La Junta tribune., 1916-11-11
ARKANSAS VALLEY PROSPERITY
Local Banker Give~ Review Of Agri-
cultural Development During
Season Now Closing


Issued by the Denver National Bank,
r. Phillips. cashier OF the First Ma
tional Bank OF La Junta. gives a
very interesting sketch OF the pro-
gress and development Of our agri-
cultural and stock raising interests
during the past season. II Is won
derful tale and is the kind OF liter
ature that ought to result in world
OF good to this particular section OF
the greatest state in The union. The
report was made under date Of Dc
iober 18th and is as follows.
y have 10 advise that, as stated
10 my letter written at the beginning
OF the season. we had a typical Colo
RADIO summer. which means that dur
ing the growing season there was
very little natural rainfall and about
the only moisture available was de
rived from the bitches This IL the
kind Of a season irrigation farmers
prefer. providing. OF course. they
fortunate enough TO be located
under good ditch. The farmers all
report large yields from the staple
crops, such as wheat, alfalfa, and
sugar beets 4 common yield for
" heat under irrigation. Is 40 bushels
per acre. and know OF numerous
Instances Of yield OF so bushels
or more. Considering the price at
which wheat il selling. no one can
complain Of the wLea, harvest The
price the farmers are receiving for
hay is almost In proportion. have
raised alfalfa here. years ago. SELL
Ing II at 81 and 81 per ton In the
stack, but this year | DO not know
Of any that will sell at less than
s. In the stack The beet harvest is
nov in full blast and a very salts
factory yield and sugar content IL
reported throughout the valley.
am told by the sugar factories that
the acreage OF beets this year e1-
ceeds that Of any former year in the
history Of the industry. Whether
the tonnage will be any more can not
be determined until after the beets
are all In.
while realize that these re-
ports should be- brief I must no,
overlook mentioning the melon crop.
. presume the Rocky Ford melons
have done more TO advertise this
section OF Colorado than any other
crop The melons this year have
brought In splendid returns and all
Of the growers have received good
prices for their shipments. In this
connection | would like To mention
something new under the sun. ="
In the way OF melon one Of our
local citizens Mr. J, T. GauEer. has
been following the footsteps Of Luth-
er Burbank to the extent that he
has propagated a new melon. to
which he has given the name. Hon
ey Dew II seems that several years
ago he began crossing the Rocky
Ford Nettrd Gem Cantaloupe with a
cassaba melon from South Africa.
which he picked up In New York He
has succeeded In getting melon
which is much sweeter than can
taloup. and has better keeping aud
shipping qualities These melons
have now appeared In the eastern
markets FOR two seasons. In limited
quantities. and are making a great
hit wherever they 40. The Honey
Dew melon Ii about the sir. Of a
small squash. with similar rind.
and have sold readily In the Chicago
markets at from soc to 800 \
piece Al this date they are being
shipped In carlo,s as far as New
York city and New orleans
Il can ray In conclusion that TAX.
inE everything into account. the A..
kansas Valley In Colorado, Was never
In better condition, This applies not
only to the sections OF the valley
under irrigation but TO the cattle
ranges a. well Owing 10 the late
rains In the summer II was feared
at one time that an early frost might
catch the grass while II was yet
green and thus destroy iis nutrition.
making II unfit for winter grazing
This danger Ia now past, a. there
have been no killing frosts or freoz.
ing weather and the grass has had
ample time TO cure a. In normal
year
Cattle from the ranges now go.
ing to market are In prime condi-
tlon and this means that all OF the
stock on the range are In good i,c,.
and will go into the winter under
most favorable conditions"