s 451 ^ 0^rC^'''-^:^^£-. aass_ tj 4 / Book ^ G G As ft AGRICULTURAL SERIES No. 9 AGRICULTURAL SERIES No. 9 UNITED STATES RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION UNITED STATES RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Monograph COLORADO -AN UNDEVELOP ED EMPIRE Messages from State Officials From the Governor Denver, Colorado The great State of Colorado has a vast, unoccupied, undeveloped territory — agricultural, stock, fruit and mineral — lands of great potential value, where ample opportunity awaits the industrious newcomer to make a home and acquire independence. In order, however, to bring about that so much de- sired condition, it is highly essential that every effort be made toward giving prospective settlers authentic information concerning these opportunities. This booklet has been prepared with that end in view and is submitted to the prospective home-maker as con- taining only reliable information. Therefore, it is essential that expert assistance be given the newcomer in order that he shall lose as little time and effort as possible and not take unnecessary chances in getting his new undertaking under way. To this end our School of Mines, Agricultural Col- lege, our Oil Department, our Mines and Stock De- partments and our State Immigration Department, are at the command of any and all desiring such advice and assistance. No other factor can be more effective in the work than the continued hearty co-operation of the State and the United States Railroad Administration, in obtaining and publishing the truth, and only the truth, regarding Colorado's opportunities. ^p e^>^ V (OA CC^C<. Governor From the President of the State Agricultural College Fort Collins, Colorado The agricultural college through its Experiment Station and through its Extension Service is able to keep in the closest touch with farming conditions and farming development. Through the specialists of the Extension Service, agricultural agents, home demon- stration agents, and club leaders, it is possible to give personal consideration to the individual settler, and through the farm bureau, to bring to him the helpful co-operation of his neighbors. A cordial invitation is extended to the new settler to get in touch with the County Agricultural Agent, at once, the other extension workers in the county and the Extension Service at the State Agricultural Col- lege. Naturally, also, he should join the Farm Bu- reau without delay. The institution is vitally interested in the educational, civic and industrial development of Colorado and gladly co-operates with the United States Railroad Administration in giving information to prospective settlers on the agricultural, educational, and industrial resources of our State. From the State Commissioner of Immigration Denver, Colorado The importance of equipping the homeseeker and prospective investor with accurate data concerning the locality to which he hopes or expects to go cannot be overestimated, for it is only through the possession of such information that he can guide himself intelli- gently in the establishment of his home and the development of his work. Keen appreciation of this fact has induced this de- partment to work willingly with the representatives of the Agricultural Section of the United States Railroad Administration in the preparation of material dealing with Colorado. The truth about Colorado needs no embellishment by exaggeration; it is sufficient with- out that. The homeseeker in the West, if he is wise, will use every effort to acquaint himself with the soil and climatic conditions of the district into which he goes, and with the social, educational, religious, transpor- tation and market facilities which it has to offer. It is for the purpose of giving this sort of information truthfully and accurately that this department has assisted in the preparation and approves the material contained in this booklet. The Colorado State Board of Immigration is an active State organization for the promotion of the development and settlement of the State and for the guidance and protection of the newcomer. It has compiled a wide variety of data relative to the advantages of the State, its soil, climate, transporta- tion facilities, crop yields, and other matters of importance to the newcomer, and stands ready at all times to aid and encourage the settler in every way and to protect him from loss through unfortunate and unwise investments. Nf Of 26 1919 ,.^-^^^^^f^^ Commissioner U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION eblo. There are many mining and industrial cities in Colorado which furnish a ready market for farm produce, dairy and poultry products The Purpose of this Booklet — How the Railroads Can Help the Homemaker This booklet is issued by the Agricultural Section, Division of Traffic, of the United States Railroad Administration, J. L. Edwards, Manager, Washing- ton, D. C. The information was compiled by the Agricultural Representatives of the several railroads serving the State of Colorado, namely : Atchison, Topeka 8b Santa Fe C. L. Seagraves, Chicago, 111. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy J- B. Lamson, Chicago, III. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific . . Alexander Jackson, Chicago, 111. Colorado & Southern Earl G. Reed, Denver, Colo. Denver & Rio Grande W. H. Olin, Denver, Colo. Denver & Salt Lake F. J. Toner, Denver, Colo. Missouri Pacific Geo. K. Andrews, St. Louis, Mo. Rio Grande Junction W. H. Olin, Denver, Colo. Rio Grande Southern W. H. Olin, Denver, Colo. Union Pacific R. A. Smith, Omaha, Neb. The articles on the State's more important indus- tries and possibilities are contributed by recognized authorities. The purpose of the booklet is to help direct ambitious and industrious home-makers and producers, desiring to better their condition in life, to localities where they should meet with success in proportion to their resources and ability. Our mission is to help industrious men and women to become farm owners and to enable them to lay the foundation for a home and eventually independence for the family. Bear in mind that none of the railroads above mentioned have any interest in the sale of lands, nor are they engaged in the land business. All, however, are greatly interested in the develop- ment and general prosperity of the districts served by their respective Hnes. The interests of the railroads and the communities served by the lines are identical and interwoven. Pros- perous communities mean prosperous railroads. A well-satisfied settler is a good asset. A misplaced man is a liability. Our interest does not cease with the location of the settler. We are deeply interested in his success. We stand ready at all times to help the newcomer with his problems. Much valuable know- ledge of farm practices and opportunities has been gained by observation and experience which will prove helpful to farmers. This is available to all inquirers. COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE Denver and Pueblo are good markets for live stock, and their importance as live stock centers is rapidly increasing. Good railroad facilities put these markets within easy reach of every farmer The several Railroad Agricultural Representatives have for years made a careful study of conditions and keep in direct touch with their respective territories. Owing to limited space, detailed information is not attempted in this pamphlet, but should the reader desire any special information on any subject con- nected with any branch of farming or stock-raising in any locality in Colorado, it can be secured by writ- ing to or calling upon the agricultural repre- sentative whose name and address is stamped on the last page of this booklet. State fully just what is desired. Prompt and de- pendable information will be furnished. COLORADO Colorado has long been a leader in the production of golci and silver, and the State is still best known in other parts of the country as a mining state, although the value of the output of its farms today, including live stock, is more than three times that of its mines and quarries. The agricultural development of the State in the past few years has been very rapid. The total acreage devoted to seven of the principal crops in 1917 was approximately 1500% greater than forty years ago. The total acreage and yield of the principal crops in 1917 was as follows. Crop Acreage Yield Alfalfa and native hay, tons. . 1,300,000 2,836,000 Wheat, bushels 600,000 13,536,000 Corn, bushels 532,000 10,640,000 Rye, bushels 27,000 432,000 Beans, bushels 193,000 1,467,000 Oats, bushels 293,000 11,134,000 Barley, bushels 168,000 5,544,000 Sugar beets, tons 161,476 1,853,200 Kafir, etc., bushels 88,000 1,320,000 Potatoes, bushels 70,000 9,310,000 Broom corn, tons 30,000 4,650 Flaxseed, bushels 2,000 14,000 Apples, bushels 2,640,000 Peaches, bushels 1,200,000 Pears, bushels 320,000 The total acreage cultivated, in 1917, was 4,073,250 acres. This is only 6.14% of the total area of the State. Being a mountainous State, a very large portion of the land is not suitable for the plow. There are, however, at the present time close to 20,000,000 acres of arable land. At the present time it is safe to say that there are not more than 5,000,000 acres of this amount under cultivation. The possibilities for agricultural development are unexcelled. It is estimated that the population of the State, in 1918, was 1,022,639. This makes about ten persons to the square mile as compared with more than thirty U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION The large number of days of sunshine, makes it possible to cure alfalfa hay of the best quality. On irrigated lands alfalfa yields range from two to five tons per acre. On the dry uplands of the Eastern part of the State, one to two tons are secured by growing alfalfa in rows under cultivation. Seed production on the dry lands is especially profitable persons to the square mile for the entire United States. Slightly more than half the total population live in the rural districts. It is a great live stock State; the value of domestic animals sold and slaughtered in 191 7 was approximately $100,000,000, which is about 300% greater than the value in 1909. Colorado has made rapid strides in agricultural development during the past twenty years. It is safe to say that the development during the next twenty years will surpass all past records. Land values are constantly increasing, and with 15,000,000 acres of tillable land, a considerable portion of which is subject to irrigation, yet unplowed, the future possibilities are enormous. The Rocky Mountains run through the middle of Colorado, north to south. This makes three natural divisions of the State: The Eastern, Intermountain, and Western Slope districts. Each division has dif- ferent crops, climate and methods of farming. For this reason each division is treated separately in this booklet. It tells the prospective settler what farm crops and farm practices have proven the most de- sirable and profitable for each of the three districts. Fertile Soil The soils are rich in mineral properties, having received the wash from the Rockies for centuries. In but few places has nature done so much soil blending, filling it with lime, phosphates, potash, iron, mag- nesium and sulphur ready for the farmer's use. The presence of iron in the soils and the sandstone accounts for the red color. The director of the U. S. Weather Bureau for Colo- rado has recently summarized the weather data under three divisions, covering all data on rainfall, tempera- tures, frost, humidity and wind velocity, for the number of years weather observations have been made. The average annual precipitation is from this summary and for the stations named in his records. These figures are found further in this booklet. The rainfall on the plains in the southeastern part of the State comes largely