Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-03-02
REClAlMING LANDS.
A Bsnlfit 10 the Farmer, the Fruit
Grower, Stock Raiser and Others.
THE POWER PUMP SCHEME.

Some people in New Mexico may
still he found who are blind to the posi-
tive good that the territory is receiving
from its territorial educational institu'
lions. The Agricultural College at
Mesilla Park is an institution that is
probably more directly in line with
the work of positively benefting the
territory in a practical manner thar
any other of the educational institu'
tions of New Mexico. This is largely
through the practical character of its
work. especially the work of that part
of the college known as the experiment
station.
The experiment station at Mesilla
Park has done much for the people OF
the territory. 1t has shown what
kinds of fruits are best adapted to
certain localities, the high value OF
the irrigating water of the Rio Grande,
the quality of waters from many parts
OF the territory, the high grade oil
sugar beets that can be raised partic-
ularly in the northern part OF the ter
ritory and has demonstrated many
other facts of value to New Mexico.
But probably no line of work has so
materially benefited the territory in so
short a time as the work recently I'M
dertaken by the college in showing the
possibilities of pumping for irrigation.
Throughout the length of the Rio
Grande valley which extends through
a great part of the territory, the one
thing that has delayed the develop
ment of agricultural lines has been a
shortage of water. 1t was generally
recognized that the Rio Grande valley
had not enough available water for
irrigation, but the most optimistic per-
sons had never ventured to suggest
what the college has shown to be true.
In less than a years time the college
has demonstrated in a practical and
forcible name the entire practicable
ity of %iTrigating from wells in the Rio
Grande valley. Day after day it has
been pumping from a siX-inch pipe well
a flow of water varying with the kind
of pump tested, from $50 to 1,200 gal
Ions a minute. This flow has been
pumped from this well continuously
without the slightest sign of any fail
ure of the available supply. The col
lege has tested eight different pumps
secured from all parts of the United
States, and the most complete and re
liable data have been recorded in each
case.
Briefly. the substance of what has
been done is as follows: For the frs
time in the history of the territory tn
practicability of pumping for irriga
tion at a low enough cost to be of us
to the farmer has been demonstrate
undeniably. Lands can lie irrigated b.
machinery similar to that used by tn
college at a cost of from so to 70 cent.
per acre for an irrigation three inches
deep. These figures are based upol
short runs which are not as econom
ical as long runs, and upon using small
tornillo wood as fuel, costing 1925 pc
cord. 1t is entirely probable that b,
using more economical plants the cos
can be reduced to below these figures
All the leading types of pumps hay,
been so compared and tested that tn
citizens of the territory interested il
this question car procure from the col
lege information which it would cos
them hundreds of dollars to find on
by experience.
: 1t is difficult to estimate fairly tn
good the territory has received iron
this one line of work which the colleg
has undertaken. 1t Ear the way /
now open for a higher development o
the whole Rio Grande valley along BET
ter lines than ever before. 1t mean
that the cry of mo water is a val.
and hollow one and that when the rive
fails to give its supply, the farmer ca
call upon the inexhaustible supply be
low the ground with the assurance tina
he can use il on his land at a small
cost and one that will repay him tive
or three times. Ii means more to the
territory than a be understood
through the increased and unlimited
possibilities OF the fertile lands of the
Rio Grande valley. This question o.
pumping for Irrigation is only one o
a number that the college at Mesilli
Park has been quietly and PERSISTENT,
carrying out. Ii illustrates in a fore
BILE manner, however, what the colleg
Is doing for the territory, not in on
locality nor in n county, but as
whole, Surely an institution that ha
been and is doing good for the farmer
cattlemen, sheepmen, fruit grower
and others, all through the territor
deserves the strong support of the te
ritory by means of the necessary a
preparations which the legislatu
should give to the institution al
without which its work will be We
seriously crippled and hampered.
The best pill meath the stars a
stripes;
1t cleanses the system and new