Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-12-18

WncrC a concern Of the mushroom
species induces purchase of its land
by the allurement of a sugar factory
as part of the plan, such propositions
may usually be viewed with suspicion.
The Maxwell Irrigated Land company
mas written me: 1T is premature
TO do anything on these lines at this
stage, which in my estimation com
mondS their proposition all the more.
This concern controls the Maxwell
Land Grant comprising 5000 acres
of land. which can be- adequately wat
cred by irrigation; in fact. by a sys-
tenn If forty miles of canals and a
train of storage reservoirs, sufficient
water can he brought from the Yer
majO river to water so. 600 acres. The
head of the New Mexico experiment
station, after examining this land anG
its soil, stated at a public meeting that
It was equal to any in the state fo'
apples, and would produce bcets of a
higher percentage Of sugar than any
land elsewhere in New Mexico or in
Colorado. and urged that it be cut
up into small tracts Of five and ten
acres for this purpose. The matter
Of excessive sugar content or these
hccts seems to be a fact, illustrated by
phc analysis of the Maxwell companY's
boets at the Irrigation congress. None
Of these beets were planted before
june Il, consequently were only 81
days old when pulled. The %three-ton
patent dump-fuIl exhibited on the
grounds took first prize for shapeli-
ness and proper size: of the beautiful
NilmOrin shape, with long, tapering
tap root. IN attempting to develop
this tract for the benefit of beet farm
ers, it has all along been the plan Of
the company to form a water com
panN. With every acre of land sold.
d pro alta amount of stock in the wat
er company will be included without
extra charge, SO That when all the
land is sold the purchasers of the land
viii also and control the orga-
niZatiOn governing and controlling the
water system. Beet growers from eth
err sections of the country. realizing
the advantages of this loca}fy. and
being able to purchase several acres
of this land with the price one acre
brought them on selling out are To-
eating on the Maxwell Grant in mum.
bcrs, which speaks well for the i'm,
mediate development of this industry
Speaking of the prospects in a gen
cral way. conditions seem to be almost
ideal in New Mexico for the sugar
beet. The isothcrmal zone of seventy
degrees. or that belt of the initial
states best adapted to the growth Of
sugar bcets. extends east and west
across the country ana embraces that
portion having a mean summer tenn
perature between SO and II degrees
Fahrenheit Entering the northern
boundary it passes through New Mex
leo. where it forms a loop in the eX-
trcmc southern part of the state and
passes upward again and out at the
extreme northwestern part. The en-
tire agricultural part has the proper
climatic condition fer the culture OF
sugar beets. Bects. when fully ma
tured, have shown "A high sugar con
tent. DR.. Wiley. of the United States
department of agriculture. says:
1T is evident that there are many
localities in New Mexico where on
ditions of temperature are most favor-
able to the growth of heets. There
are also large areas Of comparatively
level lands which are capable of irri-
cation. Wherever the temperature of
these regions is sufficiently low to
permit the proper development of the
beet. and where sufficient water for
irrigation can be secured. there is
good reason to believe that the indus
try may be established and prove to
be profitable"
The same scientist and chemist tab
ulates ANALYSES of sugar beets grown
in different states and territories. The
average of sugar content for eleven
states was 12.S, and for New Mexico
17.2. The average purity for the
eleven was so. while that of New Mex
leo was 50. Probably no section in
the west possesses "A climate more
nearly ideal, as regards equability of
temperature and moisture conditions.
The temperature is not Cquablc in the
sense of having a small daily range,
but it possesses the quality of annual
uniformity to a greater degree than
will generally be found except on the
coast. and there the humidity is
great. Clear days average above 1926
per year, while the greatest number of
cloudy days recorded in one year was
twenty-seven. There is no prolonged
pr heavy wind movement. IN account
of the protection afforded by the
Mountains. this being especially true
the Maxw II district, which is shell
by the Ration range and the San
gre de Cristo mountains. Tho easons,
'pring and summer. are long, while
so-called winters are bright, short
dry
While ! regard the possibilities of
Mexico as a sugar-producing
tate to be exceedingly bright. it must
Dc understood that conditions favor
bile for the inception and operation
# the industry. that are entirely with
ng the control Of the individual prop
'Tty holders and farmers, must be inn
,eratively met. in each hopeful local
~ before the realization of beet SUI
.ar making plants can begin to take
Thus. the coming state has a
wonderfully bright future before il for
development of this splendid in
ustry. and it is safe to predict the
rection of several plants in the not
istant future.