in the months from April 1st to October 1st. Seventy-five per cent of the annual amount falls during this period. The precipitation varies from twelve to more than twenty inches in the higher parts of the Arkansas-Platte Divide, near the center of the State, where the elevation is between 6,000 to 7,000 feet. In these higher altitudes frost is fifteen days later in spring and fifteen days earlier in the fall than on the lower plains. Below 6,000 feet elevation, the last killing frost in spring occurs in the latter part of April and the first killing frost, about the middle of October. This gives to this portion of the Plains Region of the State, about five and a half months between frosts. COI>ORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE An eastern Colorado farm home showing Cottonwood trees five years old. Every dry-land farmer can have attractive home surroundings In the northeastern part of the State the amount of rainfall on the plains area decreases from east to west, until the foothill region is reached. Near the Kansas- Nebraska line in Sedgwick, Phillips, Yuma, Kit Carson and the eastern parts of Logan, Washington and Lincoln counties, the average runs between seventeen and eighteen inches; in the vicinity of Greeley, Weld county, it is a little over twelve inches. On the higher lands of the Arkansas-Platte Divide of this division, the rainfall is heavier, nowhere ranging less than fifteen inches. Eighty per cent of the rainfall occurs from March to September, inclusive, while the snow- fall is light. Usually the growing season covers five months — from early May to corresponding date in October. In the western part of the State there is a uniformity of weather conditions from day to day. The precipi- tation in the principal agricultural districts is less than fifteen inches, and in certain districts like San Luis Park and lower Grand Valley runs less than ten inches. There is an increase with altitude until in the highest regions, where observations have been made, an annual mean precipitation of forty inches is indicated. Snow- fall in the lower valleys is light and remains but a short time. With increasing elevations the depth increases rapidly; near the mountain summits a total fall of more than twenty-five feet has occurred in a single season. The growing season interval between frosts varies greatly. In the lower Grand Valley it extends from the middle of April to the middle of October; above 9,000 feet frost may be expected every month. The climate of the mountains cannot readily be summa- rized. The rainfall of the mountain regions depends largely on the elevation and exposure to rain-bearing winds, the latter being the leading factor. Sources of Larif There are four sources of obtaining land to which the homeseeker should turn his attention: (1) The subdivision or resale of land or farms al- ready improved or occupied. (2) The opening of new tracts of land by private parties or by Government Reclamation Service. (3) Homestead and desert entry of Government lands. (4) Purchase of State lands. ((.'>; and Terni.^ Non-irrigated farm land suitable for general farming ranges in price from $15 to $50 an acre, and irrigated land for general farming, with a good water right, from $50 to $400 an acre. Terms are usually one-eighth to one-fourth down. The rest can be paid in such install- ments, at favorable rates of interest, as a diligent farmer can meet from his yearly farm returns. The State of Colorado owns approximately 3,000,- 000 acres of land subject to sale or lease. These lands are sold at public auction to the highest bidder and payment is made on the basis of ten per cent in cash U. S. RAIT. ROAD ADMINISTRATION A typical forest reserve scene showing the possibihty for building and fuel supplies in the nearby mountains. Settlers near the forest range may also secure grazing permits from the government at very low cost at the time of sale, and the balance in eighteen equal annual payments, with interest at the rate of six per cent. Applications for the sale of specific tracts are made to the State Board of Land Commissioners at Denver, which administers all State land. There is still available Government land in Colorado open to entry, but prospective settlers on Govern- ment land must remember that the best lands, close to railroads, were taken long ago. To get good Govern- ment land today, one must go to districts many miles from transportation, cities and towns. There are ten United States land districts in the State, with headquarters in the following cities: Del Norte, Denver, Durango, Glenwood Springs, Hugo, Leadville, Lamar, Montrose, Pueblo, and Sterling. Each office furnishes information relative to unoccu- pied tracts open for entry. There are seventeen National Forests which lie wholly, and two more partly, within Colorado. Most of these National Forests, which have a combined total area of thirteen and one-quarter million acres, are within the Intermountain Region. Free use of timber is granted to bona fide settlers, schools, churches and non-commercial organizations for improvements of mutual or public benefit. Live and dead timber which may be cut without injury to the forest, is sold to settlers at the actual cost of administering such sales. The National Forests also contain a large amount of excellent summer grazing lands, and farmers and stockmen are given every encouragement to make the fullest use of these ranges. Grazing seasons are fixed on each Forest to fit local conditions, and fees are determined upon an equitable basis. Information on these matters may be obtained from local Forest officials. In 1918 grazing permits were issued to 5,600 permittees for a total of 1,519,859 cattle and sheep, over 60% of the permittees grazing less than 100 each. The National Forests are administered by the Secretary of Agriculture through the Forester of the United States Forest Service. His regulations are published in what is known as the "Use Book," copies of which may be obtained on application to the Dis- trict Forester, Federal Building, Denver. The resources of the National Forests — the timber, grass, water power and outdoor life features, such as camping, fishing and hunting — are for the use of all citizens. One can readily see the advantages to the settler and stockmen of proximity to the National Forests for grazing privileges and fence posts, lumber and firewood for home use. The Government is also entering into extensive program of road and trail con- struction in the Forests, which is almost of inestimable value to the homesteader and mountain rancher. COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE The church, school and social facilities of the state are excellent. In many communities children are taken to and from school free of charge in motor busses Live Stock the Basis of Colorado FarmiriE; The greatest agricultural resource in Colorado since the settlement of the State has been her live stock. Certain sections are especially adapted to the dairy and hog industry, other sections can emphasize poultry, still other districts develop the sheep industry with profit. In other districts beef cattle are produced. The cities, towns and mining camps give markets for cured meats, poultry and dairy products, while the stock yards of Denver and Pueblo afford an all-year market for hogs, sheep and cattle. There were received in Denver, in 1918, from all contiguous territory, including Colorado, 728,268 cattle— 1,651,759 sheep, 383,543 hogs, 14,599 horses and mules — a total of 34,119 carloads. Car lots of Colorado live stock also find their way to Missouri River points and Chicago. The National Western Stock Show, held in Denver each January, has become one of the great stock shows of the country. It stimulates the cattle, sheep and hog industry throughout the Intermountain States. Some type of live stock should be kept on every farm. This gives a profitable home market for all cheap and bulky feeds grown on the farm, and insures a fertilizer of known value. Schools, Churches and Community Centers There are more than seventy-five consolidated schools in Colorado, and while that is not a large A community clubhouse for Colorado farmers. Business and educational meetings are held in these buildings and they are also the center of social activities in farming communities number when compared with the record of several other states, still credit may be claimed for some of the best and most complete consolidated schools that may be found anywhere. Last year more than 10,000 children attended modern consolidated schools, in beautiful, modern and well-equipped buildings, with trained and experienced teachers and most of the other things it takes to make a good school. And, best of all, 1,100 of these children attended country high schools made possible by consolidation. The modern auto bus, that will accommodate thirty, thirty- five and even forty children, makes consolidation possible over large areas and many country children are now riding ten, fifteen and some even twenty miles to schools. In these schools the regular subjects are taught with a degree of efficiency comparable with city schools, while many of them offer courses in agriculture, and shop work for the boys, and home-making for the girls. The school and church facilities are ample in all parts of the State. Transportation and Markets Farm success depends upon production, transpor- tation and market distribution. Five trunk transpor- tation lines: Chicago, Burlington 86 Quincy; Missouri Pacific; Chicago, Rock Island 86 Pacific; Atchison, Topeka 8b Santa Fe, and Union Pacific railroads, con- nect the foothill cities of the Eastern Slope of the U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Marketing wheat this way is common in Eastern Colorado. The roads are good and heavy loads can be hauled at any time of the year Rocky Mountains with the markets of Omaha, St. Joe, Kansas City, Chicago, and the Mississippi Valley trade centers. The Denver 8b Salt Lake Railroad connects north- west Colorado with Denver -and these trunk lines. The Denver 8e Rio Grande Railroad connects Intermoun- tain and Western Slope and southwestern Colorado with the foothill cities of Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver, as well as these trunk lines to eastern markets. The Colorado 85 Southern Railroad connects the foothill cities of the Eastern Slope with northern and southern markets. Within the State are mines of coal and precious metals; quarries of marble, granite and other building stones; smelters and coke ovens that give employ- ment to many who must be fed. The power develop- ment from mountain streams and the great quantities of Colorado coal have attracted manufactures of im- portance and the number of workmen employed by these manufacturing plants is increasing year by year. These all depend upon the Colorado farm for food commodities. Eastern Colorado, except in occasional instances, is well supplied with railroad and highway transpor- tation facilities. Along the western boundary of the district, adjacent to the foothills, it is traversed from north to south by the Denver 8e Rio Grande, Colorado 8b Southern, and Atchison, Topeka 8b Santa Fe rail- roads and the Union Pacific, Burlington, Rock Island, Missouri Pacific, and Atchison, Topeka 8b Santa Fe railroads cross the entire eastern half of the State on their way to western terminals. Numerous branch lines afford transportation for the productive districts located at a distance from the main lines. