A Michigan Visitor

Among the valley visitors this week was Arend Visscher, prosecutin? attor ney at Holland, Ottawa county, Michigan, an American of Holland extrae tion. Mr. Visscher, accompanied by John Vanderslice, came to the Pecos countrv to DrosDect on behalf of the people of his district, who because of crowding. are looking for new territory in which thoy and their sons may spread out. After driving through all the valley settlements and visiting the Rosweli district, Mr. Visscher called upon Tht Argus to see what kind of a printing office could be found in the new land. "We are very much surprised by all we have seen in the west, and especially here. We had very erroneous ideas as to the kind of country and the sort of wild peoplc wo could find. We hnü tnat you are not western people, but simply our own folks, only removed to new surroundings, and that schools, churches, laws and society aro quite satisfactory," he said. "Asonó raised on a farm, and now owning an orchard, I can say that you have great possibilities and opportunities, for it is a good farming and iruit country, particularly for apples. All crops are doing well, and the trees wonderfully ])roliflc. In fact, the fruit should be thinned, as it is in our country. "We have 50,000 people of Holland extraction in our part of Michigan, ïhey are mostly farmers, who have como Americanizad fully, most of them baving boen born hero. They have even better farms and improvements than are found in Illinois. Each farmer has an orchard, and they succeed in all branches of industry. The Hollanders, you know, are from a country of dykes and ditches, and they ask nothing better than to wade in and reclaim Bwamp lands of Michigan: so, if they come h.3re, they will soon become familar with your system. "Your apple orchards are f ree from insect pests now, but this is true of ovory new country. These troubles will como however; but I would not be at all alarmed on that account. We have to light insects, but do it fully with sprays, emulsiona, etc. I would say that the valley is undoubtedly fine tor apples. I inspectod the ncwly plantad 500 acre apple orchard near Roswell and think it in fine condition. The trees wore planted last winter, startod almost without exception and have made fint; growth. I think those plantod on the old alfalfa fields havo done hetter than those on nrw land. Most ncw land anywhere is too sour for fruit, but this is overeóme by ayear or tvvo of cultivation. Yourlands are very fertile. It is a question as to how long theyean run without fertilzatiop, but thisis choaply done by turn. injt uoder any one of various crops. In our country wc turn under some sort of vegetation each altérnate year. liI shall to-day visit the great reservoirs and thon go back to Michigan. I shall have praisc for the Pocos Valley when I meet the people whom 1 represent in visiting this and other sec. tions. "