Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-08-28
MILLIONS N MELON
GROWING AROUND
LAS CRUCES
SUCCESS OF FIRST SEASON
MEANS LARGE ACREAGE
Oscar Snow, Prominent MeSiI-
Ia Valley Farmer, Here to
Arrange for Valleys Exhibit
at the Exposition.

The success Of this years canta-
Ioupo crop in The Mcsilla valley around
Las Cruces means million Of dollars
of income to the farmers of that
favored valley in the years to come
according to oscar Snow. one of the
best known. farmers in New Mexico,
who came to Albuquerque yesterday
to arrange for the Mesilla Valley ex-
hibit at the irrigation congress and
exposition. Mr.. SHOWS alfalfa farm
at Mesilla Park is well known Wher-
ever agricultural magazines are read
IT has been photographed and written
about for years and has long beer one
Of the finest examples of what pluck
and energy and intelligent effort can
accomplish upon irrigated lands of the
RIO Grandc valley.
Mr.. Snow regrets and he says that
the Mesilla valley people are now re-
grelting that they did not arrange for
their 1877 building at the exposition
since the space has been allotted
them, even though it was doubled yvt-
to-day through Mr. SHOWS efforts. is
far too small for the showing which
it Is desired to make. The valley
expects to send at least two carloads
Of material here for exhibition, the
major portion of which viii be fruits
and truck. Mr.. Snow Will bring an
individual exhibit of alfalfa, and field
crops, principally grain, grown ON his
W farm and which will open the
eyes of some of the visitors from the
rain belt country. lie completed ar
rangencnls yesterday for cold storage
Tor several cases OF pears ana other
perishable fruits which will be ship
pen here green so that they will be in
prime condition for exhibition pur-
poses when the exposition opens.
Although il has been largely ex-
perimental this years cantaloupe crop.
in tho Mesilla valley has been a great
success" said MI. Snow, both from
the experimental standpoint and fl
naneially. We planted only from COO
to 700 acres this season yet we are
now shipping from three TO four ears
of melons a day for which the grow
efs are receiving from $3.50 to $t.T0 7
per crate The shipments VIII reach
lrom five to six cars a day before
the season ends. when / ten YOU
mat the average production is about
200 crates to the mere you can easily
see what kind of "a moncy-maker this
contaIoupe crop Is going to be"
The success of this season means
q very large Increase of the acreage
next season, SO that we are confident
IN expecting that within a few years
The McsilIa valley c%autaloupc crnp
VIII be the same kind of a money
this chop has been in Brawley
ana Rocky Ford. II means, slmpIv.
me establishment of a new industry
~ our valley which means ready non
~ to the farmers so long as the Amer
lean taste for cautaloupe continues,
the Mcsilla valley melon, which
just at the right season to
.ind a ready market. Is the equal in :
lavor 70 the very best product of the ,
better known growing districts.
General conditions in the valley =
very satisfactory Crops Of all q
ends have flourtshcd this season and ;
we are going to make a first class
showing at 'hc exposition although =
space Is limited Had we apprc- !
lated tlc Importance of this exhibit -,
httle earlier we would have had our =
'Nn building here, hut unfortunately y
Nc did not appreciate the magnitude 1
# his exposition until very rccently
$50 We must make the hest of the
The original space allotted %
IS was far too small hut We have
loon allowed sufficient moerasc 10 en-
'hle ms :" place 70 fairly representa-
i've exhibit" I