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent by the State and counties in the maintenance of ade- quate highways for the farmer, and it is probable that few districts of such tremendous area are so well sup- plied with roads for all purposes. With the moderate rainfall which prevails through eastern Colorado the highways are almost universally good at all seasons of the year. Motor trucks are rapidly coming into favor for marketing farm produce. There are 48,000 miles of all classes of roads in the State, connecting the farms and shipping points, also connecting the main cities and county seats, one with the other. About eighty per cent of this mileage is in the plains and valleys, and about sixty per cent of the total mileage is east of the foothills, serving the farming sections in the eastern part of the State. New roads are being opened each year by the several counties for the accommodation of the farmers. At this time the road mileage is 16,000 miles more than in 1913, an average annual increase of more than 3,000 miles, which is all in the farming sections, and for the service and convenience of the farmers. COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE The Colorado farmer does not depend solely upon one crop. Tlie farm producing a diversity of crops makes the highest average income. Wheat and corn are leading crops in Eastern Colorado With three-fourths of her agricultural land unde- veloped, Colorado's greatest present need is more farm homes, more tillers for her fertile lands. In this State, where miner, manufacturer, tourist and city dweller depend upon the farm for good things to eat, the person who comes to establish a farm home will receive a hearty welcome. ^TFRN rni oRAno The eastern section of the State, consisting of the twenty-seven counties lying east of Larimer County on the north to Huerfano County on the south, is one of the most widely varied districts of the State from the standpoints of topography, climatic conditions and industries. In it are hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated lands, intensively cultivated, and millions of acres of non-irrigated land capable of suc- cessful cultivation under known dry-farming methods. The western part of this division extends to and includes the foothill regions on the Eastern Slope of the Rocky Mountains. Commencing at the foothills, and extending eastward for many miles along the larger streams of eastern Colorado, lie the irrigated valleys, and between these streams are vast stretches of graz- ing and dry-farm lands. The twenty-seven counties contain a total of 3 1,534, - 080 acres. Of this total 17,397,279 acres are patented land, 9,186,001 acres being classed as grazing land and the remainder being classified as coal, timber, min- eral, agricultural lands, etc. The district includes 2,174,872 acres of State land subject to sale or lease, and 1 ,444,474 acres of National Forests, National Parks and Monuments. There is included also 735,358 acres of Government land open to homestead entry, but as the district has been settled for many years and the available public lands carefully searched, it may be said that only occasional tillable tracts of this Govern- ment land can be found within reasonable distance of railroads and markets, and that most of the available lands, with the possible exception of foothill tracts, have been searched and discarded by settlers in the past. The growth and development of eastern Colorado during the past few years has been tremendous. Due to the necessity for food production during the war, large areas of virgin land were plowed and planted to beans, potatoes, wheat and corn. It is estimated that Eastern Colorado has increased the amount of land under tillage more than 20% since the spring of 1917. Yet it is safe to say that nearly 70% of the tillable lands have never been plowed. Land values have increased rapidly. In many sections lands are now worth many times the value a few years ago. Pros- pects for settlement during the present year are the brightest on record. The climate of eastern Colorado varies largely, owing to the varying latitudes and altitudes, and to the proximity to the mountains. In the foothill U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Pinto beans are an important crop on dry lands of Eastern Colorado and fit in well with crop rotation. Yields of 200 to 400 lbs. an acre are commonly secured. The growing of these beans prepares the land for winter wheat valleys there are many protected areas where trees and small fruits do splendidly and as a rule the dis- tricts adjacent to the mountains are afforded pro- tection from the more rigorous winter winds. The annual rainfall varies fromlO to 20 inches in the larger part of the district. Some of the foothill counties have more than 20 inches. This district is one of the most progressive sections of the West. Sixteen of its counties now have the services of competent county agricultural agents, who, with the aid of home demonstrators, have organized farm bureaus and boys' and girls' clubs and have fos- tered and developed scientific farming and the com- munity spirit to an encouraging degree. In almost every section of eastern Colorado there are many progressive farm organizations working unitedly for better living conditions and the improvement of farm methods. The influence of these organizations has been proved in the last few years by the more intelli- gent cultivation of farm lands, the improvement of live stock and the evident development of community spirit. The exceptional educational facilities offered in all parts of eastern Colorado have occasioned no little surprise among newcomers in the district. The schools may almost be said to be in advance of the require- ments of population, but the people of this district long since recognized the importance of education, and, inspired by the extension departments of the State educational institutions, have made wonderful progress in this respect. They have at their command at all times the hearty support of the State University, the State Agricultural College and the State Teachers' College, all of which have made a special study of rural school problems and have aided materially in enabling comparatively isolated districts to have ade- quate educational facilities. Numerous consolidated schools have been built throughout the eastern section, offering advantages which cannot be excelled. Eastern Colorado, the Gateway One of the greatest recreational regions in the United States is reached through eastern Colorado. The Mountain Parks and National Forests offer unrivaled opportunities for the summer's outing and it may be said without exaggeration that the proximity of the mountains and their recreational advantages adds materially to the pleasure of living in eastern Colorado. Motor travel through eastern Colorado to the moun- tains is very heavy during the summer months. Many tourists investigate eastern Colorado lands in this way. Industries Agriculture and the manufactories which are allied with it unquestionably furnish the chief industries of CO-LORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE The dry farm home in Eastern Colorado is made attractive by the growing of trees and a windmill and small storage reservoir provide irrigation water for the garden. This is not expensive, and adds much to the attractiveness of the home surroundings this section. Hundreds of important manufacturing institutions, dealing with the raw products of the farms, have sprung up along the railroads in this district which contains the most important sugar beet areas of the West and many of the most highly developed dairy districts. The sugar beet industry has given employment to thousands of men and women, has provided feed for stock during the winter months and has added tremen- dously to the value of farm lands in the irrigated areas. The dairy industry, providing a cash market for but- ter fat, has brought prosperity to many sections and has given impetus to the establishment of several large condenseries, which supply the world's markets. Alfalfa meal mills have provided a cash market for this crop and throughout the irrigated section canning plants, operated by some of the largest companies in the world, have encouraged the intensive cultivation of lands suitable to canning crops, and have doubled and trebled the value of the lands close by. Stock-raising and winter-feeding are among the most important of the agricultural industries. Graz- ing is possible on some of the unoccupied sections of the Plains Region and in the National Forests ad- jacent to the foothills, and thousands of cattle and lambs are fattened each winter on silage, hay and other crops, and the by-products of the sugar factories. From Wyoming to New Mexico, along the foothills, runs a vast stretch of coal-bearing lands, which has made coal mining one of the most important indus- tries of this region. At Pueblo, close to inexhaustible supplies of coal, is located one of the largest steel mills in the West, furnishing a market for the ores lying in the hills and mountain regions. Resources and Opportunities The undeveloped resources of eastern Colorado challenge the imagination. Dry-farming, once con- sidered a hazardous occupation, is fast becoming an exact science, subject to misfortune only under the most exceptional climatic conditions. Rural mail deliveries, telephones and the automobile have robbed isolation of its discomforts, and the silo, the dairy cow and the conservation of moisture have demonstrated the possibilities of successful dry-farming. Low-priced lands, no longer to be had in the Cen- tral or Eastern States, are available in this district. In the irrigated valleys prices range from $75 to $300 an acre or more, depending upon soil, improvements and proximity to markets, but hundreds of thousands of acres in the non-irrigated district may yet be pur- chased at prices ranging from $15 to $50 an acre, and by intelligent farming may be made to yield a splendid return on the investment. The development of manu- factories using the raw product of the farms is also comparatively in its infancy. This State, through all its educational and develop- ment agencies, stands ready to assist the settler in U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION One of Colorado's modern sugar beet factories. There are sixteen sugar factories in the State. The raising of beets has greatly increased the value of irrigated lands, and added largely to the general prosperity of the communities in which they are grown every way, and to give him the benefit of the experi- -ence of those who have given their hves to the study of the problems of dry-farming. The land is reasonable in price, transportation facilities are adequate, cli- matic advantages are excellent and community de- velopment is progressing wonderfully. The eastern section is just beginning to know its own possibilities, and it is freely predicted by those who are familiar with its history that the next ten years will constitute a period of growth, development and prosperity un- surpassed in the history of the State. Types of Agriculture Agriculture in eastern Colorado is of three types: irrigated, so-called dry-land farming, and grazing. Often two, and sometimes all of these methods are combined on one farm or ranch, but each is adapted for certain conditions of topography, rainfall and soil. Only limited areas can be irrigated, and not all of the region can be profitably dry-farmed, but there is very little land that is not more or less valuable for grazing purposes. Irrigated Farminsj Irrigation in the Plains Region is principally con- fined to the valleys of the Arkansas, South Platte and their tributaries. The irrigated areas in the South Platte Valley are in Larimer, Weld, Morgan, Logan and Adams counties. In the Arkansas Valley there are irrigated lands in Fremont, Pueblo, Otero, Bent, Prow- ers, El Paso, Lincoln, Cheyenne, Crowley and Kiowa counties. Except in the few instances where the water supply is obtained by pumping, it is taken from streams and either run directly on to the land through systems of canals, or is stored in reservoirs, and later turned into the canals when needed. Hence, only such land can be watered from the streams and reservoirs as will