Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1891-05-16


Average size OF irrigated
farms Of 100 acres, in
acres. I'D II
Average first cost of water
right per acre. TUI 0oo
Average annual cost Of
water Fer acre. w LOO l-04
Average first cost per acre
OF preparing for cul-
tlVatlGn ........-. c.OV LII
Average per cent value or
irrigated land, includ-
ing buildings, ETC., per
acre ..............-.. $500 VO.Jo
Average annual value OK
products per acre.. 1877 lZou
In this table one of the most notice
able facts is the smaller average size OF
farms in New Mexico. and another
is the smaller proportion II the irrigated
land which is in the hands OF few
owners. Deducting the total area OF the
larger farms, viz, those Of 10 acres and
upward, from the total for the territory,
there remain 3,022 farms with an aver
age Of little less than "a acres each.
This shows the small area on which the
greater part Of the farmers depend. The
average annual value OF the products OF
these small farms was s13 per acre, or
S3l2 for a acres; that is TO say, 1912 per
annum constituted the average earnings
of these small farms.
As in Arizona, the average value OF
products per acre is usually less on the
large irrigated farms, but the operation
OF this rule is not always apparent in
New Mexico, owing to the diversity in
the methods of cultivation and in the
habits Of irrigators. AS rule, the aver
age value of products from the lands OF
farmers whose names indicate that they
have migrated from the eastern states is
placed higher than that Of products Of
farms cultivated mainly by Mexicans,
whose holdings are usually Of small size
and who also report the average value OF
their products per acre III very small
figures. The standard Of living varying
so much among the different races in
hsbiting the territory, comparison of
values and products on uniform basis
is difficult and somewhat unsatisfactory.
Both the Mexican and Pueblo Indian
have placed very low estimates on the
cost Of their bitches and the value OF
their products, but on the other hand
the cost Of their subsistence ia proper
tionately small.
The Rio Grande valley, however, has
from the earliest times been the home
OF agriculture by irrigation. The origi
nal Indian inhabitants, and subsequent
~ the Spanish Invaders. took water from
the river and its tributaries, not only in
very much the same manner as that
now prevailing, but even to some ex
tent by the same bitches. There has,
in fact, been comparatively little change
in many localities along this river with
in the memory Of man. The towns are
located at short intervals, wherever the
valley widens out 10 form bottom lands
of an extent sufficient for agricultural
purposes. Each town or group of farms
has its own ditch, and where the popu-
lation is comparatively dense these small
bitches Cross and intermingle In Rppar-
emily the greatest confusion. Owing to
the lack of system there is great loss
Of water, which might often DE avoided
by the construction Of single we'll
built canal in the place Of the many
poorly constructed bitches.
The water is diverted from the river
by means OF temporary dams, construct
ed of 6oulders and brush. These are
often washed away by floods, and thus
loss of crops has st various times occur
red, not because Of any lack Of water in
the river, but because sudden fresLet
has destroyed the headworks OF the
ditch. Usually only the low est-lylng
land has been irrigated, and from lack Of
drainage this land has in several local.
ties became go saturated with alkaline
salts as to be worthless, resulting in the
abandonment Of farms and even in the
desertion of some small towns. Artiti-
cial drainage therefore is for such local
tiles as necessary as irrigation.
Many Mexican farms are long, narrow
strips, from % to 900 hundred yards
wide by about 1000 yards long, extend
ing from the river up the slope Of the
hill. AS these are divided by inberi.
lance, they are cut lengthwise 30 % to
give each heir q water frontage, the
result being that farms thus dealt with
eventually become absurdly narrow,
in fact, mere strips, Owing to this
inconvenient form OF the tract to be If
riga.ed there is a considerable loss both
Of water and OF time.
These bitches are owned in common
by the farmers OF each community, and
one of the irrigstors is annually elected
to the position Of mayor -domo or super
intendent o. the ditch, his business be-
ing to attend to all necessary repairs,
and particularly TO regulate the distrib-
ution Of water, which is done largely &C
cording TO his judgment.