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<br /> <br />16 <br /> <br />the Range1y Ditch. TQe soils are heavy clays derived from outwash <br /> <br /> <br />Inateria1s and shales. They are reported to contain concentrations <br /> <br />of "alkali" and to be highly dispersed. Ordinarily such soils are <br /> <br />not well adapted to irrigation, but in this instance they appear to <br /> <br />have been found suitable as they have been irrigated for a number of <br /> <br />years and present operators have indicated a willingness to continue. <br /> <br />Three operators farm this land to ,alfalfa and small grains. <br /> <br />Alfalfa is grown for hay and for seed. When seed is produced the <br /> <br />yield o~ hay is low but the seed is of a high quality and demands <br /> <br />a premium price. Small grains are produced largely for work stock <br /> <br />feed. These operators have grazing rights in Grazing District <br /> <br />r" <br />~..., <br /> <br />No.1., No records of crop yields are available for ~his particular <br /> <br /> <br />area but the following 14-year average production for Rio Blanco <br /> <br />.j:! <br />County will give some idea of the yields of hay to be expected. <br /> <br />Table 4.--Average Yields (1923-1936) <br />Rio Blanco County, Colorado <br /> <br />CroD <br /> <br />Yield per acre <br /> <br />Alfalfa <br /> <br />1.9 tons <br /> <br />Wild hay <br /> <br />1.4 n <br /> <br />Other tame hays <br /> <br />1.5 11 <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />Source: Water Resources of Colorado, Append. No. 5 - <br />Statistics of Irrigated Crops, Table I, p. <br />281, Vol. V, Colorado State Planning Commis- <br />sion. <br /> <br />-' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />0816 <br /> <br />