Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-10-07
ADDITIONS
ARE MADE
Boundaries of Lincoln Forest Re.
serve Are Considerably
Changed.
PROTECT The WATER
Purpose Of Extension to Conserve
Molsture...Land Set Aside In Roose.
welt County for Same Reason.

Washington, Oct. THE bounda-
ries of the Lincoln forest reserve, New
Mexico, have been considerably
changed by proclamation issued by
the President yesterday, eliminating
certain treeless areas from the re-
serve and including two additional
tracts. The eliminations exclude an
irregular strip of 130,560 acres ex-
tending the entire length of the re-
serve on the west, and 24,32O acres
lying on the northern boundary, In
townships Z south, ranges IA, Is and
l6 east, both of which are bare prac-
tically showing nothing but grass
and sage.
AS a result of the elimination on
the western boundary small tract In
the extreme southwestern corner of
the reserve is now detached from the
main body of the reserved lands. 1t,
however, still constitutes a part of
the reserve.
The additions consist of a tract of
4o,4O0 acres, embracing the eastern
end of the Captain Mountains and
larger tract containing 154,300 acres,
lying directly north of the Mescalero
Apache Indian Reservation and ad-
joining the forest reserve on its east
ern boundary.
The chief object in extending the
reserve over this additional area in
the region between the Sierra Blanca
and Captain Mountains is to protect
the forest cover at the sources of the
principal feeders of the Hondo River,
rising In this region. The success of
the Hondo Reservoir project, which Is
now In progress under the reclama-
ton service, and which is Of import
ance to the Pecos Valley. depends
upon the conservation of these head
waters. Regulation Of their flow Is
also essential to prevent sitting, which
constitutes most serious obstacle In
connection with the storage of waters
in that region.
In addition to this main purpose to
be served by the extension of the re-
serve, the protection of these lands
will result in greatly benefiting min
ing interests in that locality by In
suring controlled use of timber, which
will preserve permanent supply for
local use. 1t will also be the policy of
the government to allow the fullest
utilization of forage products possible.
Should any reduction in the number
of stock now using these lands be
found necessary In future, to prevent
over grazing of the range. the num-
ber allowed will be gradually reduced
until the proper limit is reached. Any
change that may be found necessary
will be effected as gradually as possi.
BILE and every effort will be made to
protect and further the interests OF
stockmen.
The government has recently under
taken the work of establishing timber
on a portion of the Staked Plains ex-
tending across the Texas state line In
to eastern New Mexico. For this pur
pose the forest reserve has been pro-
claimed in the Santa Hill district of
Roosevelt County, New Mexico, just
north of the town of Portales. The
reserve consists of a narrow strip of
land containing $4,000 acres extend
ing 36 miles west from the Texas line.
The sandy nature Of the soil In this
region causes all moisture that falls
to enter the ground, the only run-off
being the underfow, for which reason
the Portales Valley, lying south OF
the reserve, must depend In future
largely upon irrigation from wells.
Any measure therefore which will con-
serve the moisture in this semi-arid
region is Of vital Importance to the
people of Portales and vicinity. Es-
tablishment of tree growth on this
tract will do much toward accomplish
ing this purpose, as 1t has been found
that whenever ground water Is as near
as Is feet to the surface both the cot.
tonwood and Carolina poplar will grow
with rapidity. The reserve will also
produce timber supplies for fuel and
fence posts, in addition to serving as
a protection from winds, which Is
greatly needed on the Staked Plains.
AS the population in the Portales Val.
ley already numbers nearly 1000 fami-
lies, the demand for timber supplies
in that locality Is great These works
of tree planting accordingly meet with
general approval.