6 
Colorado Agricultural College 
It is already evident that the greatest drawback in growing 
tree fruits, at the higher altitudes will be the prevalence of late 
spring frosts. These are very apt to occur when the trees are iii 
bloom and destroy the crop for that season. Since fruit of any 
kind is usually at a premium in the mountainous localities, it ma3 
be advisable to plant a few trees of late blooming varieties evet. 
though two or three crops out of five are taken by late frosts. 
Rabbits have been the source of considerable trouble. When 
deep snow covers the ground they are able to feed on the bark 
of the scaffold limbs of the trees, which are difficult to protect 
against attacks of this kind. A closely woven wire fence, 6 feet 
high to keep the rabbits out even in the case of deep snows, seemed 
to offer the best means of protecting the trees. 
There are no indications that the trees themselves are not as 
hardy at Fort Lewis as elsewhere in Colorado. The bad effects 
of drying winds which frequently occur on the plains are not felt 
to the same extent at the higher altitudes, and winter temperatures 
are no lower. In seasons when considerable rain falls during July 
and August growth may be encouraged to continue too late in the 
season and make winter killing possible. The most trouble from 
this cause, however, is apt to occur when the trees are small and 
may not amount to anything after they reach bearing age. 
As stated above a few fruits of the cherry and plum have ma- 
tured, and the writer believes this is an indication that certain 
varieties of these fruits may be grown successfully at altitudes 
which have been considered too high for tree fruits. Further than 
this, nothing can be said at this time. 
THE SMALL FRUIT PLANTATION 
Strawberries . — In the spring of 1916 about one-third of an 
acre was set to ten varieties of Strawberries with the idea of test- 
ing them as to their adaptability. Unfortunately, the plants, when 
they bore fruit the next season, proved to be all of one variety and 
that not a particularly good one. Accordingly in 1918 new plants 
were ordered from a more reliable source, but they were in such 
poor condition when received that very few of them lived, and the 
work was again delayed. These are good examples of the diffi- 
culties which an experimenter is likely to meet with. Up to the 
present time no definite information as to varieties of Strawberries 
has been obtained. It may be said, however, that there seems to 
be no reason why strawberries should not succeed at the higher 
altitudes. They are by nature cool-loving plants and it is often 
possible for them to escape spring frosts which damage other 
