Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-04-09


many extensive vegetable gardens. Cat
tie and other live stock are looking
we'll"
LAND UNDER DITCH.
In reply to question as to the
amount of land in Dona Ana county
under ditch, Mr.. Lohman gave the fol-
lowing approximate. figures: Com
mencing in the northern part, and mov-
ing south, there are about 1000 acres
under the Iona Parde ditch, about 5000
acres under the Colorado ditch, about
5000 acres under the Las Cruces ditch,
about 1000 acres under La Mesilla ditch,
and about 10000 acres under four other
tai under ditch of about $4,000 acres. At
present only about two-thirds of this
land is under cultivation. OF the land
actually under cultivation about one
third is planted to alfalfa, and the re-
naming One-third is devoted to Or
chards. vineyards and vegetable gar
dens. The lands of the county yield an
average of from thirty-five to forty
bushels of wheat per acre. Some claim
to have raised as much as 100 bushels
per acre. The excellence of the wheat
is attested by the fact that the flour
made from it by the roller mills of the
county is equal to the best produced in
the world. The annual wheat crop of
the county in round numbers is about
100000 bushels, of which about $4,000
bushels are made into flour by the six
mills of the county, with a capacity of
290 barrels of flour per day, and the rest
is shipped or used for various purposes
at home. The New Mexican recently
printed very complete and accurate
account of the Touring mills of the
county. So I need not tell you about
Them
ALFALFA.
Replying to queries respecting the al
falfa crop of Dona Ana county, Mr..
Lohman continued: "As l have already
indicated. probably 5000 acres Of our
cultivated lands are planted to alfalfa.
1t thrives well and yields good returns
1t is cut from three to four and some
times as many as five times per season
and the annual yield per acre is from
three and half to five tons, and in ex-
ceptional cases as much as seven tons
per acre are produced in one season
The annual alfalfa crop of the county
is about $500 tons. Part of this is fed
to- stock at home, and the rest is ship
ped to FL Paso, Silver City, Deming
Pinos Altos and other territorial mining
camps. A good deal goes as far as Cal
ifornia. Last year fifty or sixty car
loads of alfalfa We're shipped from Las
Cruces to California. Formerly the
price per ton ranged from 81 to SO, but
of late it has ranged from $12 to SIS pei
ton. Owing to these high prices, 1t has
been found more profitable to ship thc
product than to feed it at home. The
fattening of stock on alfalfa, however
promises to become one Of the impor
tant industries of the county in time.
STOCK INTERESTS.
"In this connection you ask about the
stock interests of the county," contin
ued the merchant miller of Las Cruces
IT cannot give you any figures on thi.
subject. but will say in general term:
! that our cattle interests are importan
and are increasing. Sheep do not flour
ish as we'll in our climate as cattle. ant
hence there are comparatively few il
the county, and these are owned il
small flocks. I know of one man VIII
has flock of from 1000 to 5000 sheep
Several flocks Of goats. including som
high-bred Angoras, are owned in tn
county. Most of the sheep and goat
Craze on the ranges east of Las Cruce
in the Organ mountains.
ORCHARDS.
"The culture Of fruits and all kind
Of vegetables. except potatoes. ha
grown to large proportions, and is stil