Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-06-18
PTeu &eW Msxisa-Advantages OF the
Country.
Csrrespoadeuce of the atase journal. 80 EEL
LA MEs1LIA, NEW MEXICO, ]
81 e5 ~ 81 - Nav hfh 1000

y u y ~ May 9Th, 1868.
Editors Jomnaz:-I have just received
letter from an old friend and acquain
lance, who desires answers to large
number of questions, which many another
man might also ask, and which may have
suggested themselves to your readers, and
about which they may also desire infor.
nation. Thinking that such information
may be acceptable to your readers, I shall
venture to answer him in brief through
your paper, even at the risk of repetition
OF what may have before written, and
you published. He thus writes:
At your convenience l wish yoJ
would give few hints of its (New Mexi
co's) advantages and disadvantages, such
as in your opinion would be of most i'm.
portance to be known by stranger; and
among the rest write me as to the kind
quality and quantity Of TIMBER How the
country is supplied with sawmills, &c.
Would it pay to take across the plains g
portable engine and saWmill, such as six
mules could easily draw? The advantages
of fruit growing as stated in your letter
appears to me 10 be OF the greatest impor.
lance, when does the dry season COM
mence and close2 and how much rain do
you have in the season. Have you lorna
does9 What is the general face of the
country what proportion of it can be
cultivated with profit
Gould money be made by buying hides
there and bringing them to the States or
pelts or furs? What is the most direct
way to 90 there, and what time will 1t
require2 Is the English language spoken
mostly, and could one get along and do
business successfully without knowledge
of the Spanish z"
Instructions much like these questions
were given to the Boundary commission,
and they filled some six large quarto vol
umes, and afterwards to the exploring ex-
petitions, and they have filed twelve vol
umes more. If it has taken scientific men
so much space to write about one fourth
part OF this county, | can scarcely expect
TO say more than yes or no to the same,
in the space of a single letter. The
mountains of New Mexico produce
pine, two varieties large enough to make
boards and timber, both Of the yellow or
Norway class; also fir and spruce which
may be hewed, have seen tour varieties
Of the cotton wood along the streams
large enough to hew or saw. Among the
smaller timber is found Pinyou, the nut
bearing pine, an excellent tirewood, very
hard but unfit tor timber, three varieties
of the juniper, (red cedar,) dwarf oaks,
aspen and box elder. These are found in
the northern portions of the territory, at
an elevation OF 1000 feet and upwards
In the southern portion, the musquit, a
variety of locust (accacia) and screw bean
is found. These bear seeds which are
eaten by all cattle and horses, and are ex-
ceedingIy fatteniDg. Cotton wood grows
in patches along the river bottoms, and
pines are found in the mountains. There
are saw mills at Taos, Sdpillo, Manuclto,
and Santa Fe, which are driven by water
power, and st Tejeras by steam. There is
also mill at Pinos Altos but not in use
now. Lumber Is worth $50 per 1000 feet
at the four first, and $50 10 $50 at the
others and the demand much above the
supply.
| can see TO reason to change my opinion
as to the capacity OF the southern portion
OF the territory as to fruit growing. The
castor oil bean here makes tree, and sur
vices the winter. Hence the most tender
trees and vines may be expected to grow,
but they are not here now. The dry season
does not close, because there is no wet
one. There are deep SHOWS in the noun
taiEs in winter, and slight ones in all parts.
In July anc August showers sometimes
fall, but only in sufficient quantities to
produce the peculiar grasses OK this coun-
try, and the singular plants which would
seem to thrive without water. This country
is marked as one of six inches OF rain to
fall in the year. There are no tornados
though there are frequent high winds in
the winter and spring. The country is
mountains and plains, peculiarly its own
in character; the mountains, in fact the
whole country is volcanic, and must be
seen to be understood. Here you stand
on plain miles in extent, and see on
every side mountain peaks thrown in the
most ragged and broken manner imagin-
Unable there deep canyon is cut through
rocks thousand feet deep and impossible,
and in another place wall of rocks like
the peaks o. Prairie du Chen, but four
times as high, and more steep, stretch off
for hundreds of miles, barren, bleak and
Dlackened with SCOTIA.
No part OF New Mexico can be relied
upon tor crop which cannot be watered
from some stream, and as these are few, |
will say that not more than thousandth
part can be cultivated with any certainty
OF crop. AT the same time ten or even
twenty times more than is now cultivated
may be. Such cultivation would REQUIRE
reservoirs In the small streams in which
all the surplus water should be preserved
tor watering the crops, good stream for
lrrigating field is sluce of water one
inch deep and eight inches wide, and for
wheat and corn three waterings are suffi.
cient, once before blowing and twice after
wards. Such a sluice as | have named
would cultivate 100 acres of land if Judi
ciously managed, and especially in the
southern portion where the corn planting
season extends from the first of March to
July, and of wheat from November to
May. Grass grows on the plains and
mountains in the summer months, and,
drying up, affords food for stock through
the year. All cattle are kept by herders,
who live with their f1ocks throughout the
year.
Cow hides (fiinD are worth dollar each,
sheep aud goas skins, ten cents, wool on,
and they can be carried across the plains
to the Missouri river for six or eight cents
pound. The most direct route to Santa
Fe is from Leavenworth. Kansas, by the
Arkansas river route though to this place
the southern overland mail route is most
direct, which leaves Fort Smith, where the
Arkansas river enters the State Of the