Pueblo chieftain., 1921-01-24
TREE VETERAN
IN old TOWN
H a n d | e d Switches and
Saplings That Are Now
Tall Big Growths

On a day in the latter part of the
week thick-set but slightly stopped
and elderly man. ruddy and kindly of
countenance, made his way along
Third street. But he could not, or did
not, get past the doors of Mrs. Ander-
sons cafeteria; nobody can; the de-
lightful odors of baked potato and
fried mush makes too strong a pull.
The Farm Page mar, knew the strang
er by sight "A block away, followed
him in, accused him of being a tend
erfoot Buckeye, and demanded to be
shown his passport.
All over Pueblo city and in many
country homes of Pueblo county now
tower trees of twenty to sixty feet.
many of them a foot in diameter.
which as half-inch switches were
handled by John Bartels as tenderly
and carefully as il they were kittens
tures horticultural children, trees are
creatures of life, and therefore things
of nerves and of sensibility; things
worthy of respect and Difference.
things of beauty and character; things
that can suffer or that can dispense
joy and comfort.
John Bartels, veteran nurseryman,
retired, came to Pueblo in 1870 from
Ohio. and is now 81 years old. He had
been as far west as Washington ter
ritory. but on his journey to the jump
ing off place took notice of the Ar
kansas valley of Colorado as about
tho right spot to settle down, and
eventually made his home at tho
headquarters town-the Pueblo lie
engaged in farming to some extent
but from the first paid special at
tennon to trees, and for half Il CEN
tury has been not only their master
and salesman but their comrade.
Not even in tho millinery husjn est
the silk trade or in surgery and cleo
tricity is 1t more necessary TO keep
up to date than in the pursuit of
plant life. whether nursery stock,
forestry or floral treasures. Even
garden vegetables and farm grains
make some call on the progressive
faculties. but there is continual sue
cession of variations in kinds and
names of trces and bushes. Consider
able portion of this is artificial hum
nurscryman makes sensational an
nouncemcnt of some wonderful new
fruit or nut or vine or shrub or flower.
and forthwith proves his point-not
in black and white but in red and
yellow. That is to say, he is aided and
puts out most alluring pictures of
peaches and grapes such as shame tho
feeble efforts of poky old Nature.
Yet this is legitimate field for real
and honest exploits of clever botanists,
as witnessed by the triumphs of Bur
bank, who was preceded by tho origi |
nators OF the Concord grape, the Ben
Davis and Baldwin apples. tho Elberta
peach. tho Swadiey corn, the Early
Rose potato of old times, and "A brill |
liant flock OF French roses.
The interviewer. holding Mr..
Bartels with tight grip at the door.
questioned him in detail on these |
seeking to find whether |
Pueblo county has been the scene OF ,
any striking advance in acquired pos
sessions in trees, shrubs. vines and |
but after brief mental survey |
tho veteran stated that even in his |
long experience he could not advise |
any decided departure from the stand
ard lists of fruit trees, such as tho
Romantic. Ben Davis, Jcniton and |
Wealthy. yellow Transparent. Duchess /
and Red June for carly stock; the .
sour varieties OF cherries: tho black |
and red plums. Raspbcrries and |
grapes can be grown here but demand !
utmost care. especially in winter pro-
and 1T is lack OF this care thai !
has reduced production of grapes
from the commercial scale. Black
berries have not shown any Success |
bIt Mr.. Bartels was still of orinion /
tnnt tho Lucretia dewherries can be |
produced IN satisfactory extent. He |
was skeptical as to any local future .
nifty, AMI anyhow IT would not pay
10 grow potatoes; tho land would yield |
far better revenue in almost any OF /
the standard crops.
By this time tho buttonholo was