The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1908-02-20
SEED A CENTURY OLD.

As a result of the thoroughly svs
tematic and pains-taking work of the
Archaeological Institute of America, {
widespread interest-both popular an(
scientifc-has been aroused in the his
toric and prehistoric ruins scattered
over a considerable area Of the south
western portion of the United States
During the past summer several well
equipped expeditions, under the direc
ton of this society. were in the feld
making an exhaustive scientific study
of some of the cliff dwelling ruins OF
southwestern Colorado and the ave
dwellings and communal buildings OF
southwestern Utah and northern New
Mexico.
One group not visited this season,
but which will be thoroughly explored
next year, is what is known as the
"Aztec' ruins in Old Mexico, thirty
five miles south of Durango, Colo, on
the Denver & Rio Grande railroad.
The ruins are less than two miles from
the tracks and in plain view from pass
ing trains
The partially demolished structures
afford convincing proof that at one
time they must have housed a popula-
tion of many thousand people. The
one building with its hundreds of
rooms was from six to eight stories
in height. In addition, the ruins OF
many smaller buildings are seatt ered
over the surrounding country for a
number of miles.
The jewellers in these buildings we're
an agricultural people, as is evidenced
by the finding of corn, both shelled
and on the cob, in vessels of pottery
and stone in the building. Although
such finds have been of frequent oc.
eurrence. in each instance a few
grains were all that could be gath
cred, and it was taken for granted
that the seed organism was devoid of
vitality. However, in the fall of 1906.
Lewis Smith, a Durango photographer,
having farming proclivities, while
digging in that vicinity, came upon a
huge earthen receptacle tightly Nv
cred He had visions of buried treas
ure and opened the jar, only to find
it filed with shelled corn. He sup
posed at first that the blackness Of
the kernels was due to the centuries
during which it had lain in the ground
Theoretically sealed in the big jar, but
upon examination found that the germ
of life still existed.
There was enough of corn in the jar
to plant an acre of ground, and, al
though skeptical as to results, Smith
sowed it early in the spring. 1t cam,
up and fourished, and late last fail
he harvested a crop of the heaviest
ever secured in Durango, the ears
being of mammoth size. The corn is
of a variey unknown to modem
farmers. Its kernels are a coal black,
the ears much larger than the ordinary
kind, and the yield tremendous. The
remarkable crop has excited the inter
est of farmers, who have applied by the
score for a supply for this years plant
ing.
As further proof that farming was
extensively pursued by these early IN
aabitants, there can be traced The
remains of irrigation bitches. That
they were skilled in the art of build
ing rs shown by their six and seven
story houses, constructed of stone and
mortar, with fitted logs ard beams.
The stone for their buildings was
brought from a quarry several miles
west of their town, and the we'll
marked remains of the broad noun
tam road over which they hauled The
material may be plainly seen from the
railroad a few miles away.