Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-11-30
az, y. L. vandegrlrt)

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The range who visits the Me-
siIa valley Of Ncw MoxIcc can
not fail to be- Impressed by the
Tho irrigated meadows, orchards and
fields contrasted with the %sagc-grown
sands Of the mesas. which Ne above
the canals. thu plain between Is a
.voritabir oasia. The little valley.
wherever cultivated. is assuming the
finished aspect Of the upper Arkansas
VALLEY of Kansas and Colorado, where
by irrigation and intensive farming.
lands have climbed into high values.
Around Rocky Ford, for instance.
values are $500 even $500 per acre,
and the soil there is 30 more fertile
or productive than thnt of Mesiila
Valley. The upper Arkansas Valley
~ broader and longer Of course, than
the Mcsilla. but Il offers no greater
opportunity then the New Mexico val
loy. where not nearly all OF the area
is cultivated and where there is water
enough for all
Tho Lrasburg barrage. which is to
bc a part of the great Elephant Butte
project. has been divertinE water to
the farms the past season, and the
farmtrf are well satisfied There is
room aud water enough below for
more ,.nals. and new settlers in that
emf " the valley win construct them.
ultimately. ii an viii be under the
Elephant Butte project. upon which
the United states Reclamation Ser
vice Is now at work
Next 20 the soil, the most valuable
asset Of tnc people Of Las Cruces and
the Mesil1. Valley IS the Territorial
AEti ultural college Hero the terri
tory and the United states govern
ment are maintaining o 6no Institution
which receives boys and girls from
the eighth grade OF the common
schools and gives them n complete
academic education. They have ir
contemplation. or In course Of con-
structiou. thirteen splendid clitces
which. set in somi-circle on the mesa.
overlooking the valley, VIII make q
beautiful picture IN the landscape
The institution now has more than
three hundred students who are In
structcd by thirty-thrce professors and
teachers.
Keeping pace with Tho growth Of
tho rest of the valley. the city OF Las
Crucos Is adding new business hloclS'
and new dwelling houses, and ncXl
spring win lay mocadam pavement
la the principal streets. CONNECTING
the town with the Agricultural col
llcge. is % broaa boulevard which al
tlmately ylll become a pat of an ia
terstate highway extending from Col
orado STRINGS to El Paso.
1he sllmhFcs valley.
Another attractive little valley O.
southern New Mpxico is the Mimbrc0
over IN Grant and Luna counties Thi0
stream takes rise in the nlaak ranR'
ot Grant county. and flows southeas
trrly through that county into Lun'
county whore. east Of thc busy tow
of Denim its waters sink into thu
ground ana makes possible sub-irriga
ton for @ large area. For seventy
miles in Grant county, cvcn 10 va
most remote h~eadWaters this ltlt''
VALLEY a. cultivated This cultivation
extends into Luna county eastward
until the water disappears In the por.
GUS soil.
The curse of the stream Is wei
defined some miles farther than where
It's waters sink. but II rum water d.
that portion OF It's bed only iu time.
OF Hood Above the sink. the val
HEY, although narrow, contains nnc or
lchards. alfalfa meadows and corn
fields Thompson's orchard la Gran
county this year produced the appI'
rNhthited az the recent Albuquerque
exposition that weighed thirty-uIu.
ounces. The same tree produced Tvs.
tons of fruit Nearby, rorault oi