SLEEPING UTE 
This photograph was taken from one of our farms near Cortez, Colorado, 
which is situated at an elevation of over 6,500 ft. Ute Peak is exactly 10,000 
feet high. Indian legend has it that one of their chiefs lay down on his back 
to sleep and formed this mountain. The face is seen to the right. The high peak 
is formed by the chief's arms being folded over his chest, abdomen and knees 
to the left of high peak; at extreme left high walls of rock form his toes. The Cortez 
country is very picturesque, overshadowed by Mesa Verde to the south and 
many high mountain peaks can be seen to the east. Colorado has 50 mountains 
taller than Pikes Peak. We grow beans, sweet corn, lettuce, onions, squash, ; 
pumpkin and other garden seeds requiring a shorter season on our Cortez farms. 
Cucumber, cantaloupe, watermelon, pepper, tomato, zinnia and many other 
species we produce here at Rocky Ford. 
DAYS TO MATURITY 
The number of days required by any particular variety to pro¬ 
duce garden stuff ready for table use varies from year to year and ■ 
depends upon growing and seasonal conditions. In our description of 
most varieties we are giving the average number of days from seed 
to edible stage. Time given for broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, pepper 
and tomato is days from setting plants to marketing fruits. Figures 
are based on growing conditions here and are meant only for con¬ 
venience in comparing earliness of varieties. Less time to maturity 
is required in the South and for late planted crops. 
SUCCESSFUL GARDENING 
Soil The growing of high quality, tender and succulent 1 
vegetables requires quick and continuous growth. 
Good market gardening land is "quick"; that is, it 
warms up early in the spring, comes speedily into workable condi¬ 
tion after rain, is easy to keep in good tilth and responds quickly to ; 
fertilizing materials. A rich, sandy loam is best. Stiff clays are the 
least desirable. Heavy soils require deep ploughing and frequent 1 
rotation with leguminous crops and the addition of plenty of fibrous 
material. Sandy soils are, as a rule, ploughed rather shallow to com¬ 
pact the under soil and prevent leaching. Too much emphasis cannot 
be placed on proper tillage and rotation. Gardeners will find, 
when soil becomes unproductive for some particular crop that chang¬ 
ing to another crop or seeding down to clover or alfalfa for a year or 
two will result in profit. Rotation tends to even up the demands on 
the soil, no one element of plant food being exhausted; leaves the 
land in good physical condition for the following crop, incorporates 
humus, destroys insect pests and weeds. Where available, a liberal 
coating of manure should be given the ground. This should be of the 
best quality, well fermented and shoveled over at least twice during 
the previous summer. It thereby becomes thoroughly decomposed and 
is quickly incorporated with the soil. Its plant fdbd soon becomes 
available and, in addition, weed seeds are killed. The use of fresh, 
rank manure is especially undesirable when growing such crops as 
onion and parsnip, as this is liable to result in soft bulbs, scallions 
and branched or misshapen roots. 
Tillage Remove all refuse of previous crops as early as pos¬ 
sible in the fall. Spread the composted manure evenly. 
First disc in and then plough, taking a narrow furrow 
in order to thoroughly mix the manure with the soil. Fail ploughing 
enables the gardener to be forehanded with his work, renders the land 
earlier in the spring and improves the physical character of the soil. 
Freezing during the winter slacks the lumps, making it easy to have 
a finely pulverized, mellow, deep seed bed. In irrigated countries, fall 
and winter irrigation is desirable. 
(Continued on page 81) 
2 
D. V. Burrell Seed Growers Co., Rocky Ford, Colo. 
