Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-11-20
WILL RAISE
CANTALOUPES
Mesilla Vail e Y
Farmers See For
tune in Them
auaA MAJ a1P4 ~ 1nAnlll0
LAND VALUES CLIMBING
District Attorney Mark B.
Thompson Predicts Grea!
Future for That Section.

FuIufC IOT nat CCCtlOu.
Mark B. Thompson, district attor-
ney for Dona Ana, Otero and Lincoln
counties, with residence at Las Cru
ces, has been visitor in the Capital
several days. Mr.. Thompson formerly
lived in this city and took advantage
OF the opportunity to renew his ac-
quaintances here while on his return
home from business trip to Chicago.
He is a firm believer in the future
of the Mesilla Valley and never loses
an opportunity to boost for that Sec
ton. In an interview with a New
Mexican representative he said:
1.-The Mesilla valley has for the past
few months been enjoying an unparal-
leled career of prosperity, the substan-
tial people of the middle west are
coming to know the advantages OF
New Mexico soil and climate and this
interest has caused many OF them to
come to see and remain to buy. The,
assurance of an abundant supply OIL
water from the Leesburg diversion
dam in the Dona Ana and Las Cruces
bitches has advanced the prices OF
land in that section very rapidly but
there is no doubt that the ensuing
year will find that section valued at
from two to three times the market
value at this time. A large and iRflu-
ential eastern cantaloupe firm with
their associations of farmers in Cali
fornia and the Rocky Ford regions
and with markets in Chicago, Pitts
burg and New York, have, after care
full study of conditions determined up
on the erection OF shipping sheds and
cooling stations at Las Cruces where
the product CT the cantaloupe farm
ers will be handled and shipped direct
to their eastern markets, The Mesilla
valley cantaloupe ripens at time pc
tween the California and the Rocky
Ford product and this fact guarantees
good price for all that can be raised
and the supervision of experts over
the planting, picking and packing OF
this lucious fruit will induce those un-
acquainted with this particular branch
Of agriculture to engage in and make
a success Of 1t.
To Engage in cantaloupe Raising on
Larue Scale.
Games F. Sattley, through whose Ell
forts this association was formed, re-
Gently stated that between three and
five hundred acres had been signed uT
and would be producing during the
coming year. Mr.. Sattley is the agen
for the shipping company and will
himself, be large producer. The ex
perts, after careful consideration o
labor and other incidents to produc
) ton have placed conservative est
mate Of profits at one hundred AMI
fifty dollars an acre, net. The acreage
Of the individual producer will PROF
able be small and this will naturall.
serve to materially increase the popt
lation in this section. With land II
cnataloupe producing sections selling
at six hundred dollars an acre tn
present prices in the valley seem rid
culously low and the inevitable sue
ces Of this proposition will cause
sudden advance in values.
"The cantaloupe is but one OF tn
many products that are being raise
with marked success and remarkabl
profit in the valley and with the al
OF the Agricultural College to sciel
tiflc farming the full productive cap;
.ity will be reached and this capacit
ID unsurpassed in any section OF tn
United States. Fifty-four thousan
pounds Of onions to the acre seems a
most unbelievable but we only as
the presence Of the skeptic to max
y Of him true believer.
Transportation Facilities Are Perfet
aOur transportation facilities a.
,erfect. Ell Paso, lying at the fot
OF the valley is the center from whic
ten lines Of railroads radiate in q
directions of the compass and whe
the full capacity Of the irrigable lar
under the Elephant Butte dam
reached the market at our door W
use all that can be produced and u
freight rates. the nightmare Of u
western shipper, will serve to maj
more valuable the products q our SO
Mining operations In the Orgi
and San Andreas, Immediately trih
tary to the Mesilla valley, are ve
active at the present time and sever
sales Of producing properties ma
lately been made to parties that "
continue with renewed energy :
development Of this district. ~
machinery and appliances are C
stantly being installed and the maj
ity Of the developed properties q
now profitable producers and 50
pers. "A new smelter is projected
ss # fcontinued on PAGE Eighty