permit of the carrying of water to it by gravity. There is some land remaining in the region which can be rendered irrigable, and although that already under irrigation is highly developed, and brings big prices, a settler who has sufficient capital can find irrigated land which can be bought at attractive prices. Few lands are more productive than the irrigated portions of eastern Colorado. Sugar Beets The sugar beet industry of the irrigated valleys is the largest agricultural industry of the State in point of value of the manufactured product. Beets, coupled with alfalfa and manure for the renewal of the soil, have increased the population of the irrigated regions, raised the value of the land, and widened the areas of cultivation. One acre of beets, properly cared for, will yield from twelve to thirty tons. Colorado beets have an exceptionally high sugar content. Besides this, the farmer gets the tops and a share of the by-product pulp for feeding. Alfalfa and Alfalfa Seed The main crop of the irrigated region is alfalfa. There are also many districts, where the water table is COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE Cantaloupe production in the Arkansas Valley of Colorado is one of the leading industries. This section is known througho the United States as the home of the Rocky Ford melon near the surface, which produce splendid crops of alfalfa, without irrigation. It not only is the principal hay crop for all live stock, but also is an important factor in maintaining the fertility of the soil. The practice in most irrigated sections is to keep one- fourth of the farm in alfalfa, rotating periodically with the other crops in order to maintain or build up soil fertility. The alfalfa crop, as all legumes, takes the nitrogen out of the air and stores it in the soil for the use of other crops. Besides the nitrogen which is stored in the soil, the large root system of the alfalfa plant loosens up the soil and leaves an abundance of humus to improve the soil condition. Alfalfa usually gives three cuttings of hay per season, except when seed is raised, then only one cutting of hay is taken. The average yield of hay is from three to four tons per acre, worth in recent years from $10 to $18 per ton in the stack. There is also a good market for alfalfa seed. Colorado has only been able to supply about one-fourth of the local demand for alfalfa seed. Wheat, Oats and Barley Wheat yields from 35 to 60 bushels per acre under irrigation. Oats produce from 40 to 100 bushels per acre, barley yields as high as 90 bushels. Melons These are a great crop, especially in the Arkansas Valley. Rocky Ford melons are famous the world over. The Arkansas Valley, from Ordway to Rocky Ford, has just that type of sandy loam soil which, in the pre- vailing climate, under irrigation, feeds flavor to can- taloupes, producing very high quality. It has also been found that the seed grown in these districts is superior to that produced elsewhere. This is the reason twelve to fifteen other states producing the Rocky Ford types of cantaloupes, commercially, come to this district for their seed stocks. Apples are successfully grown in nearly all of the eastern section. The Arkansas Valley has gained great fame in the production of apples. The cherry is another profitable fruit and many canneries have been estab- lished. Pears and peaches do well, and other fruits, such as strawberries, dewberries, blackberries, rasp- berries, currants and gooseberries, are extensively raised. Vegetables Vegetable raising, especially for canning, is a growing industry. Colorado potatoes and canned peas are known the country over. Colorado celery is unsurpassed. The soil and cli- matic conditions give it a brittleness which enables it to command the top market price. Live Stock The irrigated regions of Colorado have become great live stock feeding centers — because of the abundance U . S . R A I L R O AD ADMINISTRATION Dairying is a safe business on the farm. Returns on dairy cow investments are quick, sure and large. Market the rough feeds in the form of milk. Here are ten Holstein daughters of one good sire of good feed, and the mild, open winters. Thousands of cattle and sheep, produced on the ranges, are driven into the irrigated sections where alfalfa, beet pulp, beet tops, grain and silage are produced in abundance every year. In these regions feeders are always sure of an abundance of good feed for their feeding opera- tions. Farm experiences, covering more than forty years, confirmed by the Colorado Experiment Station demonstrations, show that feeding the hay on the farm more than doubles its cash value to the farmer. Dairying The dairy cow is fast becoming recognized as one of the greatest profit makers on irrigated lands. First- class dairy cows are being imported from other dairy regions. The State already has 75 creameries, 5 con- denseries, 13 cheese factories, 45 ice cream plants and hundreds of cream stations. Farmers are learning that, by feeding their crops to the dairy cow, they can make large profits. In many districts in eastern Colorado, dairying not only is the most profitable, but also the safest business. THE ARKANSAS VALLE i The Arkansas Valley begins at Canon City and extends eastward to the Kansas line. The altitude of the valley at Canon City is 5,343 feet, and at the State border 3,500 feet. Thisvalleyincludes, from west to east, the counties of Fremont, Pueblo, Otero, Bent, Prowers, El Paso, Lincoln, Cheyenne, Crowley and Kiowa. Practically all Arkansas Valley farmers agree that alfalfa is the basis of their crop success. Three cut- tings per season can always be counted on and some- times a fourth is obtained. Three to four tons is the usual yield. While a large amount of alfalfa is fed to fattening lambs and steers, several alfalfa mills grind many thousand tons and ship out as alfalfa meal. The production of alfalfa seed has reached com- mercial importance. These irrigated valley farms have a great diversity of crops. Several large sugar factories encourage beet production; for many years flouring mills have en- couraged increasing acreages of fall wheat; canning factories in many localities call for vegetables for can- ning; milk condenseries and creameries urge bringing in of good dairy cows; these require the growing of corn and other feed crops for silage and grain feeds to supplement alfalfa hay. Hogs are an asset, found on many farms, and poultry is on every farm. Special seed crops have been found profitable in certain districts of the valley, and are grown in commercial quantities. Special types of cantaloupes and watermelons go from certain districts by the train load to eastern markets. The rotation of crops has been reduced to a science on most Arkansas Valley farms. Farmers' experience demonstrates that general farming on irrigated land 15 COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE Large yields ot forage crops, healthful climatic conditions and plenty of fresh water make possible the production of pork on a large scale. Every farm should have enough hogs to utilize the wastes and supply the winter meat should include one cash crop, one cultivated crop, one legume crop and one live stock or feeding crop. Irrigated farms sell for $75 to $300 an acre, accord- ing to distance from the railroad, and the farm im- provements. THE SOUTHIPLATTE RIVER^VALLEY The valley of the South Platte River and its tribu- taries cover a large irrigated area comprising Larimer, Weld, Morgan, Logan and Adams counties. Northern Colorado has a most complete system for impounding water for irrigation. This district has over one hun- dred reservoirs, each with an average capacity of 1,000,000 cubic feet of water. There are also several hundred smaller reservoirs in this district. About one million acres of cultivated land are under irrigation in this area, comprising practically one-fourth of the entire irrigated land in the State. This valley is known for its enormous production of all kinds of cash crops, as well as live stock. The leading crops are beets, potatoes, beans, wheat, and alfalfa. Nine sugar factories call for a large sugar beet acreage; nearly as many canneries call for a considerable acreage of peas, sweet corn, toma- toes and other canning vegetables; flour mills encour- age small grain production; and in the Greeley section of the valley is found the largest potato dis- trict of the State. This gives a great diversity of crops that enhances the value of the valley as a farming section. At the 1919 Western Stock Show, at Denver, the champion carload of hogs came from this valley. This speaks for good blood, good feeding and good care. As an example, Johnstown, which is an inland town, is becoming widely known for its intensive dairy farming. Their local annual Dairy Show in exhibit, attendance and interest exceeds many state fairs. The daily receipts of the condensery of this town average 23,000 pounds of milk delivered by approximately 175 farmers. According to records of the condensery the 175 farmers milk about 8,000 cows. The total returns from these cows is over $250,000 annually. There are a number of other communities in this valley that are develop- ing the dairy industry on the same basis. There is a large area of alfalfa grown in the South Platte Valley and practically all of it is fed upon the farm to fattening lambs and steers. This gives the farm added value through the barnyard manure that goes back to enrich its soil and make it more pro- ductive. Irrigated farms may be purchased for $75 to $300 an acre and up. There are raw lands, at present un- irrigated, for which there iswater to put them "under the ditch." These now await development by the settler. DRY-LAND FARMING IN EASTERN COLORADO The dry-land farms of eastern Colorado offer desir- able opportunities to the homeseeker. In fact, with 16 U. S. RAILROAD ADM I N I S T R A T I O N cd i,uin ,11 uiy-laiiJ ociiuno i^t Culu.cJ.^. i K<= njm=. oic mijic Liiaii uiic mile luflg. NuLC ihc <=«.,.cllciii. Lilih. This is an important crop in this district. The soil in these sections is very fertile and easily handled improved methods of tillage, and a change from the old idea of raising only cash crops, dry-land farming has been made more certain and safe. The old grazing lands of the past have for the most part been turned into prosperous farmsteads, and the possibilities of the region have been too well demonstrated to consider farming without irrigation an experiment. Where once it took 640 acres to support twenty head of cattle on a yearly basis under the old regime of grazing, 320-acre units, devoted to forage and cash crops, now furnish comfortable and prosperous homes for thousands of families. To practice successful dry-land farming is not difficult. It is merely adapting yourself to the con- ditions to be met — rainfall, soil and length of growing seasons. While the annual rainfall is limited, sufficient moisture can be stored by thorough cultivation at the proper time of the year to produce an abundance of forage crops and such cash crops as beans, potatoes, wheat and rye every year. This will assure the settler sufficient feed to carry on his live stock operations, which should be the basis of his business, and some returns from cash crops. Those having had years of experience in dry-land farming, recommend that from twenty to forty acres should be summer-tilled on each farm every year. Summer-tilling means to cultivate throughout the entire season without cropping, thereby storing up two years of rainfall for the production of one crop. A large yield of grain or forage crops can usually be secured every year by this method. In addition to this summer-tilled ground, the settler should carefully cultivate, under the best known dry- land method, as much more as he can take care of. The degree of the settler's success with dry-land farming depends almost entirely on the extent that he can