Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-12-19
MESILLA VALLEY.
Editor Barker, of the Southwestern Farm
and Orchard, Writes of Its
Possibilities.

Long before New Mexico was opened
up b. the railroads the Mesila valley was
cultivated by the native Mexicans and the
valley was known as the garden spot of
New Mexico. This reputation was due
not only to the wonderful fertility of its
soil and the abundant crops of grain
raised, but to the fact that it was the first
spot in New Mexico upon which the fam
GUS Mission grapes and other fruits were
raised.
That comparatively little progress has
been made during recent years in settling
up the valley IS entirely attributable to
the frequent short supply OF water in the
Rio Grande river, and the present defect
i've system of irrigation. This defect,
however, will very shortly be remedied
by the Rio Grande Irrigation & Land
Company. strong English COMPANY re.
Gently formed in London, which will
commence work in few weeks, the nee
essary funds having already been sub
scribed.
The capital of the company consists of
81 900. 900 in ordinary shares; $500 900 in
8 per cent preference shares and $500, 1000
In per cent debentures. All the above
stock has been allotted except $500,0OO of
the ordinary shares and S250,O00 of de-
bentures, which remain in the treasury.
The directors in London are: COL w.
J. Engledue, Earl of Winchelsea; Lord
Clanmorris. Lord Ernest w. Hamilton,
Robert j. Price, M. P; DR.. Nathan G.
Boyd and R. Chetham- Strobe.
The local directors are: Hon. w. T.
Thornton, governor of New Mexico; Ed.
win G. Roberts, Ell Paso, Texas Joshua
). Reynolds, president of First National
Bank, Ell Paso, Texas; DR.. John NJ. Yair,
Mesila Valley, New Mexico; Henry D.
Bowman, banker, Las Cruces, New Mex
leo; Engineer, John L. Campbell, Ell
Paso, Texas.
The reservoir is to be built at Elephant
Butte, a point on the Rio Grande. east of
Engle. The dam will be built of I'M
coursed rubble masonry, laid in cement,
ninety.six feet high, aud will form lake
capable Of holding 100 ,000, 900 cubic feet
OF water, or sufficient to cover 100000
acres of land with twelve inches of water.
The cost is estimated at 1862 900.
Distributing canals, which it is est.
mated will cost 1868, 900, will be run on
both sides of the valley of the river as far
down as Fort Quitman. Texas. In this
valley some $4,000 acres or more are al
ready under cultivation, and it is estimat-
ed that the new canals will bring under
irrigation 10000 acres more OF valley
lands and 100000 acres of mesa or table
lands.
All this land is the finest farm aud fruit
land in the United States and it is impos-
sible to overestimate the immense boon
that the new canal and reservoir will be
to the residents and land owners in the
Mesilla valley.
The first question asked will naturally
be, "Whst crops will grow best here?"
To begin with, wheat, barley, corn and
all the grain crops can he raised to per-
lection, and with plentiful supply of
water it is quite easy to raise first class
crop of corn after wheat, on the same land
and in the same year.
For the small farmer believe the great
future for farming in The Mesills valley
will consist of raising hogs on alfalfa.
This seems to be the natural home OF
the alfalfa, and even with the present i'm
perfect system of irrigation an acre will
yield three cuttings in the year. the aver
age annual yield per acre will be three
and one.half tons of hay. An acre of al
faIfa on pasture will raise ten to fifteen
hogs during the season from March to Oc-