Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-12-19

every broad ridge or divide forming
plateau valley of considerable extent. In
these, again, are natural depressions tit
for reservoirs, and which need but slight
work in the way of entertainments. They
may be utilized not only for the pur
poses of irrigation, but for storing water
out ON the cattle ranges. Another ad
vantage is that during flood periods an
these depressions along the stream beds
may be filled. The capacity will range
from 5000 to 10000 cubic feet.
The table lands of Mora are thickly COW
cred with black gramma and blue joint
grass. 1t is said that the latter is grad.
ually prevailing over its neighbor and
covering the plains exclusively. This is
a matter of small moment, however, as
either furnishes an exceptionally. fine
hay. If regularly but scantily irrigated.
that is, if about six or eight inches OF
water is poured over the land in addi-
ton to the rainfall, these grasses thicken
in their growth and turn the land into
heavy, rich meadows. Under such cheap
but artificial pasturage, instead OF lts
recurring twenty acres for the support
of a steer or other animal, not more than
three, and sometimes one acre will suf-
flee.
This irrigated pasture has double
advantage. During the good grass the
stock may be permitted to range at
large; as soon as this wild grass fails
they may be rounded up, driven within
the fence of such pasture, allowed to
accumulate the last possible pound of
beef and then sold at the best possible
market rates.
The prospects of La Cueva valley are
superb, The climate is better than that
of Greeley, Colorado. Greeley annually
makes 100000 profit from it's potato
crop alone. Here the conditions are
much more favorable for this cultivation
than in Greeley. There is one point,
however, that must be remembered, and
that is that potatoes should not be irri-
gated while the plant is in flower and
the apples forming. If water is ap-
piled at this stage the irrigator may be
assured of splendid crop of stalks, but
small potatoes and few to the hill. An
other thing, this region is natural
alfalfa and wheat country. An alfalfa
field makes the best potato ground
known. Ii the three crops named are
alternated so as to run alfalfa three
years, wheat one and potatoes two years
on the same ground, an average profit of
$50 per acre annually may be secured.
The whole $4,000 acres of this valley
may be laid down to the crops named,
interspersed with garden patches and
small orchards. Cabbage, celery and
onions would also yield we'll here. At
Coyote, a little settlement near La
Cueva, berries grow profusely, and there
is no doubt but that they would flourish
throughout this county.
Mora is splendid sheep and cattle
country. According to the tax returns
there are 2,412 horses and mules, 29,27C
cattle and 115,151 sheep in the county
the aggregate value of which is placed
at $416,99l5O. These figures, however
as usual with tax returns, are much be-
low the actual facts. There are at least
twice the number of horses and mules
100000 sheep, proportionately greater
number of cattle.
There is no doubt but that Mora
county in it's entirety is destined to be 9
great agricultural and stock country
Reservoir sites on the mesas, such as the
one at La Cueva, are frequent, and ir
these can be stored, without danger
water to irrigate many small tracts
which in the aggregate will amount tt
thousands of acres.
*.