The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-04-27
Our 0lio.
NEW MEXICO.

States, he is about to see, what most of
the other Territories ara new country.
On the contrary, quite the reverse 1t is
the oldest within the limits of this gov
ernment; for well-settled history takes us
nearly three hundred years back to its set
tlement.
There are but few things connected with
the daily life of the people of New Mexico
that are changed since 1894, and least of
all, their agriculture. The small number
OF tools, implements, and vehicles used by
them are Of the rudest and most primitive
construction, the models of many of them
going back, not three hundred, but three
thousand years.
can imagine no objects that would at
tract more interest and wonder at an
American agricultural fair, than a New
Mexican cart, plow, and yoke-not to
mention some smaller things. The plow
takes you back at once TO Biblical sim
plicity. In looking at its heavy beam.
some sixteen feet long, with a small forked
piece of wood attached, you wonder, first.
how it could ever be moved, and, secondly,
what earthly (the proper word in that con-
neetion, | think good it could ever effect.
The cart is made Of the brittle cotton
wood, in manner that shows a general
absence OF tools in its construction. Neither
steel, iron, nor nails are used, and strips
and strings of rawhide fasten the pieces
together. For the wheels, a clumsy. thick.
oblong block of wood is pinned by wooden
pegs to two segments of a circle; through
these hole is hacked 10 pass the axle
tree. The circle is, of course, never at
tanned, an approximation to it being all
that is thought desirable. No grease.
Excruciatingly vocal, and numbering sleep
within circumference of mile. A sup
ply of heavy axles is loaded into the cart
for any journey beyond day, so that it
is frequently half filed with them.
The Mexican yoke consists of a straight
piece of timber placed directly on the
heads of the oxen behind the horns. to
which it is fastened with strings of raw
hide. The piece of wood is fastened in
the same manner around its centre. the
end OF the thong attaching it going to the
tongue of the cart, or, if there is more
than one yoke, to the cattle behind. The
cattle thus push, not pull, heavy loads
with their heads. In the good old times,
and it is still done in many places, the
cattle were driven thus 4 man or boy
went ahead of them with as much vocal
inducement as he could throw into an un-
remitting stream of cries and whoops; two
more followed, hanking the cattle with
more vehement language and pointed per-
suasion in the shape Of sharp sticks; and
thus, with a cart like an ark, drawn by
two or four oxen, driven by three or four
men or boys, they might, possibly, effect
in four hours what small American dirt
cart would do better in twenty minutes.
Some improvement, however, has been eff.
fected, for one of the first things you no.
tice is the ''gee-haw" of the Mexicans,
who speak not a word of English, but
drive their oxen as an American does.
They sometimes add words of vehement
profanity, which they take, 1 imagine, to
be the necessary complement of "gee-haw."
Most of them have become quite expert
thus, In the employment of American
trains crossing the plains, and the science
of ox-driving is becoming diffused.
The soil of the valley of the Rio Grande
does not look rich to one accustomed to
sec the Miamis, the Muskingum, and the
Scioto; it is generally sandy, and looks
thin, but under the Mexican treatment of
irrigation, even without manure, produces
remarkably abundant crops of wheat, corn,
oats, beans, melons, chile, onions, ETC., two
crops year being frequently obtained,
particularly in the lower part of the valley.
Tomatoes, cabbage, and beets are excel
lent, and of large size-the beets enor
nous. We have no onions in the United
States that can compare with the New
Mexican onion in size or mildness of fla
vor. Pumpkins also do well, but the DO
sato, for some reason could not ascertain,
does not thrive.
could not obtain any precise informa-
tion, although Frequently asked the aues-
ton, as to the average yield of grain per
acre, but, judging by the eye, l should say
that thirty bushels of corn to the acre
would be a good crop. But little pains
are taken in any part of the process of
raising one. The earth is merely scratch
ed, and corn sown almost broadcast. The
corn is small and hard, and troublesome
and dangerous feeding for horses and
mules not accustomed to it.
The amount of land now cultivated in
New Mexico is about two hundred and
fifty square miles. Vacant land, suscep-
tible of cultivation (not including the i'm
mense tracts occupied by the Moquis,
Navajoes and other tribes, is estimated at
about five hundred square miles. These
seven hundred and fifty square miles cul-
tivated as usual here, would no doubt sup
port population more than twice as large
as the present.
Probably not more than one-third of
the bottom land in the valley of the Rio
Grande susceptible of cultivation, is under
irrigation. Besides this, there are innu-
merable fertile spots in the vicinity of
springs and among the mountains capable
of good production. Passing through the
Carnuel Canon and San Pedro Pass, I saw
some as fne-looking fields (tenlporales) of
corn and wheat as the most of those in
the valley.
The model, and at the same time, the
largest farm in New Mexico, is that of
Maxwell, the well-known trapper, hunter,
and guide Mr.. Maxwell cultivates 5000
acres, and employs some five hundred hands
On the ten miles square which his prop
erty embraces, he is said n have upward
of 1000 horses, 10000 cattle, and 10000
sheep. Among his cattle and horses are
some fine specimens of imported blooded
stock. His ranch is situated on the CT
marron River, small stream in the north
ern part of the Territory.
Irrigation is effected BY damming the
streams, and throwing the water into first
large, and then smaller bitches (aceguias)
intersecting and running through all the
land under cultivation. Under the Span
ish government, grantees with large grants
were obliged to take good proportion of
ten,porales (that is, land dependent upon
the seasons and rain for water) along with
the acres susceptible of irrigation.
Inhabitants of villages usually locate
their lands, as nearly as possible, together,
so as to enjoy the advantage of the COM
mon labor on the acequias.
No engineering science is used in their
construction, and it is marvellous with