The Lamar register., 1921-04-27

duction of the state ten years ago.
A letter to The Earth from w. S.
Partridge of the little town of Holly,
Prowers County, in the Arkansas Val
ley of Colorado, prompted the investi-
cation which resulted in this article.
Holly is the first town that travellers
on west bound Santa Fe trains see af-
ter crossing the Kansas-Colorado line
the center of rapidly developing,
AGRICULTURAL district, with dairying as
a side-line.
Mr.. Partridge advised that in 1920
the farmers, round about Holly, ship
ped S113,2O5.4S worth Of milk and
cream. He said that most farmers
in the community were limited in their
finances when they began operations,
and that dairying had been their sal
walton. The dairy COW solved the
household expense from the start.
What is said generally of Holly. can
be said of a score of other localities
between that town and Canon City,
1856 miles to the west, and there Is
every reason to believe that the time
is not far distant when the Arkansas
Valley will be one of the most pros
perous and important dairy sections
in the world.
Farmers from the northern states,
and from Canada, who have had dairy
experience, are moving into the VAL
lev because of the mild climate. Sell
dom is the weather so severe that
cattle have to be kept under shelter.
They are in the open practically the
year around.
Chambers Of Commerce, farmer as
sociations and other organizations in
the Valley, are taking deep interest
in dairy development and are keeping
books on new dairymen. Reports OF
twenty or more farmers who have
started dairy herds have come from
each of the following cities and towns:
Canon City and Florence, in Fremont
county; Pueblo, Avondale, Nepesta
and Boon, in Pueblo county; Fowler,
Manzanola, Weitzer, Rocky Ford,
Swink, Cheraw and La Junta, in Otero
county; Las Animas. Prowers, Nc
Clave, Hasty and Rixey in Bent coun-
ty; and Lamar, Granada, Holly, Hart
man, Bristol and Wiley, in Prowers
county. These localities all are in ir-
rigated parts of the Valley.
The so-called dry farming area
where farming and stock raising are
carried on with the minimum of mois-
ture-corn, milo maize, kafir and fet-
erita are raised for dairy feeding. The
underground silo is in common use
a sort of dry cistern which can be con-
structed for few dollars, and which
will answer the purpose of an ex-
pensive above-ground silo. Motor
trucks from the condensories and other
buying establishments, collect milk in
many Of the outlying districts and
TRANSPORT it to stations on the Santa
Fe railway.
Holstein cows predominant in the
Valley. although there are several not
ed Jersey herds. There is an organiz-
ed movement in every locality named
to improve the breed. A popular plan
is for several farmers to go together
and buy high class sire.
The dairy industry Of the Valley is
in infancy. In 1920 not more than
10 per cent Of the feed raised was
fed to dairy cattle by dairymen.
The reader should not gather from
these general statements that dairy
ing is the only industry worth while:
it is one Of many. Farmers do well
with beef cattle, hogs, sheep, poultry,
and bees, with available markets for
all their products. Kansas City con-
tests with Denver for Arkansas Val
lev fat cattle, handled over the Santa
Fe in trainload lots.
Vegetable and fruit growers have
developed an important Valley indus