Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1912-06-14
MELON TOWN BOOSTER
Continued from First Page

my subject would be kansas versus The
CantaloupeT Now don't you get me
started about Kansas. for fell in love
with Kansas forty years ago. she was
then as beautiful as Fairy Land. as
handsome as sixteen-year-old maiden.
and as the years pass she has rounded
out into perfect dream of delight. She
has grown more beautiful each year till
now she is perfect queen among her
sister states, and fit subject for artists
and poets who when her name is men,
toned simply go wild with enthusiasm
and delight. still own the old home
stead that | settled on forty years ago,
and prettier and better farm can not
be found anywhere. But the rental of
that farm does not net me more than five
per cent on a fair valuation, and not
more than one per cent on my valuation.
while the rental value of cantaloupe land
around Rocky Ford is from ten to twenty
per cent on a fair valuation. But the
men who make the money on cantaloupes
are the successful growers. A great
many growers of cantaloupes here make
no great amount of money and some lose
money. just as some people lose money
on any other business proposition. One
grower, Mr.. E. S. Woodside. cleared
s255 on a half acre; that was his first
venture; since then he has grown eight
or ten acres each year and has cleared
on an average of $3.50 an acre each
year.
The average yield per acre for the sue
cessful grower is 200 crates to the acre
and the successful grower generally gets
on an average Sl.oo per crate. One
man comes here every summer for his
health and harvests and markets his crop
Of cantaloupes. He pays S25 an, acre
rent and $40 an acre for blowing, plant
ing and tending the crop. and then hires
them harvested and carted to the rail-
road. and yet he clears over Sloo per
acre-pretty good for man while he is
building up his health. Many others
might be mentioned who do equally as
well. Most Of these successful growers
only grow five or ten acres of cantaloupes
but grow other crops on most of their
land, and grow cantaloupes for pastime.
S. A. Mathews is the king of canta-
loupe growers of the whole valley. He
grows from two to three hundred acres
and ships them himself direct to the New
York market. He says his average is
200 crates to the acre, and a little less
than one dollar per crate. He shipped
l6o cars last year. A great many
grow cantaloupos for the seed; this takes
much less labor and expense and nets
the grower at Csc a pound. about SIS
per acre. The seed firms here who
make speciality of growing and breed
ing oantaloupes get from one to two dol
lars per pound. which. nets them from
three to four hundred dollars per acre.
In this business like all others the man
who makes success must have more
than the average and the quality must
be the best.
While we excel in cantaloupes and
melons, we also have at Rocky Ford the
largest beet sugar factory In the west,
and we probably grow more sugar beets
than any other locality. We have great
fields of alfalfa. We ship a great many
tons of vegetables of all kinds, and honey
by the car load. We have quite a num-
Der of chicken farms here. The pro-
prietor of one of them told me that he
had Matched over forty thousand little
chicks already this season.
Our motto is: ITO Excel in All Things"
And now in conclusion, accept this as nv
toast:
You all know am SO modest, and never
could boast.
Southern Colorado. the best of the State.
Always to the front. and never too late.
The Arkansas Valley. never known to
fail,
The choicest of lands, and on the Santa
Fe trail.
To visit the cities of this section is GER
tainly treat.
They all look SO tasty, and are always
kept SO neat,
The country looks SO lovely, and full of
good cheer.
The people arehappy and drink root baer
The Arkansas Valley-the pride of the
west,
The people contented and happv. are
always the best,
The Arkansas Valley the home of the
wealthy,
No one ever sick, and everybody healthy.
The people OF the East are losing their
health, '''e'
Come to Rocky Ford and spend your
Our glorious climate will surely make YOU
well,
You need do nothing but ring the hell
! am in love with Colorado, the grand old
state, 81 anu o'o
Everything is lovely, and every body is
great.