Gunnison news-champion., 1922-04-21
DUEhA VISTA SPEAKER
TELLS OF HEAD LETTUCE

The head lettuce excitement has
reached Gunnison. Indeed it is spread
ing into every quarter Of the county,
all of which seems as well or better
adapted for raising this vegetable
than even the Buena Vista country.
where the boom started.
If you had been at the meeting in
the District Court room Wednesday
night and observed two dozen interest
ed ranchmen and business men sit for
three hours asking questions and list
ening to I. A. Frame, Buena Vista
grower and director Of the Colorado
Cooperative Lettuce Growing Associa-
tion, you would have been convinced
the bug had arrived.
Mr.. Frame came up from Sargents
that morning and scant notice Of his
talk had reached the public, otherwise
attendance would have been much
larger. He is spending yesterday and
today in looking over our valley land,
and seems to think. as far as climate,
water and soil is concerned, II is ideal
for the business. At Sargents, where
he went early in the week, over 100
acres have been contracted. Clarence
Means, the largest land owner there,
being so interested that he has donat-
ed large tracts of his best land to test
its success.
Right around Gunnison there are
many interested, and anxious to try
It out, but Mr.. Frame does not ad-
wise the planting of large acreages by
years experience. At Buena Vista
their land is weedy and requires SO
much cultivation to keep II from
crusting that one man can only tend
four acres. Our soil is more open,
loamy and sandy, SO that he judges
good hand could tend six to seven
acres.
Here are other high lights Of his
talk:
There are raised annually in the
United States about $1,000 ears of
head lettuce. mostly by California and
southern states in the winter for city
consumption. OF this, COLORADO last
year shipped $50 carloads during July,
August, September and October, when
other lettuce IL of the market. The
industry ID growing % fast, that Il IL
the opinion Of experts there II ample
market for zoo, 900 carloads. Chicago,
during Christmas wek, consumed $50
carloads Of Florida head lettuce.
In 1919 Canon City market gard
eaer went up to Buena Vista and rent
ed 30 acres from . ranchman named
Burison. Everybody laughed at 80
acres Of lettuce. The grower took
down $4,000 from the seasons crop.
In 1920, Burlson himself went into the
game. and they planted 80 acres. Il
was q huge success. Last year, there
were many hundred acres planted,
and tho It was very poor season, and
only forty per cent crop, It brought .
eremenduous AMOUNT Of money into
Buena Visit. and rejuvenated the town.
In November the growers decided to
gAnixed . cooperative association on
the lines Of the Colorado Cabbage
Growers near Denver. They thought
only Of local operation, but named It
the COLORADO" association. Then the
Wet Mountain Valley and Westcli6
wanted 70 come In IT. Sopfis grOw-
ers and i've osher districts in that Sc
ton Of the Western Slope have Joined.
Now Sargents and the ,Gunnison val
ley are Interested.
To show the rapid growth Of the
dea, on January eth the association
decided II would be necessary to con-
seruct 5000 ton ice house for iceing
the refrigerator carS. They blaSked
tAru the aD0w for the foundation. By
March thsy had put mp 10000 ton Of
lee and invested $4,000 In ice houses.
AZ the different growers wanted to
come In, more and more shipping
crates were ordered. Now the asso-
dation has purchased around SEQ 600
worth. It would be necessary to invest
5000 to $4,000 more in cooling and
packing plants ut Salida 70 take care.
Of narrow gage shipments that must
be received and repacked.
The growers contract provided for
exclusive shipment thru ke assoeia-
tion under penalty. A celtiheate Of
membership in the cooperative assida-
tien costs $50, and pays eight per cent
interest only. No one person can own
more than four eertifeates, ana -
only one vote IN any cas-.
Growers ftom this section VIII shin
s. wirebound 1efurpeble crates q
&a1ida- Loading stations WIN he built
q 8a1gents, pefhAps at Doyle o. Par
6ns II desired Loffucs ksadg afker
pteking must nj stnnd IN IL sum, ~
- N ngAt for . day o. twe & ha1-
01s1e n cara
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