Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-11
A VARIABLE SUGGESTION

II hnH been suggested that the com
ing legislature should make some pro-
vision for the establishment of an *
porimontal farm or farms upon which,
under the supervision of the New
Mexico Agricultural college, systemat-
ic experiments could be carried on In
exploiting the so-callod dry farming
system which IN the past three years
has come 70 a position Of vast impur-
lance IN the agricultural development
or the territory The suggestion is a
good one and should be carried out.
In Arizona. Colonel Epcs Randolph
has donated a large sum Of money to
the Agricultural college at Tucson to
be used for this very purpose; and dry
farming has little following IN Afizo-
na now. hut Colonel randolph be-
lioycs IA development along all lines,
aud he sees an opportunity Tor dcvel-
riculturo.
Lacking a heneficcnt rich man to
stand behind such au undertaking,
Now Mexico should aud could wen ar
ford to stand behind II herself. OF
the aa.0O0 land entries which have
been mnde IN NoW McNico since June
80. 1905. covering an area OF more
than 5000, 600 acres. four-nfths have
hccn made upon land which II the.
farmers arr 10 succeed. must he cut
.tisatcd scientifically so that the en-
tire rainfall may he conserved and
made to do the very greatest amount
of work
Ninc-tcnths Of the farmers who
have made these land entries knee
mo- more about the principles of scion
title farming than thoy do about the
chemistry of soils. Thcy ought To
onstfutcd close al home that whore
scientific principles Of moisture con
scrNstion are applied the crops are
just twice as successful hs where the
farmer goes on the land and pillows 1t
and this it as he did back home" The
farmers who depend upon the rain
fam tn several districts crops were
a. total failure Hut wherever the
scientific principle of moisture COM
scrNation was applied the crops sue
cccdod. la spite of the fact that the
rainfall In most districts was below
the average over in the Estaneia
valley the crops did not fail. but thos
were on the average below those Of a
year ago. Those farmers Who titled
uhrir lands scientifically grew crops
larger than those OF the year before.
It is q fact which The farmers
themselves are rapidly coming 60
realize. that II the so-csllcd dt, lands
of Sow Mexico are 90 prove crop pre-
duccrs they must hc farmtd upon
scientific principles. ~ ig true That iu
tim, thr farmers can and viii loarn
Tins system Tor thomscl,cs But in
learning there viii be- moro of suffer
ing and short crops and hcart-hreak
ING work Without results than we care.
Co contemplate The so-callcd drf
land districts will eventually be- culii-
waited Buf nhy not help these dis
'trict in g practical way and thus has
ten the Development of a vast area 81
our agricultural iandsf
Two or three experimental farms in
charge of men who know the system
could be established and maintained
ln various sections Of Ncw Mcxlcoi
With comparatively htuc expense
They could veil be- under tho dirre
uen ~ h Agricultural oiieEc. which.
lr already dpinE = great work Through
the aFeaev - is farmers institutes
experimental farms-or. 10 put IL cor
rcctiy. tne Instruction farms-Ncuid