adapt himself to the methods found most success- ful by those who have had years of experience in that particular community. ).st of Gettinp- Started One should have at least a sufficient amount to make the first payment on land, provide the farm with house, barn, water for domestic and stock uses, work stock, a few cows, pigs, chickens and implements for effective work. He should have left a sufficient gum to feed and clothe the family until a crop can be grown, harvested and marketed. This amount will vary with cost of material, the character and amount of improve- ments made, size of the family and the individual farmer. It is believed that to get safely started, the prospective settler should have from $1,500 to $2,500 capital after the first payment is made on the purchase price of his land. Success has been achieved by many new settlers with less capital than this. To a very great extent final success depends upon the individual. The dry-farm unit must be of sufficient size to grow feed crops for live stock and also afford an area for AP OF COLORAD CQLORADQ-AN UND EVE LOPED EMPIRE A pit silo in Eastern Colorado. Dry-land sccluas are well adapted to the construction of the pit silo and it may be built without expert labor at very little cost. It is a good insurance policy for the dry-land farmer pasture. At least 160 acres is needed, and 320 is better, with success more certain. General farming under irrigation requires at least forty acres, while eighty acres, or more, gives a better chance for growing feed crops for some live stock as well as cash crops. Ten acres is too small a unit, save in the vicinity of cities and towns, where a local market justifies intensive gar- den farming. A fruit farm should have at least ten acres of fruit to be profitable, and sufficient additional area to grow feed crops to maintain at least a family cow, a fiock of poultry and a few hogs. >;tock a Necessi; The settler who farms without live stock is extremely likely to fail. On the other hand, the man who gets a few cows and other live stock, increasing the number as his capital and available feed permits, is almost sure to succeed, for he has a living assured. There is seldom a year when good yields of forage crops such as milo maize, millet, cane, etc., cannot be produced, and with proper silo capacity to store the surplus of years of plenty for times of drouth, the settler's position is made secure. No dry-land farm is complete without a poultry flock. Living costs can be greatly lowered by a few hens. Turkeys thrive, and there is always a ready market for poultry. Experience has shown that the most successful farmers in eastern Colorado have used dairying as a basis of their success. On every dry-land farm there should be at least four to six good milch cows and sufficient feed, in the form of silage or dry forage. Four to six cows will keep a family in groceries and pay interest. The returns from dairy cows will not be endangered by drouth, hail or frost, and the cream check comes in regularly every week. Nearly the whole territory is adapted to the con- struction of pit silos. These are very inexpensive and can be put down by any farmer. Silage has been carried over in perfect condition in such silos for a period of several years. These silos insure succulent food for the dairy cows and other farm animals throughout the winter, and in times of short pasture. A silo with live stock makes dry farming safe. Cash Crops Beans, wheat, potatoes and rye are successfully raised on the dry lands of eastern Colorado, and offer great opportunities when used as a supplement to live stock production or dairying. The Pinto bean is a safe dry-land crop. It fits into the crop rotation, being an especially good crop to 20 u RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Drilling wKeat on a large scale in the dry-land section of Eastern Colorado. Note the splendid condition of the seed bed. Soils in the eastern part of the State are easily handled precede wheat. It prepares the land for fall-sown grain and makes a good cash crop. All indications point to a more satisfactory market for this crop in the future. Pinto bean hay is a valuable feed for live stock. Fair crops of Pinto beans have been produced on sod, and on sandy soil with as low as eleven inches of rainfall. On old land, properly prepared, yields of from four to six hundred pounds have been produced with fourteen inches of rainfall. Every dry-land farmer should have at least a small per cent of his cultivated land in Pinto beans. It not only insures him a cash crop, but also prepares the land for the following crop of small grain. It is considered one of the best crops to build up the dry-land soil that we have. In ordi- nary years from 250 to 600 pounds to the acre can be produced when the crop is properly cultivated. In regions where wheat cannot be depended on, rye is certain, and has the further advantage that it can be used either as a cash or forage crop. Fall rye should be planted on every dry-land farm. The pasturage afforded stock in the fall and spring is very valuable, and if the season is not favorable to develop grain, a crop of rye hay can at least be counted on. Potatoes are a profitable crop in many dry-land -actions. They do especially well in the foothills, and :n the northeastern part of the State. Yields of be- tween 35 and 115 bushels per acre may be expected in regions suitable for potato production. Potatoes raised under dry-land conditions are sought for table stock in market centers, because of their excel- lent cooking quality. The greatest possibility in potato production on dry lands, however, is in the raising of seed. The irrigated regions must import most of their seed, and that raised on the dry lands is the very best obtainable. orage Crops Corn is an important forage crop, and does well, in practically the entire region. Except in favored locali- ties, high yields of grain cannot be expected. Yields of forage vary from two tons to six and the grain from ten to forty-five bushels. Milo maize, kafir corn and feterita are extensively raised, especially in the southern regions. In these regions they give a better yield of grain and forage than does corn. Millet is extensively produced, and makes a very sure crop of both forage and grain. One to three tons of forage can be expected under or- dinary conditions, and from fifteen to forty bushels of grain. Sudan grass is coming into general use throughout the region. It is a heavy yielder of good forage, and a very valuable pasture crop. It is usually planted with COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE A dry farm in Eastern Colorado. Four years ago the site upon which this home was built was raw prairie. Note the excellent home garden in the foreground, which was produced entirely by tillage and without irrigation. A garden of this kind greatly reduces living expenses a press drill on a carefully prepared seed bed similar to that for corn, and should be planted about the same time as corn. In ordinary seasons from two to three tons of hay are secured per acre. Alfalfa is successfully produced on the dry lands in local areas. Creek bottoms and fields receiving run-off water are best suited for it. It does best when planted in rows and cultivated. Many dry-land alfalfa fields yield as high as two or three tons per acre. The prac- tice of producing alfalfa seed on the dry lands by growing in rows is increasing. Sweet clover has proven very successful for pas- turage. It can be grown in practically the entire region and each dry-land farm should have a sweet clover hog pasture. The Russian sunflower is coming into favor, especially as a silage crop. surroundings Importan' Many dry-land settlers have suffered inconvenience through failure to provide proper home surroundings. A dry-farm home may be made very attractive by ob- taining a good domestic water supply and by pro- viding for the irrigation of a small garden tract and some trees, both shade and fruit, either through a windmill or small pumping plant. In some of the better developed dry-land communities there are farm homes which for home comforts and conveniences rival the best to be found in any section. Factors to Be Considered Before n I : There are several factors which should be considered before locating on a dry-land farm in eastern Colorado. ( 1 ) Since rainfall is the chief limiting factor of pro- duction on these plains, the Government weather records should be carefully studied before purchasing such a farm — not only as to the number of inches of rainfall, but as to its distribution. (2) The soil must be suited to dry-land farming. It must be deep and uniform, it must not be streaked with formations of adobe or gumbo, which prevent the penetration of moisture, and it must be underlaid with a proper subsoil. It cannot be too strongly recom- mended that the homeseeker carefully examine the soil over the entire farm before he purchases, and, if possible, consult the County Agricultural Agent or someone else qualified to judge whether it is suited for dry farming. (3 ) Water supply, especially for domestic purposes, should be carefully considered. The usual source of water, except in the western portion of the region, is wells, and the settler should ascertain the depth at which he may expect good water, and the cost of getting it. (4) Markets and their accessibility may mean the difference between success and failure. They should be carefully considered in picking a location. U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION The "turkey trot" in Colorado, poultry products bring good prices and a farm flock will provide an immediate cash income and supply the table (5) Above all comes the personal equation. Per- haps you and your family would never be contented on a dry-land farm. You must remember you are coming to a comparatively new country. Before deciding to locate on such a farm, picture a treeless tract of raw land which must be transformed into a prosperous home. If this pioneering work does not discourage you, and you have a vision of a future home, all your own, with ever-increasing comforts and possessions — the size and amount of which you realize depends on your own initiative and industry, and if you have sufficient capital to give yourself a fair chance of suc- cess, then you are safe in taking the step. Picking the Location Dry-land farming is similar throughout eastern Colorado. Some localities, however, are better suited for this type of farming than are others. Some offer opportunities along particular lines of agriculture not common to the whole region, and some, though not best suited to dry farming, offer better opportunities to the homeseeker because of less development, and consequent lower prices of land. In that part of the northeastern Plains Region fall- ing within the 15 to 20-inch precipitation belt, viz: Sedgwick, Phillips, Yuma and Kit Carson counties, and a part of Logan, Washington, Lincoln and Chey- enne counties, agricultural conditions are very simi- lar. In this region dry-farming is highly developed and has proved an unqualified success. Cash crops, such as beans, potatoes, wheat and rye, do well, and the settlers are prosperous almost to a man. Corn does exceptionally well in this region. Stock-raising and dairying, however, as in all dry-land communities, is the balance wheel of all agricultural operations. There is still much raw land, in the form of undi- vided ranches and holdings of absent land owners, which may be purchased at reasonable prices. De- veloped farms sell for $35 to $100 an acre, according to improvements, while raw land, suitable for tillage, may be purchased for $20 to $60 an acre. Denver, Pueblo and Colorado Springs offer good markets in the West, while Missouri River points are easily reached on the east. PLAINS OF SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO In this division is included