Semi-weekly herald., 1914-08-20
Fine Crops in
La Plata County

This Ia the season of the year for
one to get around the county if it is
desired to obtain an adequate idea
Of the farming acreage-the cultivat-
cd area. 1t will be ascertained that
. great deal Of raw land has been
added to the productive list the past
season. Especially is this noticeable
ut this time owing to the distinctive
colorings Of ripening wheat and oat
fields and the verdant green of the
luxuriant alfalfa. The Herald editor
had the pleasure of dropping dull
care some days ago and touring q
portion Of the Florida mesa, the Ok
ford section, Ignacio and the Tiffany
Allison districts.
OF course the Florida mesa, reach
cd by the highway leading to the
eastern portion of the county, is ia
niiiar to most every Durangoite for
the reason it is probably the best i'm
proved of any Of the mesa districts.
Almost every acre is utilized, either
for cultivated crops OF pasture. With
several invitations to dine it was hare
TO choose, but being near the Grif-
fifth ranch at the noon hour we ac-
cepted the hospitality of Mrs. Griffith
and daughter, where the women folks
visited while we put in an hour OF
two with Ben tramping over the 300
acre farm, where in the neighborhoo6
Of 800 acres Of wheat, oats and bar.
ley will soon succumb to the reaper
and where the cutting of alfalfa is al
most continuous from the last of June
to the middle Of September. During
the tour of the mesa we run across
several wheat fields that averaged up
well-that on the Wride, Morrison
Monteith, Jelenick, Ayres, Pearson
and others, but Mr.. Griffith took US
through an oat field that eclipsee
anything we encountered, even rival
ing a few acres on The Herald hold
ings in the Animas valley. Over sc
acres without break and almost ev-
cry stalk as high as your head, ground
thickly covered and heads long ano
we'll filled. We miss our guess if the
field does not average 100 bushels il
IL escapes wind and rain storms caus-
ing the grain to lodge badly. Thit
field is sample of what every acre
ON the mesa, or for that matter ir
the county, is capable of producing
providing the ground is properly pre-
pared, deep fall plowing and careful
irrigation. 1t was our intention to
call on a dozen or more of the farm
era but it took SO long to get around
the Griffith holdings that our time
became limited and then we found
several away from home, even our old
friend William Morrison, where We
called after promising to do so fol-
rs years or more and then-when We
did get around, found the family alb
sent and the door locked. Tough luck
But we are going again and that, too
inside of 25 years. Maybe we will
take notion to put in week or
the mesa some of these days and en-
Joy either breakfast, dinner or sup
per with our host of subscribers
whose gardens looked inviting and
a. though they would supply ones
wants without resorting to meats
which are tabooed by most newspa-
per man At present prices, but in this
respect the farmer who is making the
most out of his opportunities, comes
Ia for fair share of fancy prices
pssyailing. All he has to do is to
butcher hog once month and 1t
will provide the wherewith to supply
the house with groceries and city
luxuries," although we are at a loss
70 understand what more luxuries
one wants than green peas, beans,
lsttuce, bsets, carrots, cabbage, Gu
cumbera, etc.. with green corn emerg-
ine frsm the milk and about ready
t. z1hsspet. In fact, around the Tiff
fany, Allison sections green corn has
ben In use for some time. Then,
Seain, We observed some exceedingly
|Sas brol3srs and II we insisted no
Spubt nA oecssional farmer would use
~ ssis judiciously, or where the
bsmocratic state ticket is going to
rst II this coming November in Colo
redo. but we are DEPRESSING. This
.yolelssis for the purpose Of telling
uoDeee Ne beauties of country life and
~ psivilsRe Of enjoying Gods out
ISer' ~, And by this do not think
80 Asuu4isx provided in the coun-
~ x'6urdsn ars obtained without work
aSe1nty - Il ard then more work