The San Saba weekly news. (San Saba, Tex.) 18??-1???, 1892-01-15
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
WONDERS ACCOMPLISHED BY
IRRIGATION.
Fertile Fields Have sp ing From the
Deserts-How Alfalfa Improves
sOn-Farm Noes and
So Household Hints.


ANY man IN middle age to-day can
remember the time when it was gener-
ally believed that California and Colo
RADIO would never be able to produce
any thing but silver and gold. and that
all the men engaged in mining in
those states would have to be fed by
other portions of the country; but
California to-day exports more wheat
that any other state in the Union.
while her fruits, fresh and canned. are
known around tho world; and Colo
rad0 is not much behind her older
sistsr on the Pacific; already
she is not only self-sustaining. but
has for shipment abroad a
large annual surplus OF wheat, which
RANKS with the best in the
markets Of the world. while her pota-
toes. which are unsurpassed. now sup
ply the whole southwest And there
is nothing in the natural conditions to
prevent the experience of these two
states from being repeated in New
Mexico. TO the extent at least OF feed
ing her own people; the element of
climate and soil are essentially the
same-the difference. where any ex-
lists being in favor OF New Mexico.
The climate is milder than that OF
Colorado. and as compared with that
OF California is superior IN all essen
tIal respects for the growing OF every
product except the semi-trop:cal fruits
while the power of tho soil is prac-
ticaily unlimited.
The two great states named, when
in condition of nature, were as bar
rem and as unpFoductive as any other
section of what we call the arid
regions, " and all the munificence of
their present producdveness is due en-
tirely to irrigation. If certain por-
tons OF the desert can be thus made
to blossom as the rose, writes n New
Mexican correspondent of the Ohio
Farmer, will not the same means APP
piled to other sections produce the
same resultsp Who, then will assume
10 set limit to the countless millions
OF bushels OF grains and fruits which
a general and intelligent system OF ir-
rigation will some time produce upon
the now barren plains OF the great
southwest or to the sum which such
products will annually add TO the az
gregate wealth of the nation II the
man who causes two blades of grass
10 grow where but one grew before. Is
q public benefactor by what name
shall we characterize a system which
shall cause the food supply OF a ma
ton TO grow upon land on which only
cactus and sage brush have grown be-
forea
As an illustration OF what irrigation
can accomplish for an otherwise bar
ron region, it is only necessary to look
al the valley OF the Rio Grande. For
nearly three centuries this valley has
been known as the garden OF New
Mexico. Long before the first Ameri-
can immigrant set foot upon its soil
this country was celebrated among the
Spanish natives Of the territory for the
fertility OF is lands aud beauty OF its
climate; its luscious fruits and its IN
surpassed vegetables were carried into
all the neighboring districts, while its
genial and sunny climate caused it TO
be sought as a winter resort by the
wealthier classes. who came here in
large numbers from hundreds
of miles around to enjoy the
bright skies and mild atmos-
phsre which here constitute the
rule throughout the winter season.
And the example which was thus set
by our predecessors has been wisely
followed by the Americans, and the
comforts and benefits OF the delightful
winter climate Of this lovely valley
are now known and enjoyed by people
from not only every section of New
but from many portions of the
country abroad who come here to es-
cape the rigors of the winter in the
Eastern states. By such persons the
winter season of this district IS hardly
considered winter at all The sun
shines every day. the air. though |
warm. IS dry and bracing, and the
times when one may not sit out OF
doors, on the sunny side of the house.
are the exceptions and not the rule.
But Of what value would be its equa-
bic climate its cloudless skies and It's
perpetual sunshine if irrigation had 1
not reclaimed the desert and made 1
the erstwhile barren lands of the val
ley to bring forth their abundance? I
All other conditions may be perfect. (
yet without vegetation & country is
not habitable; and hence it is that re-
gions Of the southwest with soil and /
climate surpassed by no division of |
the American continent must remain /
till the genius, the en-
ergy and the progress Of modern times /
shall bring the fructifying waters
which will make here the homes of .
and what is now the arid .
regions will then become the store
house OF the nation.