that region in the south- eastern part of the State which falls in the 15 to 20- inch precipitation belt, viz: Baca County, except the southeastern corner, the southern portions of Prowers and Bent counties, and the eastern and southern portions of Las Animas County. Dry -land farming in this section is not so highly developed as in the northeastern. Conditions are not so favorable for cash crops. While the precipitation COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE Six years' progress of an Eastern Colorado farmer. Tfie first home is shown on tha left, while that on the right was built six years later and is modern in every way. The trees surrounding the house are five years old is about the same, the greater heat of summer and the prevalence of drying winds tend to make drouth conditions more frequent. All things considered, how- ever, great opportunities are offered here for the aver- age homeseeker, as land is very much lower in price. Stock-raising and dairying are very successful. The production of sheep and wool is a large industry here. The production of hogs is rapidly increasing. Forage craps are certain, and in favorable years good cash crops are produced. Milo maize, kafir corn, etc., are more successfully produced than Indian corn, the long growing season being especially favorable for them. Winter rye is a paying crop. Good yields of wheat are often obtained. Beans are produced in the driest years. The wise settler in this region will turn his attention to the production of forage for feeding live stock, and will make the growing of cash crops supplemental to this. Raw land, suitable for farming, can be obtained for $10 to $30 an acre, while improved farms sell for $20 to $50 an acre. Good markets are offered to the west in Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Trinidad, while to the east, Missouri River points are easily accessible. PLAINS SECTION EAST OF FOOTHILLS REGION This region includes that part of eastern Colorado falling within the 10 to 15-inch precipitation belt. Weld, Morgan, Adams, Arapahoe, Crowley, Kiowa and Otero counties, and a part of Larimer, Boulder, Logan, Washington, Elbert, Lincoln, Cheyenne, El Paso, Pueblo, Brent, Prowers and Las Animas coun- ties are included. Dry -farming conditions vary widely in this section. As the foothills are approached on the west, much of the land is rough and unsuited for tillage, but a large part of the region is dry-farmed with great success. Stock-raising and dairying is successful throughout the section. Wheat is grown in many parts, and beans are a profitable crop throughout the region. Splendid opportunities are offered here for the home- maker. Land values have a very wide range. Devel- oped dry-land farms may be purchased for $25 to $75 an acre, while undeveloped land suited for tillage may be purchased for $15 to $50 an acre. FOOTHILLS REGION This is the region embracing the extreme western edge of eastern Colorado. Most of Larimer, Boulder, Jefferson, Douglas, El Paso and Huerfano counties, and a part of Elbert, Pueblo and Las Animas coun- ties are included. The rainfall is for the most part between 15 and 20 inches. Agriculture is varied because of the range in alti- tude, which runs between 4,000 and 8,000 feet. Live stock production is successful throughout the region, especially dairying. Wheat is a safe crop in many sections. Potatoes, both eating and seed stock, are an 24 U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION ilS^""^|f|PRi! Th2re are almost unlimited opportunities for the man of small means to put land of this kind under the plow in Eastern Colorado. This picture is typical of the plains region where approximately seventy per cent of the tillable lands are yet in the virgin state. Note the excellent growth of grass on this land important crop. There is a great opportunity, espe- cially on the Arkansas Divide, which takes in Doug- las, southern Elbert and northern El Paso counties, for the production of seed potatoes to supply the irrigated regions. This divide also offers wonderful possibilities for dairying. Corn for forage is successfully raised even at an altitude of 7,000 feet. Winter rye is a sure forage crop, while oats and barley do well in much of the territory. Excellent markets are found near at hand in Denver, Pueblo, Cheyenne, Colorado Springs, and Trinidad. All land not suitable for farming offers grazing possibilities. Nearly every settler will wish to set apart a portion of his farm for pasturage. Aside from these local pastures, however, there are large tracts which cannot be successfully cultivated. These offer possibilities for stock-raising. In many parts of east- ern Colorado there are large areas which will never be valuable for agriculture except as grazing lands. How- ever, winter grazing is so uncertain, and is attended with such danger of loss, that most stockmen are beginning to see the necessity of raising some feed, and in picking out a grazing ranch, it is desirable there be some provision made either for forage production, or the buying of it in close proximity. Grazing lands may be purchased for $5 to $15 an acre. In parts of the Foothills Region grazing privi- leges can be secured on the National Forests. Available and Classified Land in Eastern Colorado County Esti- mated Popu- lation 1918 Ar^a in .4cres Esti- mated Agri- cultural Land Non- irrigated Esti- mated Irrigated Grazing— Too Rough for Cultiva- tion Esti- mated Acres of Arable Land Un- plowed Range of Altitude in Feet 12,500 1S.800 14,600 ■ 8,500 36,500 4,500 7,000 5,000 8,500 50,000 17,300 19,000 6,200 10,000 35,000 41,000 15,300 9,000 14,600 23.000 5,000 15,000 64,000 4,200 9,500 50,000 12.000 807,680 538,880 1,633,280 975,360 488,960 1,137,280 660,800 540,800 1,188,480 1,357,440 960,000 536,320 1,150.720 1,381,760 1,184.640 3,077,760 1,166,080 1,644,800 825,070 762,080 440,320 1,043,200 1,557,120 339,840 1,613,440 2,574,080 1,514,880 428,084 369,902 704,428 6,857 24,214 952,806 6,378 62,599 368.'396 198,250 3.500 34,193 86,594 37,177 20,000 46,559 82,189 152,036 66,383 8,993 166,020 135,029 300,000 275,000 350,000 750,000 soo'ooo 300,000 500,000 500,000 1,000,000 300,000 ■ MO'OOO 200,000 700,000 .\rapahoe 4600- 5600 360O- 5000 Boulder Cheyenne 4960-14,000 3875- 4600 Crowley Douglas Elbert 45,399 7,394 530 14,281 21,633 40,390 114,412 298,093 614,325 657,243 314,706 223,006 792,298 1,124,674 210,884 739,429 330,725 ' 277.924 159,846 4100- 4500 5400- 7600 4700- 6600 El Paso 5000-14.110 Huerfano Jefferson Kiowa 5690-13,000 5300-10,000 3500- 4200 Kit Carson Larimer Las Animas 75,807 8,824 11,495 402,022 1,183.240 98.212 19,174 391,112 ' 65,361 178,894 1.023,452 745,550 464,500 450 48,110 23.541 50.930 /2,555 76,269 4100- 4700 4800-14,000 5300-14,000 3600- 4100 Lincoln 450O- 5400 4100- 4600 Otero 4000- 5100 Prowers Pueblo Sedgwick Washington Weld 87,848 40.379 20,670 6.687 284,687 2,494 427,012 614,350 82,274 97,590 810,906 13,090,752 3200- 4000 4350- 8000 3400- 3675 40OO- 4800 4400- 5000 800,0003500- 4200 The above figures were furnished by the Stat€ Immigration Department. For the most part they are estimates. All of these counties will support three times aa many people as at present. The figures are designed to give a general idea only of the possi- bilities for development. 25 COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE Colorado is famous for the production of beet sugar, and the beets grown here have an exceptionally high sugar content, due to the excellence of soil and climatic conditions. Yields range from twelve to twenty-two tons per acre and the price paid to growers in 1918 was $10 per ton JUT ^NTrRlVTOHNTAIN RECiM The Intermountain Region includes the principal ranges of the Rocky Mountains reaching across the central part of Colorado from north to south. These parallel ranges form the greatest water shed on the American Continent. They gather and hold vast accumulations of snow. These banks of snow, melting, give rise to mountain streams which carry a wealth of irrigation water for agricultural lands on the Eastern and Western Slopes. In the Colo- rado Rockies are the source waters of four great river systems: North and South Platte of the Platte-Missouri on the northeast, the Arkansas on the southeast, Rio Grande on the south, and the Grand- Colorado on the west. The power possibilities from these major streams and their many tributaries are tremendous. But a small fraction of this latent energy is at present utilized. Between the principal ranges are many treeless, grassy, plateau valleys. The larger of these mountain basins or valleys are called Parks: North, Middle, South, Estes, and San Luis. These are all comparatively level, surrounded by mountain barriers and separated from each other by cross ranges of mountains. The Cattle Industry in the Parks North, Middle and South Parks are simply large mountain valleys, each from forty to sixty miles long and twenty-five to forty miles wide, having excellent water, grass and shelter. For these reasons the cattle industry, for many years, has been an important business. The elevation runs from 7,700 to nearly 9,000 feet. Timothy, alsike, red clover, alfalfa, stock roots and very fine wheat and oats are grown in both North and Middle parks. South Park has a superior quality of native grass, that gives the hay a high value on Intermountain and Denver mar- kets. The large amount of native and tame hay put up during the growing season enables stockmen to carry their cattle through the winter in fine condition. They put many of their beef steers on the market, grass-fat in late summer. The National Forest areas within and around these parks insure good grazing for the herds. School lands within these Intermountain Regions are subject to lease from the State Land Board for grazing purposes. Irrigated lands can be purchased at prices ranging from $40 to $80 an acre. Non-irrigated land sells for $3.50 to $10 an acre, according to location. This is used for grazing principally. These parks still have opportunities for cattlemen. While beef production will always be the most im- portant industry, near-by mining camps afford a market for poultry and dairy products, and the small ranchmen find a few dairy cows and laying hens sup- plement the yearly profits on the ranches. LI. