Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-06-25
SOIL AND WATER IN THE pEcos VALLEY.

SOIL AND WAFER IN IHE PECUS NAIIE1,
Some mistakes, of course, have been
made. Too much water in some instances
has been put upon the land.
There is an enormous advantage in this
region to be found in the presence OF
large deposits OF gypsum and other forms
of lime DEPOSITS, all Of it easily worked
and capable of ready transportation in
quantities sufficient for practical purposes.
There is nothing to fear here, except from
careless farming and too lavish use of
water. very able hCrticultu.ist and
farmer, the famous William Saunders,
superintendent of propagatng grounds at
the Department Of Agriculture, made quite
recently an illustration of the value Of
| irrigation, which will bear repeating at
this point Mr. Saunders said that given
eight, heat, moisture and fertile soil you
would have perfect condition for agri-
cultural success with abundant sunshine
and warm temperature and the power to
control moisture, the farmer could be his
own Providence" In other words he could
manufacture his crops with almost the
same certainty that ne might card, spin
and weave wool into cloth. A little more
care vii. be required in the beginning of
reclamation than might be necessary in
after days, though under cultivation by
irrigation, intelligent care in the use o!
water will always be prime factor OF
success The conditions named by Mr..
Saunders arc all found here. The sun
shines nearly every day in the year; the
productive season continues for not less
than ten months the range of tempera,
ture " hiCh the weather service places at
an annual mean OF 60 degrees, and a
variation of 40 degrees in January and so
degrees in July, possesses steadiness
ample enough 10 secure the best condition.
Averages are often deceitful, even when
more reliable, paradoxlcal as the state
ment may appear. A few days OF fierce
heat such as are at this date delightng
the farmers around Eddy, will make every
one in our party, especially the English !
declare that the average Of sum
mer heat must be nearer 100 degrees than |
so degrees Fab. Yet the weather service ,
is correct
HEAT AND A CLEAR ATMOSPHERE
are all combined here, and the moisture
needed is obtained in abundance from
The irrigation bitches. Mr. Greene's
plows have not been idle over fortnight
since they were first set running in De- |
cember 1890. This fact embraces vol J
lme Of climatic conditions, which can
hardly be rivaled within the arid region
and can not be reached at all outside of
it. The normal precipitation here in
winter is given at from three to five
inches. In summer, or the harvest
at from eight to nine inches
The range is therefore from eleven to
fourteen inches. The elevation Of the
water shed which controls the Pscos,
ranges from 1000 to II 900 feet above the
sea level. The lines of longitude are l04 de-
grees and l05 degrees; those of latitude
are 81 degrees and 80 minutes to 33 de |
grees 80 minutes. All of these points are
OF the greatest importance in connection |
with the occupation and cultivation OF the |
land.
THE PROBLEM OF TRANSPORTATION ALSO
ENTERS THEREIN.
In 1890 Eddy was the center OF region
of 400 square miles in extent without
mile of railroad connection. Through
the center of that region now runs the
Pecos Valley railroad for eighty.nine !
miles, which is soon to be continued for
another ninety north to Roswell. UIt-
mately it will be constructed through the
OF the upper Pecos region to
a junction with the railroad at Las Vegas
Within very short period, COM paratively
speaking, railroad construction will con-
linue the lines that have partly crossed
Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle to
Eddy and thence to Ell Paso on the Rio
Grande. 1t can be predicted almost
positively, that an era of railroad build
ing will soon be upon us. A glance at
the map OF the new southwest will show