The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-04-25
GROWING FLOWERS IN
THE PEcos VALLEY.

4C~klAS W14LtC4 u
Earth have a tendency to give stran-
gers the impression that we are an
intensely practical people. This is true
TO a marked degree. The people who
come to the Pecos Valley come be
cause of the climate OF of the wond-
erful stories they hear of the large
money returns from gardening, alfal.
ia. fruit, or stock raising. They too
and try to Fill their Golfers" 1t is in
deed a land of push and hustle. But
there is also the aesthetic side to the
life we live here. Let me say at the
beginning hat this part is not left
solely to the women, eiter. Nearly
every field of alfalfa mas its border
of trees, making, as some man among
us remarked, the frame for the pic
ture." These trees were set by the
men,, and the idea was a mans idea.
True, this custom is one of practical
Utility also-tne trees are 1t first set
thickly, and after a few years are
idea was for beauty, and rarely will
o find the ranchma1 VINO will u
trees where their lack would spoil
the effect. Every year sees a larger
planting OF trees on farms and on
streets. Many new varieties are being
tested yearly, in nearly every case
with satisfactory result. 1t was more
particularly of success with the pure
ly ornamental shrubs, vines, flowers
and the like, 1 started out to tell.
When we came to the iPecos Valley
almost years ago, the improv-
ed yards even in the now city of
Roswell could, l think l am safe in
saying, have been counted on your
at other points in the Valley, many
trees and several yards of Bermuda
grass. Most of these were left to care
for themselves, however. There was,
so far as | Ear recall, but one lawn
of bluegrass. Soon, there was a gen
eral awakening to the value of beau
ty-these few beautiful yards proved
worthy object lessons. The lawns al
ready planted to grass and uncared
for, began to feel and show the eff
fects of the lawn-mower. New lawns
were planted, and roses, vines and
shrubbery were shipped in in large
quantities. | remember one yard that
was freed of salt grass by mean of
a grab-aX il the hands of a very
small boy and girl; the yard was plan
ted to Bermuda, set with trees and
cared for exclusively by these chill
dren-this by way of showing the in
tense interest felt in the matter of
identifying. 1t would keep busy
the Pecos Valley. The lolg-accepted
theory that one had ito sit up nights"
to grow bluegrass is now entirely our
of date.
There are some flowers that are
difficult to grow here-fuschias, bego-
Mas, and things of that class, requir-
ing moist air. One hardly misses
them, however, there is such a wealth
of others. 1t is hard not to succeed
with the sun-loving classes. Vines of
nearly all kinds grow rapidly and
rankly. The green is of a peculiarly
vivid tint. The Virginia creeper we
planted by a new arbor last year
grew a good i feet from the cutting.
One Crimson Rambler rose threw up
a cane from the root abou II feet
while a Marechal Neil and a
Climbing Kaiserile put up a large
of canes z and 8 feet nigh,
and bloomed till late frost. Others of
the old hardy class do well, and ma
ny tender varieties prove hardy with
us. A Carolina yellow Jessamine in
a southeast corner failed to drop its
leaves last winter; honeysuckles re-
tain their foliage all winter as a rule.
The clematis, wisteria, madeira, and
Boston ivy flourish, and all annual
vines grow rampant. The tea rose |
anna, gladiolus, dahlia and verbena
can safely remain out over winter.
Bulbs, yioletS, ald ven pansies do
we'll. The Rubeckia (golden glow,
Gamma, dahlia, cosmos, zinnia and YER
bena are especially successful, fairly
in the abundance of sun,
rich soil, and water we can furnish
hem. ! have rarely cen more pro-
ific boomers taan some dahlias
on a farm between Hager-
nan and Greenfield last summer.
More Interest is taken in the rose,
than n any other n flow
ar. The old-fashioned annual roses
grown into great thickets on
arms where they nave pee left un-
The American Beauty is
argely planted. All ever-bloomers
good growth the first year. One
at Artesia, about 20 miles
of here, has just finished set
ing out an avenue in roses for the
engtn Of . mile. Around here many
lew paintings have been made this
We hear maqy remarks in
eastern states about the una
-orned and barren West" but l have
flowers at three different