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Colorado is noted for its potaloo'^ ' )n irrigated lands yields of 200 bushels an acre are common: on dry lands, 100 bushels. Potatoes grown on dry land make exceptionally good seed and the seed stock finds a ready mirkat in the irrigated sections of the State, also in many eastern cities San Luis Vallev San Luis Valley is the largest of these great Inter- mountain Parks. It includes five agricultural counties: Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande, and Saguache, and one county — Mineral — noted more especially for its metal mines. San Luis Valley is 120 miles long, and from thirty-five to fory miles wide at its central or widest portion. It lies in the south central part of the State and reaches south to the New Mexico line. Its altitude runs from 7,200 feet, in the southern end, to 8,000 feet, in the northern end of the valley. Like the other parks San Luis has high protective mountain barriers surrounding it. The valley was a fresh-water lake in geologic times. This gives a level - ness seldom found, with scarcely a hill throughout the valley. The soil is of unusual depth and varies from a clay loam in the central portion — the lower level of the former lake — to sandy and gravelly loam around the more outer edges of the valley. The rain- fall is less than ten inches, making dry-farming too uncertain to be encouraged. Irrigation and Drainage The Rio Grande River and its tributary streams furnish the irrigation water for the valley. Irrigation practice here, as elsewhere, has shown the necessity of adequate drainage. After many years' crop farming it was found the water table was coming too close to the surface of the land in the central or lower portion for successful crop farming. These lands went to "seep" or became water logged. Several hundred thousand acres of the very best lands in the valley were thus rendered non-productive. Many thou- sand acres of these lands have recently been drained by private parties. Su:h beneficial results have been shown that a project for the drainage of all the rest of these water-logged lands is under con- sideration by the U. S. Reclamation Service, the State of Colorado and the water users. This area is certain to be drained within the next few years. The valley contains over five million acres of land. Two million acres are in the National Forests, one-half million vacant public land and one quarter million acres is State land. Besides the water-logged lands, there are nearly one-half million acres of cultivated crop land "under ditch" not subject to "seep." Water is available for much more land so that the present area of crop land can be doubled when the reclamation work now planned shall have been completed. The price of irrigated farm lands ranges from $35 to $150 an acre according to location, soil and state of improve- ment. Field peas are to this valley what corn is to the Corn Belt. Barley is often seeded with the peas and the two COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE Oats is an important crop, especially on the irrigated lands where the quality is of the best and the yields frequently range above 100 bushels an acre cut for silage, or cured and stacked as hay for winter feeding. The great majority of the fields are harvested by turning in hogs and lambs to feed off the crop. Alfalfa furnishes summer pasture for hogs, and hay for winter feeding. Two cuttings are obtained per season — three to four tons per acre for the season's crop. Spring wheat gives yields of thirty-five to fifty bushels per acre, and oats with yields of fifty to eighty and more bushels per acre, are standard crops. The flour mills afford good markets for grain. Here is the second largest potato district in the State, sending out 2,500 to 3,000 cars of potatoes each season. Yields run from 250 to 400 bushels per acre. Nearly every crop farmer is a stock feeder. He either runs a bunch of hogs, feeds a flock of lambs or runs a beef herd. From 100,000 to 125,000 New Mexico range lambs are brought in each fall to clean up the pea fields. After 90 to 100 days' feed in field and feed lot, they are sent finished to Denver and Missouri River markets. Monte Vista is the agricultural center of the valley. Here is a hog growers' association most unique in organization, while successful in hog production and profitable returns. Two veterinarians employed by this association keep down hog diseases and 40,000 finished hogs are sent each year. Alamosa is the rail- road center. From here branch lines run through eastern, southern, western and northern sections of the valley. Twenty-three trade centers are well distributed. Two counties — Rio Grande and Saguache — - have Farm Bureaus and employ County Agricultural Agents. The other counties plan to organize farm bureaus soon. Aggressive farmers who will develop the agricultural resources of the San Luis will be welcomed and given a chance to make good. Upper Arkansas Valley The valley of the upper Arkansas River is along the headwaters of the streams in Lake and Chaffee counties. Near Buena Vista the valley is eight to ten miles wide. Here wheat, oats, barley, peas, potatoes, timothy and alfalfa have been grown for many years. In this section may be found a considerable acreage of State and private lands for which water for irrigation is being made available. Several thousand acres await develop- ment by settlers. Near-by mining camps offer attrac- tive local markets for food commodities. Prices of lands with a good water right range from $45 to $90 an acre. , ,^. ;ale Districts The Eagle River Valley, in Eagle County, the Roar- ing Fork and Crystal River Valley, in Pitkin and eastern part of Garfield counties, are two well-known potato districts of the State. A Rocky Mountain red loam soil, found in both valleys, is peculiarly adapted to the growing of high quality potatoes. Yields are seldom less than 250 and often run above 400 bushels per acre. Two cuttings of alfalfa are obtained per 28 U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Dry-land wheat produced on valley land in the Foothills Yields range from fifteen to forty bushels an acre Small ranches in the foothills sections may be secured with grazing privileges in the near-by hills season, with a total yield of three to four tons per acre. Thirty-five to fifty-bushel wheat, and seventy-five to ninety-bushel oats per acre are grown in these valleys. The Carbondale District, in Roaring Fork Crystal River Valley, has a creamery which encourages dairy- ing, giving a home market for butter fat. In Eagle Valley are registered Herefords of superior quality. The raising of beef cattle is an important industry. Irrigated land sells for $40 to $150 an acre, according to location and improvements. A considerable area is yet to be improved and settled up. The Upper Gunnison Valley Gunnison County is noted for its native hay and stock ranches. Ranch propositions of value are yet obtainable here where small grain, alfalfa and stock roots can always be grown. Gunnison, the county seat town, is the railroad center, with branch lines to coal camps on the north, SaUda on the east and Montrose on the west. There are many protected valleys beyond the num- ber named, that have real opportunities awaiting crop and live stock farmers. Thirteen million acres of the Intermountain Region of the State is taken up with mountain ranges. Between these ranges lie fif- teen million acres of park and valley lands that have economic value for stockmen and farmers. Within this Intermountain Region lie the great mineral dis- tricts of the State, which yield in metals over forty million dollars annually, and upwards of twelve mil- lion tons of coal. These mining interests give employ- ment to some fifty thousand workmen and their families. This furnishes a local market for near-by farming regions. Mountain farm dairies have a market all their own. Telephones and rural delivery reach the farm settlements. Every farm settlement has its public school. A mountain ranch in this environment does not mean isolation, for 9,000 miles of auto roads have been built in this region for general vehicle travel, and nearly every county has railway connection with the outside world. Expensive trips for recreation are not necessary, for these mountain ranches are located within the "Play- ground of America." Game in the mountains, trout in the streams and lakes of this region, awaken hunting and fishing desires in young and old. With such hunt- ing, fishing, camping, outdoor life privileges, amid surroundings noted for its scenic beauty, Colorado's Intermountain Region bids a western welcome and invites the homeseeker to its pleasing environment. WESTERN SLOPE DISTRICTS The part of Colorado which lies west of the Rockies, from Routt and Moffat counties on the north to Montezuma on the south, is commonly called the Western Slope. The contour of the region is more broken and undulating than the Eastern Slope. The COLORADO- AN UNDEVELOPED EMFIKL The producing sections of Col Ths stats has many miles of railroads, Icets farming lands are in the valleys of rivers or on broad mesas that are found near the river valleys. The Western Slope is divided into three sections. The White and Yampa rivers carry the waters of North- western Colorado to the Green river. The Grand River receives the waters of the central west, while the streams of southwestern Colorado are tributaries of the San Juan River. Southwestern Colorado is frequently spoken of as a part of the San Juan Basin. ORTHWESTERN COl.ORAD This portion of the Western Slope comprises the counties of Routt, Moffat, and Rio Blanco. North- west Colorado is broken and uneven in its surface, but its plateau mesas and river valleys have large areas of good farming lands. The soil varies from sandy and clay loams to heavy clay loam or adobe that is rich in plant food. While something over eighty thousand acres has been irrigated, water is available for irrigating many times this amount of land. Within this section are many thousand acres of State lands and more than three million acres of Government land that is not taken up. Because of the winter snows in northwest Colorado, much of this land can be made productive under dry-farming methods. Perhaps no section of the State has such large bodies of land awaiting settlers to develop it. The last report of the State Immigration Commission shows over forty thousand acres under crop produc- tion without irrigation in northwest Colorado. Irri- gated land is valued at $25 to $150 an acre, according to location, while non-irrigated crop land runs from $7.50 to $25. The rainfall varies from thirteen to twenty inches. Crops are: rye, wheat, oats, and barley, alsike, red clover, alfalfa, timothy, native hay, potatoes, and vegetables. Because of its grass production, and large grazing areas, stock-raising is the chief business in northwest Colorado. Irrigated meadow lands in the river valleys furnish the hay to feed the stock through the winter. Amount of hay and winter forage which can be grown for winter feeding determines the amount of cattle or sheep which can be run on the range. A wealth of coal, unsurpassed in the State, is in this section. Such natural resources here exist that transportation and market facilities seem certain to be afforded these producing districts in the near future. Northwest Colorado has much to offer home settlers in virgin lands capable of successful dry farming, as well as lands which may be irrigated. There are also areas where lands are irrigated all ready for crop production. Rural delivery, telephones, schools and churches in the settled districts, with State roads connecting settlements, are found here. This section of the Western Slope includes the coun- ties of Garfield, Mesa, Delta, San Miguel and Mont- 30 U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION iUng fr Western slope district. Such lands are valued at $500 to $1000 an acre rose. The agricultural lands lie in varying altitudes from 8,000 feet, on the east, to 4,500 feet, at lowest portion of the river valleys on the west. This gives gradual crop zones, where^ under irrigation, are pro- duced commercial crops varying from small grain, potatoes, and alfalfa to peaches, pears, sugar beets, onions, and corn. Grand Valley and Montrose — Delta County — peaches, pears, and apples are well known on the market. Fruit associations have been formed for the better handling and marketing of the crop. Cream- eries have been established in this section, making dairying an important industry, since there is a home market for all butter fat produced. Vast quantities of oil shale in the buttes of the Grand Valley, below De Beque, coal deposits in various parts of the district and the carnotite (radium is obtained from carnotite) ore beds, in western part of Montrose County, give mining interests that are of growing importance and value to the agricultural activities of this section. Sugar beet factories at Grand Junction and Delta have encouraged a considerable acreage of sugar beets. This crop being under contract, it is really marketed before it is planted. Corn is becoming an important crop in this section. The Olathe District holds annual corn shows, and these stimulate the use of better seed, with the result of increased crop returns. Settlers on Redlands Mesa, in Grand Valley, have accHmated a strain of Iowa Silver Mine Corn, known locally as "Diamond Joe," and use it as a standard crop. Through careful selection these corn farmers are obtaining