The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1908-11-12

growing season hi the absence of
surface water for irrigation, has here
The herder rather than of the small
farmer.
The ~impounding of such water as
can be collected into reservoirs and
the possibilities of developing the un-
~derground flow by means of wind or
other power, together with the adop-
ton of improved cultural methods,
the Introduction of drought-resisting
cereals, plants, and grasses, and the
fact that the greater part of the an
nual precipitation occurs during the
crop-growing season, should make
possible the successful prosecution
of agricultural pursuits over large por
lions of that region in conjunction
with the grazing of sheep and cattle.
Between the broad valley of the
Pecos and the more restricted valley
of the Rio Grande rise detached
groups and isolated peaks of the Ser
ra Blanca, Sacramento, and other
mountain systems extending south
ward with decreasing elevations into
Texas n thence into Mexico.
Some of these peaks reach eleva-
tons of more than 10000 feet, whose
more elevated portions are covered
with valuable forests, while lower
down their sides good p~asturage
abounds and cereals and fruits may
be grown without irrigation.
Climatic characteristics.
The portions of the two tates IN
der discussion are probably more ia
vored as regards uniformity of wealth
er conditions than any other portion
of the United States, except possibly
the immediate coast of southern Cal
ifornia and the Florida peninsula.
Nearly all varieties of climate due
to latitude n altitude may be found,
from the nearly semi-tropical heat of
the lower river valleys, to the cold
Of the higher mountains, but lying
as it does without the normal storm
track the sequence of weather chang
es is much more uniform than in
more northern attitudes or OF the
same latitude farther east.
Great extremes of temperature are
I uncommon, the air is dry and aseptic
under nearly all conditions and the
altitude is such as to give the best
tonic effect to the human system.
There is an abundance of sunshine,
but h heat of summer and the cold
of winter are both modified by the
uniform dryness of the atmosphere.
In the lower levels of the river val
leys the summers are long and ex-
! tremeIy warm days are frequent, but
the drainage of cold air from the
higher elevations renders the nights
cool, while on the high elevations sud
den extremes of either heat or cold
are uncommon.
Precipitation occurs mostly as
showers of comparatively short dura-
ton n there are few days of the
| year when outdoor occupations may
not b. pursued without discomfort.
Removed as the district under con-
sideration is from the normal storm
tracks, the precipitation, especially
over New Mexico, is rather local than
general, and results mostly from con-
densation incident to elevation. The
higher mountains, therefore, receive
generous supplies of moisture while
in the lower valleys almost desert
conditions prevail.
Over the greater part of the Rio
Grande valley the average annual
precipitation is less than 10 inches; |
in the Pecos Valley it rises to about
Is inches; over the great plains east
of the Pecos Valley the annual pre-
c%ipitation ranges from Is to 20 inches,
while on the mountains between the
two river valleys the annual precipi-
tation ranges from Is to more thar
25 inches, and at the higher eleva-
tions it probably reaches 80 inches.
Over the high plateaus and noun
tains west of the Rio Grande the an
nual precipitation ranges from about
20 inches in the northern md higher
elevations to less than 10 inches on
the lower plains near the Mexican
boundary.
Over the districts east of the Pecos
Valley the occurrence of precipita-
ton during the various seasons of
the year is such as to best serve the
needs of the agriculturist and stock
grower. From about November to
April the precipitation is light, about
25 per cent Of the annual fall only,
thus enabling the dry grasses to re-
tain nearly unimpaired their nutri-
tive values and making winter pas