Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-07-26

which necessitates irrigation. The cost
of this artificial application of water is
small, averaging not over So per acre
yearly, for water-right and labor. A
competent authority puts the cost of
labor at less than 81 per acre for six ir-
rigations. This, however, applies to
field crops. Orchards and vineyards re-
quire more care and consequently more
expense.
Taking alfalfa as standard it will re-
quire an expense of about s13 to break,
seed and lay out an acre, while 1t will
take about SIS per acre to pay for irri-
eating, cutting, taxes, water-right, haul
ing to depot and commission on sale.
On the other hand, alfalfa is paying
crop. Four to five cuttings are made per
year, and each cutting averages from
about one to three tons per acre. On
June 8, of this year, at the Alameda ranch
near Las Cruces, the writer viewed a
| PERFECT JUNGLE OF ALFALFA.
1t stood almost up to mans hips,
and laced and inteslaced into such a
tangle that no one could make the pas
sage of the field of nearly 100 acres with
out as much difficulty as would be found
in traversing the same amount of lightly
drifted snow. In the early part of the
season the average price of this product
is $40 per ton, delivered baled ON the
cars. It may, however, be said few farm
ers sell their alfalfa at this price. The
annual average will run about $12 or a
little over per ton. The reason being
that within radius of $50 miles, in the
mines and on the ranges this hay is worth
| 500 to $22 per ton. An acre of good al
falfa land in the Mesilla should not pro-
duce less than five tons, and with good
seeding, watering and care the average
should be nearer ten tons. At the latter
figure this would be a gross return of
$l20 per acre annually. This is not a
general thing, but there are fields that
produce to this amount, and any farmer
of the east, who will devote the same
energy it requires to cultivate his eastern
farm will equal this figure. Alfalfa in the
Mesilla and in fact in all Dona Ana county
is sure and profitable crop; but it must
be carefully watched Intelligence is
what tells in its culture.
CROP VALUES.
recent report of the agricultural de-
partment, executive document No. Al, pt.
!, SD congress, 1st session, page 2l9,
speaking of this county says:
"Alfalfa will bring $50 to the acre.
Wheat and corn are low in average, about
800 to the acre-corn will bring $36.
Grapes at 2 cents pound will net $500
an acre. An acre of 700 vines, averaging
twenty pounds to the vine will, at cents
pound, pay $3.50. The finer varieties,
such as the Muscat and Tokay, will aver
age per year $500 per acre. They have
brought $500 per acre. Alfalfa,
June 30, 1890, was worth $l5 per ton in
the cured bale"
GRAPE CULTURE.
Two years ago Col. Max. Frost, score
tary of the territorial bureau Of immigra-
ton, predicted that "ths Mesilla valley, in
southern New Mexico, is destined to be-
come the fruit garden u the continent
Since then his iudgas-at has been en-
dorsed by Monsieur Pierre Viala, pro-
fessor of vine growing at the national
school of vine growing, France, who was
in the United States studying vine cult
ure. He says: sit really makes me
home-sick to see these vineyards. 1t is a
splendid soil for the purpose. 1t could
hardly be better. Il With such a
climate and soil, this valley (the Mesilla)
can have few rivals In grape culture"
This is praise indeed. 10 mature vine
yard such as these, described by compe-
tent authority to be unrivalled, requires
but three years; and once in full bearing
they may be rented to commission mer-
chants at from $50 to 1920 per an
mum. This however, is bad
practice and should be discouraged. The
rental is spent away from the place of
production and does the county no good.
Besides the leases are short and the mer-
chant controlling them often forces the
vines too much. 1t is reprehensible
practice; and its only virtue is to show
the value Of Mesilla valley vineyard as
an investment. All varieties of the grape
seem to be indigenous to this valley and
county. Judge G. W. Woods, of Las
Cruces, who came to this valley about six
years ago from Ithaca, N. Y, says: "In
May, 1889, placed cuttings of the Gros
Coleman grape on my place, which had
brought from the Isle of Jersey as an
experiment. In the summer of 1891
these cuttings produced sixty pounds of
grapes to the vine, some of them measur-
ing 3A inches in circumference. The
average weight to the bunch was ~
pounds" This variety of grapes has been
widely planted from cuttings furnished
by Judge Woods and all report their ex-
celient qualities. It shows that the grape
is indigenous to the Mesilla.
OTHER FRUITS.
The various other hardy fruits also
reach perfection in Dona Ana county.
Peaches, pears, plums, apricots, ounces,
prunes and above all, except peaches,
the apple aourishes. Major W. H. H.
Llewellyn has a beautiful ranch of thir-
teen acres, including almost all these
fruits. Hon. Martin Lohman, the present
sheriff, has another larger ranch, while
dozens Of others, among whom may be men,
toned Messrs. Spatcier, Schaublin, Bull,
Mrs. Casad and others have fine places,
These orchards are thriving, the vine
yards reach big profits and the whole is
in prosperous condition. The farm
houses alone indicate the highest degree
of comfort. The purpose is to strictly
confine these statements to facts. There
fore only one will be cited, and that
although startling is absolutely incon-
testible. Judge G. W. Woods has most
beautiful, we'll tended orchard. 1t is set