Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-07-22
A MINIMUM
OF WATER
H. W. Campbell Tells Of Method
to Raise Crops in Arid West
Without Irrigation.
VISITS ESTANCIA PLAIN
An Interesting Interview With Man
Of Ideas and Who Has Achieved
Results.

Soil culture, or the question of sol
physics, has occupied the attention o
the American farmer since the Puritan
times and with each succeeding yea
new problems arise. The solution, tt
a great extent, falls upon those mel
who have made long and genera
study of the situation. H. w. Camp
bell, of Lincoln, Nebraska, who was
at the Claire yesterday and today, an6
who is the editor of Campbell's Sol
Culture, paper devoted to agricultu
raj science on the farm, has spent
twenty years in the study of soil phys
les and the growing of crops success.
fully in the semi-arid belt. The object
of Mr.. Campbells visit to this part OF
the country is in the interest of the
Santa F'e Railway for the purpose OF
looking over the eastern part OF the
territory, and also in conjunction with
w. D. Lee, general manager OF the
Santa Fe Central Railway, to visit
the Estancia Plain with the hope OF
ascertaining whether it was possible
to raise crops there without irriga-
ton.
Conclusions are Indefinite.
Mr.. Campbell said that, after look
ing over the Estancia valley, he found
his conclusions somewhat indefinite,
because he did not know the average
rainfall The soil formation was found
to be perfect for successful work. With
a rainfall equal to that of Santa Fe,
which is an average of fourteen inches
per annum, there is little question but
that successful orchard growing and
that of small grain may be carried on
to great advantage.
Continuing, Mr.. Campbell said:
''Ten miles south of Colorado Springs,
Colorado, at an altitude of 6,40O feet,
40 bushels of corn per acre have been
grown by scientific cultivation, with
out irrigation. The question of scien-
tific cultivation of the soil is a new one.
When applied to the semi-arid belt 1T is
a subject but little understood today.
For twelve years have given my en-
tire time and attention to experiments
in this belt of country Each year has
developed it's new features, and every
new development, SO far as we are
able to understand them, indicates
even greater possibilities.
Main Principles Involved.
"The main principles involved in our
work applies to crop growing by lrri-
cation, the same as growing crops by
the natural rainfall, as it simply means
the utilization of water. Unquestion-
ably, better crop results can be gained
by the use of one-fourth of the water
commonly used in irrigation when
coupled with the scientific cultivation
of the soil. Coupling our experiments
in eastern Colorado with what we have
observed in New Mexico in the little
time we have spent here, and it is our
opinion that there are great possibili-
ties. We are surprised in driving over
the city of Santa Fe and noting the re-
markably healthful condition of or
chards, when informed that for nearly
fourteen months no rain has fallen.
We note also that practically no cul-
tivation has been applied to those
trees and that the trees are set much
closer together than we would advise
were we to set out orchards. 1t is ap.
parent, that there is something not yet
understood as to the effect of the eli
mate in this locality upon vegetation
or the growing of trees. This conclu-
sion would indicate that far greater
results in the growing of fruit in New
Mexico, or especially in the higher al
titudes similar to Santa Fe, might be
accomplished when the conditions are
better understood.
Will Remain Two Weeks.
81 expect to spend about two weeks
in New. Mexico, taking in in that time
the Pecos valley and tributary country
with the view of forming some idea
as to what extent the area of irrigation
lands may be increased with the pres.
ent available water; also, what portion
of the territory may be successfully
cultivated by scientific treatment and
crops grown or orchards reared with
out irrigation by utilizing the natural
rainfall. The main principles OF oul
plan of operation are the storing OF the
natural rainfall in the soil by a system
of cultivation and the proper stirring
of the soil to the depth Of six or eight
inches, so as to increase its water hold
ing capacity to its highest possible de
gree and to increase the capillary at
traction, by which water is brought
more readily to the feeding roots.
. Success Of Plan.
TO give some idea as to how w
have succeeded in storing rainfall IL
the soil by our plan OF cultivation II
Chase County. Nebraska, during sea
son of rainfall below normal, we &C
complished the seemingly difficult tasl
OF filling the soil with moisture to {