The Delta independent., 1914-01-02
PUEBLO cHIEFTAIN GETS
EASY COPY FROM INDEPENDENT

The Pueblo Chieftain few days ago
announced in good big headlines that
Mr.. Donald Thompson, one Of its
writer's, had been on the Western
Slope and had something to say in
praise of Delta county and the follow
ing is what Donald, me lad, had to say,
being word-for-word one of Independ-
ent's resource write-ups of December
liz. OF course the Pueblo writer is
welcome to this paper as copy. II
has published scores of such articles
and many better ones. Use 'em all,
Donald; they are yours without the
asking:
| For a good number of years Delta
has felt her prosperity.
Last year, 1912, came something OF
a drawback because of bad fruit m Ar
kets, causing losses to number of the
growers.
The loss was not because Of lack
of bearing. Apple and peach orchards
were really overloaded Those who
thinned properly and put up fancy
packs as a rule came out of the seas
on with a profit. There were so many,
however. who failed to do this, and
the markets were manipulated TO such
degree against them, that the years
loss to fruit growers was, in the aver
age heavy.
Farmers of the valleys and mesas
who gave more attention to diversi-
fled crops. did better, but all in all
the year 1912 was far below the aver
age.
The year Just closing has been diff
ferent and the losses of crops, where
there has been failure at all, have
been for some special reason.
The fruit crop while not nearly so
large as last year. has been of ex-
ceIlent quality and has marketed at
good prices.
The sugar beet crop has been on
the scale of somewhat increased
acreage and nearly an average yield.
Potatoes have been in much the same
ratio as sugar beets and have had a
market at from 20 cents to 80 cents
per hundred, few of the first cars
going out having sold at 81 per
hundred.
Wheat and oat crops have averaged
unusually high, even for this irrigated
country where it is not uncommon
for oats to exceed 100 bushels and
wheat so to 20 bushels per acre.
The alfalfa fields have had a splen-
Jid saasnp tho thrae haryests hay-
ing been of a good grade and nearly
all without rain. While there is an
enormous amount of alfalfa in the
country, there is also heavy demand
for feeding and prices have held firm
at good figures.
Berry patches. gardens and occas-
ional acres of melons added their
quota to the seasons total of inflow
ing wealth, while poultry as side
issue reached almost startling figures.
Stock business for the year has been
prosperous and the high prices of
cattle have given the industry an ad-
ditional stimulus. The cattle industry
has perhaps never been brighter in
Delta county than 1t is today.
An item which should never be
overlooked is our local honey product.
When a county is producing 100000
worth of honey each year of super
grade-so fine in fact, that all mar
kets not only seek for it, but send ir
buyers to bid for it-such a side issue
is of sufficient importance to be eu-
titled to special mention.
To sum up, Delta has had both a
good crop and n good market year.
AS proof of results, Independent is
pleased to point to county bank show
ings as given in the October. 1913,
statements, and which show an aggre-
gate OF deposits in all Delta county
banks of about s1.400.0o0. This, of
course includes but little of the beet
sugar money. as there has since been
due two factory pay-days on beets de
livered, and considerable money is
still in reserve for various portions
of crops held or more recently market
ed.
OF course our county people had
need of just such year. but having
had 1t. they are not only gratified, out
duly thankful