on their irrigated lands yields of 60, 75 and, in a few instances, 80 bushels per acre. Corn farmers in the Olathe District (lower Gunnison Valley) have developed a yellow dent strain of corn to yields of 50 to 70 bushels per acre. On high mesa lands, where corn will not mature, Russian sunflowers are being grown for a silage crop. Two U. S. Reclamation Projects are within this section. Home-makers will find the reports issued by the Reclamation Service on these projects of inter- est and value. Detailed information about all U S. Reclamation projects in Colorado can be secured by addressing F. E. Weymouth, U. S. Reclamation Service, Denver, Colo. Surrounding the towns of Montrose and Olathe, in Montrose County, and Delta, in Delta County, on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains, lie 100,000 acres of rich bottom and mesa lands comprising the Uncompahgre Valley Project, the Project office being at Montrose. Works for the delivery of water to the entire area are practically complete. There are 75,971 acres of deeded land and 24,029 acres of public land, of which 19,594 acres, contained in 393 farm units, have been entered. Twenty-six hundred and sixty-three acres of irrigable land, contained in 64 units, are open to entry, and 1,772 acres are withheld from entry. The farms vary in size from 40 to 80 acres. About forty thousand acres of mesa soil are suitable for COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE A typical irrigation canal. There are thousands of miles of such canals in Colorado and additional thousands of rniles are to be constructed raising apples, pears, peaches, prunes and small fruits. The heavier soils are especially well adapted to the raising of sugar beets and wheat. The entire area is adapted to alfalfa, wheat and oats and considerable areas to the raising of potatoes and onions. The range in soil, from heavy adobe to light, sandy loam makes possible a wide range of profitable crops. The irrigable land lies between the elevations of 5,000 to 6,400 feet above sea level. The temperature ranges from 20° below to 98° above zero, but zero temperatures are very unusual. The rainfall on the irrigable land is six to twelve inches. We Grand Valley Project Is located in the Plateau Region on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains in west central Colo- rado, the Project office being located at Grand Junc- tion. The irrigable area of the Grand Valley Project includes 50,000 acres of land. The average elevation of the Project is 4,700 feet above sea level. The climate is mild, with a large percentage of sunshine and long growing season. Oppressive heat is unknown. Zero temperatures are very unusual and are generally accompanied by calm weather. Owing to the protection of high mountains and sheltering plateaus, the valley is not subject to severe storms of any kind. The irrigation works have been completed far enough to furnish a dependable water supply at the beginning of the season of 1919, for 30,000 acres of land. Approx- imately 50% of this acreage is embraced in farms now under cultivation, and the remainder is made up of about 10,000 acres of deeded land and 5,000 acres of vacant public land. Of the latter class of land, 1,500 acres was open to entry on January 1, 1919, and the balance will probably be opened within the next year. The principal crops produced on the Project are alfalfa, wheat, oats, sugar beets, corn, potatoes, fruit and vegetables. The soil consists of three general types: red sandy mesas, sandy loam and adobe. The red soils are deep and well drained and especially adapted to the growing of fruits, for which the valley is already justly famous, and also to alfalfa, corn, and potatoes. The sandy loam is an alluvial soil, very fertile and adapted to the growing of practically all kinds of crops, while the adobe soils are of a heavier nature and are especially adapted for sugar beets and cereals. 32 U. S. RAI LROAD ADMINISTRATION fruit valley of the stern slope district. Commercial orchards are common in this part of the State. Home orchards do well in all parts and help to reduce living expenses The principal railroad shipping points are Grand Junction, Fruita, Loma, Mack, Palisade and Clifton. All are adjacent to or on the Project. The sugar factory at Grand Junction furnishes a market for all sugar beets grown on the Project, and the local flour mill for wheat and other cereals, while the local canneries handle each year a large quantity of tomatoes, fruits and vegetables. The marketing of the fruit crop is handled largely through co-operative associations. The educational facilities are excellent on account of the proximity of the project to the old settled-up district. Besides the Government Project, private interests own general crop and fruit lands within the valley on both sides of the Grand River, from Antlers, Silt, and Rifle to west end of the valley. Here is the largest fruit valley in Colorado with 16,000 acres in apples, pears, and peaches. Eighty-four thousand acres of general crop land is irrigated. Settlers are offered sagebrush land or cleared and cultivated land at prices ranging from $45 to $250 an acre, according to location, type of soil, and improvements. OTHER VALLEY AND MESA LANDS North of the Uncompahgre Government Project are the North Fork Valley lands, in Delta County. Here are the Paonia, Hotchkiss, Cedar-Edge and Austin District lands. Settlers will find in these dis- tricts choice fruit, general farming, and dairy farm propositions. Hog-raising is becoming an important industry. Prices for lands are somewhat lower than prevailing prices in the Grand Valley. In West Montrose County, away from the railroad, are the Nucla, Naturita, and Paradox Valley settle- ments. Here are grown more cuttings of alfalfa per season than anywhere else on the Western Slope, because of the lower altitude and the longer season. Distance from the railroad does not make it advisable to grow the fruit, truck and grain crops, soil and climate make possible. Because of the open winters, settlers in Paradox Valley find a market at good prices for all the alfalfa, corn and other feed crops they grow with the cattlemen who bring their stock to winter in the valley. What Central Western Colorado Has to Offer This Central West District has such diversified farming interests that it gives a settler an opportunity to select his home where he can follow that type of farming he shall prefer and can most enjoy. Special seed farmers are here growing peas, beans, onion seed. 33 COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRE The Colorado farmer can avail himself of many opportunities for recreation. Both fishing and hunting are excellent and within reach of every settler etc., under contract for seed firms. The near-by National Forests, with their grazing privileges under purchased permit, together with large areas of unoc- cupied land in "The Hills," emphasize and encourage the live stock industry on the higher lands "under ditch" in the Central Western District. The Southwestern portion of the State is often called the San Juan Basin, since all the streams are tributaries of the San Juan River. It includes the counties of Archuleta, La Plata and Montezuma. Here, in sight of the Mesa Verde National Park — home of the cliff dwellers — is th? oldest farming district in the Rockies. It was farmed centuries ago by tribes of men now extinct. 'ural Contour The watersheds of this district are the San Juan and La Plata mountains. Their run-off flows into the San Juan Basin streams, which find their way into the San Juan River. Tributary streams divide the country into mesas varying from a few thousand to fifty thousand acres in one mesa plain. These mesas, or level plateaus, are comparatively uniform, separated by deep arroyos, or canon-like breaks. Where not already farmed, these mesas are covered either with black sagebrush, or thickets of cedar, pinon or scrub oak brush. Over this whole region is a good agricultural soil varying from a sandy loam to an ashy clay. Arroyos (breaks or cuts) show these soils to be many feet deep and of uniform texture. In the higher altitudes, 8,000 feet and above, are areas with sheltering trees and a wealth of grass, making them well adapted for grazing purposes. Because of the extent of these areas and the nearness of National Forest Lands, stock-raising is now and will continue to be a leading industry. The agricultural lands are below 7,000 feet eleva- tion, situated on Fort Lewis Mesa, in Las Animas Valley, Pine Valley, in La Plata County, Florida, and other mesas of 15,000 to 20,000 acres each of tillable lands. Montezuma Valley, in county of same name, has an area of 300 square miles. Here are grown both winter and spring wheat, oats, barley, alfalfa, and forage crops, equal in quality and yield to that produced in other parts of the State. Parts of Montezuma and Las Animas valleys grow both bush and tree fruits, supplying the local markets with apples, cherries, and berries. There are now in San U. S. RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Grand Valley Project. Gates in Grand River Dam turning the water into the high line canal. U. S. Reclamation Servi( Juan Basin 100,000 acres of crop land irrigated. Prices- range from $30 to $125 an acre, according to loca- tion and character of improvements. The State Immi- gration Commissioner affirms more than a million acres of undeveloped agricultural land awaits settle- ment in this basin district. Here is a most pleasing environment. It is near the greatest mining center in the State — the San Juan group mines. Coal and firewood, fence posts, and poles are obtainable in all agricultural districts. Dur- ango is the railroad center, with branch lines of rail- road in four directions, giving shipping facilities. Cortez, Mancos, Dolores, Bayfield, Ignacio, and Pagosa Springs are important trade centers. Home- stead, State land, private owned sage brush or irri- gated improved land, can be obtained in the San Juan Basin. Progressive men, looking for a new home, will bear in mind the important fact that Colorado is not a ONE- crop State ; that it produces a great diversity of crops ; that climatic conditions are, on the whole, excellent; that opportunitiesin the United States are not excelled in any country in the world. Colorado offers special opportunities that you, for your own best interests, should investigate. Vacation Outings in the National Parks "The Nation's Playgrounds" Your National Parks are a vast region of geysers, peaks, canyons, glaciers, big trees, volcanoes, pre- historic ruins and other natural scenic wonders. fS'T THEM THIS SUMMER for fishing, mountain climbing and "roughing it." Ask for descriptive illustrated booklet of the National Park or National Monument you are specially interested in — here is the list: Crater Lake, Ore.; Glacier, Mont.; Grand Canyon, Ariz.; Hawaii; Hot Springs, Ark.; Mesa Verde, Colo.; Mt. Rainier, Wash.; Petrified Forest, Ariz.; Rocky Mountain, Colo. ; Sequoia, Cal. ; Yellowstone, Wyo.-Mont. ; Yose- mite. Cal., and Zion, Utah. Address Travel Bureau, U. S. Railroad Administration, 646 Transportation Bldg., Chicago, III., or 143 Liberty St., New York City, or 602 Healey Bldg., Atlanta, Ga. COLORADO-AN UNDEVELOPED EMPIRr. r" '•i.*'«r-^ ^^^-v-^'^ ^" - ■■,:- ^- r^n .^, ^w /^ yitf^ypjti, ' * ' ' -^ '^ -a^ll^^ i^p^'lT'^^ ^ rm % lAi^MH^K^ ■&. . : A~ ; '., Colorado is noted for its production of feeder lambs. The San Luis Valley is famous for its pea fed mutton. Sheep production is especially important in the foothill regions where excellent grazing lands are available ISSUED BY United States Railroad Administration AGRICULTURAL SECTION J. L. EDWARDS, Manager WASHINGTON, D. C. FOR THE USE OF ALL RAILROADS IN THE STATE OF COLORADO For Further Information, address H. A. JOHNSON, Traffic MANAGtR C. & S. R* R» Denver, P.nt O. POOLE BROS., CHICAGO 003 006 209 1 M j\