La Junta tribune., 1915-06-19
Dry F.rmers /. Arka.sa. VALLEY.

i
cultural. industrial and mining con-
diiions in Colorado and Wyoming. r.
sued by the Denver National Bank.
OF Denver. and containing reports Of
crop prospects and general business
conditions as sent In by officials OF
various banks In those two states,
contains some very interesting and
valuable information. Among them
is report by r. Phillips. cashier OF
the First National Bank OF La Junta,
which will be read with interest by
Tribune subscribers. II is AZ fol-
lows:
! imagine the reports from eastern
Colorado this year will all sound very
much alike so far rs recording the
unusual rainfall and late spring, but
with most splendid prospects for
crops OF all kinds. The months Of
April and May in this portion OF Colo
RADIO show the heaviset rainfall dur
ing the same period Of time since q
record has been kept. II is certain
ly unusual In an irrigated country to
hear farmers complain OF too much
moisture. but there have been num-
erous complaints this year. Because
of the excess OF dampness. the plant
ing Of beets has been delayed in some
localities and I know OF numerous In
stances where the fields have been
too wet to plow. The first crop Of
alfalfa is now beginning TO bloom
and the sound OF the moving ma
machine will be heard in the land Just
as soon as the weather clears up.
Wheat Is beginning TO head out and
promises, without any artificial irri-
ration since last fall. an abundant
crop. There will be large crop OF
fruit OF all kinds and the prospects
for beets this season OF the year were
never better
Referring again to the large amount
OF rainfall. there are some people who
believe that the climate is changing.
However this may be. the one fact
which stands out the most prominent
and looms up perhaps larger than
anything else In southeastern Colo
rado today. Is the great influx Of
homesteaders looking for government
land on which TO file. There are
thirty-two million acres OF land in
Colorado east OF the Rocky Noun
tAins. Not many years ago all this
domain belonged TO the government.
but now only one-fifth ia open for
settlement This prairie empire has
a divide" extending almost exactly
in the center from the mountains at
Palmer Lake TO the Kansas line
North of this dividing line the
streams flow northeast. south OF II
they nov southeast Thus the ply
steal contours OF the region divide
Colorado into two divisions east Of
the mountains much alike IN soil.
rainfall. and climatic conditions. cx-
cept for the difference Incident TO al
titud.. one-,enth OF the land OF
the northern half stiii belongs TO the
gov.rnmcn, while the southern por-
tion. with o'ero county as the center.
has one-third s,ill open to entry. Ex.
pressed in figures. there are In Colo.
rado eas; Of the mountains north Of
the divide" 1900. 600 acres Of gov.
eminent land. while south Of Il In an
area Of equal sire. there <.s00. 900
acres Of government land. open 70 set.
tlement There may be some rea.
sons for this. but whatever the rea.
sons. the fact remains that three.
fourths OF the available government
land In Colorado east Of the
mountains IL In the southeastern
part Of the state and Ia Junta IL the
gateway into q large portion Of Il.
The United States Land offices q
Pueblo and Lamar report more land
entrys since the beginning Of the
year than have ever been reported In
their history. This means that the
tide Of immigration has already ses
IN which will move westward a. ir.
resisiibiy as the tidal waves Of the
sea. until all Of these vacant iands
are occupied In one way or another.
Nearly all Of the old settlers here
look upon the dry land homessesder
~ . misguided individual who 10
sure 20 fail In HE efforts to establish
. home on these arid lands. There
ase others. however. Who have seea
similar movsmeats. elsewhere whc
~ he has . sishtiss chasce. Thsy
thiak u. With M dsy sasnias meth
80. he wilI mig . fsv cattle o. .
deisy herd Esd ~ neass q . slje
a. otherwloe store - fee1 dusias
4 A. - a.