The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1919-02-20

for breaking out the raw land. Ex-
perience has taught the table land
farmers that land broken between
May 18th and June 18th, and between
2hs to 3l2 inches deep, with the sod
laid flat and even and well packed
will produce favorable results. On
this breaking if spring crop is de-
sired, then either wheat or millet is
usually sown.
At about this time several of the
large cattle ranch owners, realizing
that the days of the open range in
Sedgwick county was drawing to a
close, and being offered the then
fabulous sum of from $500 to 5000
per acre for their holdings. could not
resist the temptation to "cash in.
This was the real marked beginning
of the agricultural development of
the table lands in Sedgwick county.
With the gradual departure of the
large cattle man and his thousands
Of head of cattle removed from the
table lands and the valley regions of
the county, the farmer has steadily
and surely filled in these great gaps
left by the former kings of the county.
Hundreds of farmers from western
Iowa and eastern and central Nebras-
ka, who had seen farm land develop
in their own respective localities from
buffalo-sod. such as we have here. to
flourishing productive farm homes,
thoroughly believed that the same
procedure if followed in Sedgwick
county, would produce similar re-
suits in both crops and increased valu-
alton in lands here. Many of these
farmers, possessed Of the spirit of
their forefathers. moved to Sedgwick
county with their families and proved
that better results could be obtained
in this new country with less labor
and capital than had been their ex-
perience back east in the older set
tied sections.
In many instances it was proven
that the crop taken from the land
in Colorado EARNED perhaps by the
younger sons of the family exceed
ed year after year the crops produced
by the father and older sons on the
"old home place" back east. Only
one result could accrue from repeated
performances of this character, and
as the fertile soil of our county con-
tinued to bring forth satisfactory re-
suits, the old farm back east was sold
at good price and the entire family
came to Sedewick county, purchas-
ing larger holdings.
All during this period of develop
ment owners held their lands at prices
that increased rapidly from year to
year as the country was developed
and its worth proven by the success
sion of good crops.
The real credit for the development
of Sedgwick county is due primarily
to those men and women who pos
sessed the vision to realize the won
derful possibilities of the soil, and
the courage and patience to stick to
the ship until they brought it under
full sail safely into the harbor of
Prosperity.
To those pioneers who worked out
the earlier experiments; who had the
faith and nerve to stick to the game.
who tried this method and that method
with unfailing patience and a firm
belief in the ultimate success of their
adopted country, We all owe great
tribute of thanks. They were the
ones that paved the way for the fu-
ture agricultural development of this
county, just as their ancestors blazed
the famous Oregon trail through this
very section of the glorious state Of
Colorado. They have now come in
to their just reward for their untiring
efforts and the indications are that
during the coming years even greater
prosperity will be theirs, owing to
the rapidly increasing values of all
lands in this county.
Today the new conner finds farm
ers paradise. beautiful stretch of
level fertile land, soil exactly the
same as it has been for thousands Of
years, second to none in this or any
other country, ground that is free Of
any farming hindrances. such as
stumps, rocks, scrub-growth, etc. But
what change from the days of the
cattle range. The former buffalo-sod
now counts as its own hundreds of
progressive, prosperous farmers, Gre
ating community that is becoming
more densely populated with fine
class of industrious farmers Of the
one hundred per cent American type