Semi-weekly herald., 1916-02-07
Farmer's $ Congress
Report of the
San Juan Basin

| loru tne writer mas Tor the past thres
years been delegated to report the
progress of agriculture in the Sar
Juan basin to the Colorado Farmers
congress.
Each year it has been his desire tc
represent this section fairly and
truthfully in no way exaggerating the
wonderful productiveness of our fine
soils that can be purchased at very
low prices. In spite of the fact that
those who heard the reports were in
eredulous and looked upon my repre-
sentations as those of u boomer. yet
as continual dropping of water will
wear away the hardest rock so my
report was this year received with
more seriousness and those who at
tend the congress are beginning to
take real interest in our garden
spot Of Colorado.
After making the attached report
the speaker spoke of the new plans
ior the Fort Lewis school-that agri-
cultural school of yours-nestling
among the cotton woods and pines
along the La Plata river at the foot
Of the mountains of the same name.
On the 18th Of April the school
Will open its first summer session,
offering courses in agriculture for
boys, courses in domestic science for
girls and courses of training for rur.
al school teachers for girls and boys
On June 9th twelve weeks courses
in agriculture, household arts and
teachers training will be offered to
high school students. Glass room
work VIII be offered three days in
the week and on the other three days
students will have an opportunity to
put into practice, on the farm, the
things learned in the school rcom
Credits will be given for field work
which will be supervised with care,
and the students will be paid by the
hour for any profitable work they do
for the school, thus earning enough
to defray large portion of the cost
of attending.
The summer climate at Fort Lew
is is ideal, the school is well equipped
with live stock, and with laboratory
apparatus. The forge and bench
room equipment is good.
A strong faculty will be employed
and there can be no excuse for a
students not doing good work. All
who are Interested are requested to
ask for a copy Of the new cata-
log which will be ready about Feb
ruary 10, 1915.
The report to the congress was
about as follows:
The San Juan is as silvery and the
sun shines as bright as it did year
ago. The grasses were as green and
the flowers as beautiful this year as
last. Rich harvests Of alfalfa, oats
wheat, barley, potatoes, apples and
peaches have been garnered and stor-
ed, the forests have yielded their
lumber, the mines their fuel and pre-
cious metals; the cattle and sheep dot
The pastures in greater numbers than
ever before. the orchards yielded a
bountiful harvest that brought joy to
the hearts of the producer and con-
sumer. Our banks and business hous-
es have prospered until all interest
ed parties are wearing broader smiles
than usual.
Our farmers are each year doing
better farming than they did the
proceeding year and they are securing
increased yields as a result. The
SHOWS bid fair to be as deep as they
we're last year, thus insuring water
for irrigation, and length and
strength to the Fort Lewis instructors
who must constantly stretch upward
10 keep their heads above the banks
Of "the beautiful white"
The price of land has risen dur
ing the past year, many settlers nav ;
joined US and business is 20 to 20 per
cent better than it was a year ago.
So many of your are from Mis-
souri," and SO few Of you have gone
with Moses to the top Of Mount Curl-
bres and viewed the promised land
along the San Juan and it's tribu-
taires, that | needs must tell you that
1t is a land of corn and wine" rich
in milk and honey" There, beyond
that divide is vast tract of land that
will some day be the home of mil
lion happy, prosperous farmers. who
will outshine Denverites in their
ability to produce for our great COM
monwealth, but who will not share
with Denver a desire to rule the
world.
Ours is new country of cheap,
fertile soil, of unknown producing
possibilities. Its native lands produce
yields of the staple crops that cause