146 SUEVEY OF COLOEADO AND NEW MEXICO. 



Territory for that year exceeded that of wlieat, but from my observa- 

 tions I am inclined to tlie opinion tliat for 1869 the wheat crop will be 

 the larger of the two. 



The soil and climate of Eastern Colorado seem to be well adapted to 

 the gTow^th of barley, which, so far as it has been tried, yields a bounti- 

 ful return for the labor bestowed upon it. But the demand has not been 

 sufficient to induce the farmers to grow it extensively. 



In regard to rye my information is defective, but from all the infor- 

 mation I could gather in regard to it, I do not think it yields as good 

 crops as the other cereals named. I have seen but very few tields dur- 

 ing the course of our journey this season, and even these presented an 

 inferior appearance. 



I find, since I have made a more thorough examination of the corn 

 crops south of Platte Valley, that I was somewhat mistaken in the 

 opinion I exin'essed in the report of the northern section of Colorado, 

 forwarded through General J, A. Logan to the Commissioner of Agricul- 

 ture. I there advanced the opinion that the statistics o± the southern 

 portion of the Territory would show a considerably larger yield than the 

 northern section, but actual examination has shown me that the portion 

 over which our expedition passed possesses few if any advantages as a 

 corn-growing region, over the section north of the South Platte. From 

 the Cache a la Poudre to Santa Fe I found, with very few exceptions, 

 but one variety, the Mexican, presenting in the field a very great simi- 

 larity. Although moderate crops can be produced in almost every tilla- 

 ble portion of Eastern Colorado, yet I must admit that it falls far behind 

 the Mississippi Valley as a corn -producing section. Mr. Thomas gives 

 the average yield as twenty-five bushels, and, contrary to my first im- 

 pression, I now think this estimate is very near correct. The best fields 

 I saw in the course of our journey were on the Arkansas, a short dis- 

 tance below Canon City, and near a little village a. short distance north 

 of Santa Fe, named Santa Cruz. But even these I do not think would 

 yield more than thirty or thirty-five bushels to the acre ; possibly they 

 may reach forty as the extreme. I know it is contended by some that 

 the valley of the Platte can produce as heavy crops as the States; but if 

 this has ever been done, the instances are rare and cannot be relied upon 

 in fixing a general average. And this corn is, when produced, of an infe- 

 rior quality. 



1 have no desire to underrate the agricultural capacity of the Terri- 

 tory in the least particular, but must state my firm convictions reached 

 under the most favorable circumstances. 



It may be that by careful experiments some varieties may be found 

 which will prove adapted to the soil and climate, but I think there are 

 climatic obstacles in the way of growing this cereal which cannot be 

 overcome. But it should be remembered these remarks apply only to 

 the sections lying along the eastern base of the Eocky Mountain Eange. 

 In this part of the Territory and in San Luis Park the nights are very 

 cold even in the warmest part of the season, and this, doubtless, retards 

 the growth. Besides this, the frosts set in early and prevent those 

 varieties from maturing which require a greater length of time to com- 

 plete their growth. 



But, as before intimated, there are some facts connected with the 

 maturing of cereal crops in this country which cannot be satisfactorily 

 explained until the climatology has been more thoroughly studied. Per- 

 haps when the botany and topograph}' have been more thoroughly worked 

 up, it may aid in explaining these anomalies, for such thej^ certainly 

 are. 



