6 
Colorado Experiment Station 
form, with a few exceptions where adobe is found, but this type of soil] 
constitutes a very small percentage of the total land area. It is deep, with 
a porous subsoil, and there is no danger from seepage. It is easily worked 
and permits deep root penetration. On the whole, the soil around Canon 
City is admirably adapted for fruit growing and for the growing of truck 
crops. 
The truck crops should be confined to the land close to the river, as 
it is of lighter character, on which the truck crops will mature earlier. 
Florence District — The soil conditions around Florence are, in the! 
main, similar to those around Canon City, tho there is a considerably 
acreage of very stiff, heavy soil. This is especially true on land located 
some distance from the river. On the whole, the section around Florence is 
m.ore limited, more exposed and not so well adapted to fruit trees as around 
Canon City. Further, there is little or no bench land, or land at a much 
higher elevation than the valley proper. Truck growing in this section is 
of considerable importance and is growing rapidly. The land is owned 
in small parcels and worked entirely by members of the family. This 
makes the production of truck crops economical. 
^ The Penrose or Beaver Creek District is of relatively late development.] 
It lies about five miles due north of Florence. The land is a bench or 
mesa resting on a formation of magnesium, limestone, and sandstone with 
isolated areas of gypsum. The soil is of a fine, loose texture and generally 
deficient in vegetable matter. In many places the soil is too shallow for 
permanent tree growth, as the rock formation comes close to the surface. 
This makes permanent success in fruit growing questionable. Even on 
the deeper soils, the problem of seepage will sooner or later come up, since 
usually where the soil is deep there is a corresponding depression in the 
rock fonnation, and into this depression surplus water will collect, and 
unless there is an outlet for this water, it will accumulate and result in 
seeped areas. The lack of vegetable matter the soil will make it neces- 
sary for the fruit growers to build it up, and this is a costly and tedious 
operation. ^ The gypsum areas, while not large, are scattered over a consid- 
erable portion of the territory, and where these areas are of any great extent, 
fruit trees cannot be grown successfully. 
The district, as a whole, is best adapted to the growing of sour cherries. 
Cherry trees are comparatively shallow-rooted, and on this account will 
thrive on the shallow land. They need, however, considerable attention in 
the matter of fertilization to make them productive. The soil requires a ' 
careful handling. ‘ 
DRAINAGE | 
The orchards in the valley proper, especially on the north side of the 
river, are in need of drainage. Water for irrigation is l)oth cheap and 
abundant, and this has led to the usual habit of irrigating whether moisture ' 
is needed or not. Too often it has led to the usual practice of substituting i 
irrigation for cultivation. The lack of drainage is becoming more and more 
