Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-11-16
NEW MExlC0'S LIFE ZONES.
after all.

College at Mesilla Park, in recent bull
letin gives ont some facts concerning
life Zones" and the products best
adapted to the different elevations. The
professor divides the zones as follows:
The first is the treeless region above
timber line; the second is the one of
block timber, which in this territory ex-
tends from level of 10000 feet to tim
Der line. This is the zone of heavy for
est growth. The Pecos river rises within
it's limits, to which fact its continuous
flow is in measure attributed. The
Mid-Alpine zone comes next. 1t lies at
an elevation of from 5000 to 10000 feet
above the sea. In this area cereals can
be cultivated, but not fruit trees, except
some of the more hardy kinds. The next
zone lies at an altitude of about 1000
feet. 1t includes the town of Santa Fe.
In it fruit trees do we'll, but not the sweet
potato or the Mission grape. This is
called the Transition zone. Below 1T Lies
the Upper Sonoran zone. This includes
Albuquerque ana the Mesila valley
Sweet potatoes. and Mission grapes do
well there, and figs may be grown as
curiosities, but not for commercial pur-
poses. Some varieties of cotton also
may be grown. There is no true Lower
Sonoran zone In New Mexico. 1t is
tropical in character.
There is practical value il knowledge
of the areas of life zones, in this that
man who knows the zone to which GER
tain crop of limited area belongs can
Judge whether it would be profitable to
attempt Its cultivation in particular
locality. He is supposed to know thu
zone of that locality by what may have
already been ascertained concerning its
animal and vegetable life But to ex-
general way would be misleading, if
caution we're not given that there are ex
captions to the general rule, dependent
upon local conditions.
Professor Cockerel remarks that in
scots are especially valuable for defining
life zones. But this does not apply to
all species, for some have an almost world |
wide range. He says: "The reason why |
insects often afford good index to |
minute differences of environment is
simple one. They are, in their way, won
derfully developed, and, perhaps more
than any other organisms, precisely
adapted to complex environment. Thus,
while plant may grow in several differ
emit kinds of soil, and secure CROSS fertili
cation by different insects in differen,
localities, insects are very often depend
snt on set of conditions, as to food,
moisture, parasites, ETC., so complicated
that we can rarely arrive at an adequa
understanding of them"
The "subtler minutiae determinable
from the study Of insect distribution" is
ot value in horticulture, because the pres
'nce of insects directly affects horticuI-
iure. Peaches, says Professor Cockerel.
san be grown in New Mexico at attitudes
where the peach beetle does not occur to
iroubls them. Pears can be grown wher.
he San Jose scale does not exist. H,
says also that grapes in the territory art
'ingularly free from insects and fungus
pests.
Que of the N ost interesting parts of the
bulletins issued from the college are those
which speak upon the various fauna
The professor says that it is probabl,
that each valley ia the territory has
peculiar bee fauna. OF 100 species OF
bees found in the Mesilla valley over l0U
are new. Bees collected at points only
ew hours journey from the Mesilla val
~ differ widely from those found in tn.
'alley. He remarks that tame bees of til.
aesilla valley come out long before wilo
'pecies appear, and that the same is tru,
If cultivated fruit trees in respect to theil
line of blossoming compared with vii,
pecies. A result of this is that earl,
ruit trees are dependent upon tame bee.
or whatever they may require in CROSS
civilization.
Professor Oockerel has evidently given
he subject much careful study, and tn,
given by him on the subjec
will prove of value to agriculturists ano
lorticulturists throughout New Mexico