Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-05-27
MORE new MEXICO
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
8 y
A Description of the Irrigation and Agri-
cultural Methods of the Pueblo Indians
and Of the Jioarilla Apaches on
their Reservation.
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT THE
IRRIGATION SYSTEMS or THE TERRITORY

New Mexico recently issued, gives
&, following additional facts and figui
about agriculture in New Mexico:
If the value of the hay and gra
raised on any farm exceeds that of Of
other crop and constitutes at least
|per cent of the total value of produc
not fed to livestock, the farm is class
i. fled as may and grain" farm. If We
etables are the leading crop, constitu
ing 40 per cent of the value of the pr
ducts, it is a vegetable farm. II
farms of the other groups are classic,
in accordance with the same principl
Miscellaneous farms are those who
operators do not derive 40 per cent
their income from any one class of pre-
ducts Farms with no income in is!
are classified according to the agricu
tural operations upon other farms /
the same locality.
For several classes of farms the av
erage values per acre of products nc
fed to livestock are as follows: Farm
whose operators derived their princi
pal income from flowers and plants
$4,4S1.S2; nursery products, 1874
fruit, $3.50; vegetables, $685. hay ant
grain, $40; dairy produce, SLIGO; live
stock, $1.65; sugar, $1.54: and miscella
neous products, $1.O3.
In computing these averages the tota
area of the farms of each group is used
and not the acreage devoted to the croI
from which the principal income is de,
rived
The wide variations shown in the av.
erage gross income and in percentage OF
gross income upon investment, are due
largely to the fact that in computing
income no deduction is made for ex-
penses. For florists establishments,
nurseries, and market gardens, the av-
erage expenditures for such items as
labor and fertilizers represent a far
larger percentage of the gross income
than in the case Of hay and grain,
livestock, or miscellaneous farms.
The first report of sorghum grown for
sirup making was obtained in 1850.
From that date until 1890, the produce
tion fluctuated widely, the quantity of
sirup made in the latter year being
3, 15O gallons. In 1900 but 1899 gallons
were reported, decrease of over 80 per
cent for the decade.
Flowers and plants were grown In
1899 by 8 farmers. OF this number 4
derived their principal income from
The sale of floral products, having a
capital of $4,000 invested in land and
and securing in 1899 products
,alued at $500. They used 22,99O
square feet of glass surface.
While II farmers reported nursery
stock, but one derived over 40 per cent
# his income from the sale of nursery
PRODUCTS, his receipts in 1899 from 81
lcres having been $4,34S.
The total expenditure for labor on
arms in 1899, including the value of
,oard furnished, was $1,951, ,110, an aver
.ge Of $15S per farm. The average was
highest on the most intensely cultivated
arms and on the large cattle ranges.
laving been $1,000 for nurseries, 1884
or livestock FARMS 5000 for florists es-
$12O for fruit farms, $9S
or vegetable farms, $S5 for sugar
arms, $52 for dairy farms, and SAB for
ay and grain farms. Managers ex-
ended on an average $1,4S9; part own
rs $4O6; owners $96; cash tenants 800; |
wners and tenants sS7; and share ten
nts $32. White farmers expended s179
er farm and colored farmers So.
Fertilizers purchased In 1899 cost |
1900, an average Of less than 25 cents |
er farm. The average expenditure |
'as greatest for nurseries, amounting |
) $3.50. For florists, establishments the /
verage was SIS, and for fruit farms So.
INDIAN RESERVATIONS.
The New Mexico Indian reserves re-
orting agriculture are the Jicarilla
pache reservation and the 10 pueblos
the Pueblo Indians. The reports Of
lie latter, with the exception of Zuni,
ave been consolidated into one. Zuni,
le largest and most remote Of the
ueblos, is more properly entitled to be
alled reservation, as the tract con-
eyed by the original Spanish grant has
cen many times enlarged within re-
mt years by grants from the United
tates.
The Jicarilla Apache and the Pueblo
present two distinct types of Indian
the first, formerly a
lid, nomadic tribe, has been forced
rough the encroachment of the white
.ce to adopt the ways of civilization
I'd to look to the soil for support; the
cond. possessing a distinct civiliza-
On of it's own, was peaceable, agri-
Iltural people long before the ap-
oach of the Spaniards.
The Jicarilla Apache reservation,
ntaining an area of $50 square miles,
situated in Rio Arriba county in the
treme northern part Of New Mexico.
is chiefly timber and grazing re-
on consisting of low pine hills. me-
s, and small valleys between narrow
mons. 8
The Jicarilla Apache. Of Athapascan
ock, numbered S29 en- June 1, 1900. /
,eir principal occupation is raising II
eep and goats. although a few culti- /
tie small areas Of corn, wheat, or /
IS. with potatoes, or other vegetables. {
d cut large quantities Of wild hay. II
Most of the AZ Indian farmers report I
8, cultivated from to 10 acres Of
ain and vegetables, but their crops in
e census year were practically de-
Dyed by drought. These Indians are 9
~ proficient In making bows and ar q
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