CORRESPONDENCE. 13! 



fair crop ; in fact we have to guard against this second growth continu- 

 ously throughout the fruiting season. 



It is very difficult for you to overestimate the natural fruit advan- 

 tages of this part af the State. 



In letter of October 31st, he says : 



I have two distinct classes of soil on my farm. The first bottom land 

 is sandy loam, with four to six feet of clay sub-soil. This is my best grape, 

 peach and small fruit lands, which I irrigate from three to six times dur- 

 ing the growing season, except strawberries, which I keep quite moist. I 

 irrigate no fruit on this land, except the strawberries, after September 1st. 

 "We usually get rains in the fall sufficient for all fruits. 



My second bottom land is of the black loam, with quite a mixture of 

 the adobe. This land is strong and deep soil. I consider it my best 

 apple and pear land. I have twenty-five acres in this fruit on this land. 



I raise corn, potatoes and vines among my trees, and only irrigate 

 sufficient to promote a good, healthy growth to my corn, and find it about 

 right for my trees. I turn on the water about once a week for a day and 

 night, as a general thing, through the season, and our corn matures about 

 September 1st to 10th, when I shut off all irrigation water. After that our 

 fall rains take care of the fruits, and they ripen their wood in excellent 

 shape for the winter. We lay nothing down for winter except the tender 

 California grapes. 



Peaches and apricots begin bearing the second year after budding. 

 Many varieties of apples bear at three and four years from graft. Especi- 

 ally is this the case with the Kussians. Many of the Americans bear at 

 four and five years. Cherries and plums bear very early with us. It is 

 is not unfrequent to see a two-year-old cherry tree full of fruit. 



My choice of fruits for profit here is the grape. The of yield my five- 

 year-old vines this year was enormous. 



FROM GEN. R. A. CAMERON, CANON CITY, FREMONT COUNTY. 



At Canon City the water of the Arkansas does not seem to be impreg- 

 nated with much mineral matter, which, like rivers, notably the Rio 

 Grande in New Mexico, enriches the soil On the South side of the river, 

 where the soil is composed chiefly of decomposed red and white sand- 

 stone, irrigation practiced once or even twice a week in the warm and dry 

 seasons seems to act like so much refreshing rain. On the North side of 

 the river, however, where the soil is composed largely of decomposed 



