Gilpin observer., 1920-06-17
COLORADO NEWS NOTES.

assessors and compiled by the State
immigration Department Indicate that
Colorado's rural population has in
creased very materially in the past ten
years, and in the principal agricultural
districts has increased more rapidly
than the urban population. This is
just the opposite to what has occurred
in the principal agricultural states fur
ther east, where census reports now
being made public show that rural
population has not increased nearly so
rapidly as that of the cities, and in
many districts has actually decreased
since 1910. In the non-irrigated dis
tricts of eastern Colorado the rural
population has increased very rapidly
since 1910, and in some cases the num-
ber of farms under cultivation at pres
ent, as shown by assessors reports,
Is more than double that Of ten years
ago. This Is also true In many dis
tricts on the western slope, particu-
larly in MOffat, Rio Blanco, San Miguel
and Dolores counties. The records of
the immigration department show that
several thousand people from other
|
past two years and have purchased or
rented farms, while an almost equally
large number of persons from other
states have filed upon hOmesteads in
this state.
If weather conditions remain as fav-
orable until harvest, the total produc-
tiOn of wheat in Colorado this year will
~
the history of the state, according to
acreage and condition reports received
on June l by the Colorado Co-opera-
tive Crop Reporting Service. The to-
tai production Of wheat in the state
last year was estimated at 17,645,OO0
bushels, which was the largest in the
history Of the state up to that time.
Complete reports Of county assessors
on acreage of winter wheat may show
that the acreage devoted to this crop
Is greater than at present estimated,
which would increase the total produc
ton over the figure given above. Pre-
liminary estimates indicate that the
area of winter wheat left for harvest
this year is 861 900 acres, and the con-
dition Of the crop on June / was 81
per cent Of normal. The estimated
production, based upon this acreage
and condition, is 14,232,OOO bushels,
compared with final estimate Of H.
917 900 bushels last year. Partial re-
ports of county assessors indicate that
the area devoted to spring wheat is
about 395, 700 acres. The condition of
this crop on June l was 95 per cent of
normal, and the estimated production,
based upon this condition and acreage,
is S,443,OO0 bushels, compared with 81
727, 500 bushels last year.
Weld county's manufacturing plants
will have increased approximately $5,-
100000 in value during a two-year Pc
riOd ending in September, 1921. The
Industrial Sugar Company is building
factory at Fort Lupton which will
cost 100000 and which will be ready
for operation this fall. The Great
Western Sugar Company will build a
$2,OOO,OO0 factory at JOhnstOwn and is
now making plans for the mill. The
site has already been purchased and is
being improved. The Great Valley Su-
gar Company, Denver corporation,
has purchased sites for two factories
one at Ault and one at Pleasant Val
ley, and is raising approximately So
100000 for construction cost. The
EmpsOn Packing Company is building
a 100000 plant at Platteville. At
Greeley cab and truck factory and a
patent medicine factory, representing
an investment of $150OO0, have just
been completed
Preliminary reports indicate that the
total production Of hay Of all kinds
this year will be 2,S62, 900 tons. COM
pared with final estimate of 2,S11,-
600 tons last year. Partial reports of
county assessors indicate that there
will be very substantial increase In
the acreage devoted to alfalfa this year
over last year, so that the production
Of hay this year may be considerably
greater than the estimate given above.
Reports of county assessors now be-
ing made to the State Immigration De-
partment show very substantial in
crease in the number of farm tractors
In operation in the state this year as
substantial increase in the number of
sllOs in the state. The reports last
year showed 2,247 farm tractors owned
by farmers, in fOrty-fOur counties. Re-
ports this year show that there will be
about fifty counties reporting farm
tractors, and that the total number will
be In excess of 5000. Assessors re-
ported 2,73S silos last year In thirty-six
counties. More than forty counties
will report silos this year, and appar-
emily the total number will be In ex-
cess of $500.