The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-08-20
A RANCH IN THE CLOUDS,
THE LOFTY HOME OF AN ApvEN-
TURoUS PIONEER.
Raising Crops at an Altitude OF 10
900 Feet in New Mexico-Trans-
portation by Burros,

At the head waters Of the north branch
of the Rio Gallinas, eighteen or twenty
miles above the Las Vegas Hot Springs,
Mr.. E. II. Harvey, a former Boston
merchant, several years ago located his
ranch at an elevation the most ambitious
perhaps of any farm on the continent.
Coming to New Mexico originally for
his health, Mr.. Harvey, after examining
the conditions of the cattle and sheep
business on the open plains, and those Of
agriculture in the lower valleys-in
which an elaborate system of irrigation
is equired-decided to make his home
in the mountains. In high valley
near the massive precipitous mountain
known as Hermit Rock he laid the sills
of his cabin amid the evergreen and pop
lar trees, took up under the homestead
law tract of Government land, and set
to work to improve it.
This ranch is peculiarly isolated, the
only other houses in a wide region about
being one or two deserted prospectors'
cabins aud the works of an abandoned
mica mine. Near the foot of the mount
aims the wagon trail leading from the set
Elements comes to an end, and beyond
that point bride trail is the only path
to the home Of this adventurous pioneer
from Boston. Here, literally among the
clouds, he has made the wilderness to
blossom as the rose. Part of his tillabe
and hay lands was open grassy park at
the time of his coming, and the remain.
der he has cleared by cutting down and
burning the trees. The range Of pasture
for his stock includes all accessible graz
ing spaces up and down the valley.
At this high altitude of 10000 feet,
only 500 feet below ''timber line," the
climate differs widely from that of the
plains. Through the summer, during
times, it may be, when the plains below
are parched with drought, there are fire.
quent showers and often long continued
rains in the mountains, and after clear
nights the vegetation at sunrise is drip
ping with heavy dew. Unde these IA
vorable conditions no artificial irrigation
is required, and with the abundant
moisture the grass grows thick and
high, spangled with innumerable flow
ers of great beauty and variety, and there
are found many specimens of tree and
plant life usually associated with far
more northerly latitudes. The altitude
of the ranch is too great for the success
full raising of copp but nearly every other
agricultural product of the Northern
States flourishes. Grain and vegetables,
including potatoes, grow abuudantly and
rapidly, are of fine quality, and attain
great size. Timothy grass four feet, and
oat stalks six feet high are not uncom-
mon specimens of the productive capa-
city of this ranch.
The luxuriant growth of forage, and
the circumstances attending the trans
portation of farm products to market,
have tended to make the dairy the chief
feature of this upland ranch, Mr.. Har-
veys herd of COWS give profitable re-
turn for his care and labor. The swift
current of a mountain rill turns water
wheel connected with the revolving pad
dledashers of cylindrical churn in
which is made the butter that on stated
days goes on the backs of pack animals
to the market at Las Vegas.
There is but one way by which to trans
port freight between the ranch and the
town, by ''packing," which is effected by
means Of trains of burros (donkeys).
With the garden and dairy products to
be carried to Las Vegas, or of 'store
goods to take to his home, packed in
hampers, the owner starts the procession
of pack animals in single file along the
mountain path, and himself brings up
the rear on his sure-footed pony, to
quicken the pace of the stragglers and
watch that none of the burdens shift
awry. Bulky articles, as trunks, furni-
ture, or farming implements, are loaded
upon frame like a litter, suspended be.
tween two burros placed tandem, and in
this fashion are carried by the steady,
docile little animals over the windings of
the mountain trails, up and down steep
hill-sides, and across rushing torrents to
their destination.
The house is a rude but comfortable
structure, with wide open fireplace, in
which the fire of hickory wood or pitch
pine crackles cheerfully in the winter
time, and on summer evenings as well,
for at these mountain heights the night
air is at all times cool, and often
chilly. Rich milk, vegetables fresh and
crisp, the tenderest and juiciest of
beef and mutton--all raised upon the
place-are features of the r0nch fare and
with the hunger that the mountain air
imparts, the appetizing effect of, the re-
past is enhanced by its plain and homely
service. The larder is helped out
accordingly, as the season and hunters
luck may favor, by venison, bear meat,
wild turkey, mountain grouse and quail,
and by the delicious black-spotted trout
of the Rio Gallinas.
Owing to the limited range Of pastur-
age, sheep-raising on the large scale
praetised in the wider parks and plains
is impracticable, and in places like Mr..
Harvey's sheep and goats are usually
kept only in sufficient number TO serve
as a source Of food supply for the ranch;
the moist, sweet, tender grass gives the
flesh of these animals a peculiarly fine
quality, comparable TO that of English
sheep on their native sod. The grass is
good at all seasons, but becomes accessi-
BILE only as the heavy SHOWS Of winter
recede on the mountain sides with the
approach of summer. In these sylvan
ranches in the uplands an interesting
element of danger and uncertainty at