger this year. From present
indications, there will be large increase
in the numLer Of acres Of fail wheat sown.
Wheat has been very profitable crop
the last three years in the valley. Five
years ago there was but very little OF it
raised. while today it is getting to be quite
factor in producing wheat. so that it is
used very extensively at the mills in the
manufacture Of FOUR taking the place
Of the Kansas wheat that formerly sup
piled the western markets with -four.
The eantaloupe shipment this year has
been the heaviest Of any year for the
past six. and had the frost held off for
ten days longer it would have been one of
the heaviest years in the cantaloupe bus
mess that we have ever had in the Ark
ansas valley.
Inquiries up to date Indicate that there
will be 100000 lambs fed IN the valley
this year. with prospects Of 400. .ooohead
Of cattle being fed also. There being an
abundance Of feed and climatic conditions
Of the Arkansas valley good for feeding
purposes, sheep feeders are now looking
around for lambs, with good prospects of
getting all they wantfor feeding purposes.
The fact of the sugar factories all running
will make large amount of beet pulp.
which is all used for the purpose of feed
ing cattle.