Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-12-18

lands of New Mexico since the Carey
act was made applicable to this terri
tory last February. has just been
made by the Santa Fe railroad in the
employment of Prof. j.. D.. Tinsley of
the New Mexico agricultural college to
give his entire time to educationai and
experimental work on the lands along
the Santa Fe lines in New Mexico
which are classed as dry farming
lands. Mr.. Tinsley will work under
the immigration and industrial de-
partments of the railroad and his
work will prove the most valuable
from a development standpoint that
has ever been lone in connection with
our dry farming lands.
During the past half dozen years
there has been a constantly increas-
ing rush of homeseekers and settlers
to lands along the Santa Fe which are
classed as dry farming lands. In this
rush many settlers have located on
lands which are not satisfactory for
dry farming, either because of made
quate rainfall or bad soil conditions
or both. Thousands of others ave
settled on lands where the success of
the dry farming system has been fully
demonstrated, yet where the results
have not been as satisfactory as they
should be because of the ignorance of
the farmers of conditions and the
new methods of farming necessary to
apply before dry farming will produce
satisfactory returns. In one or two
sections the Santa Fe, through its i'm
migration department. has discour-
aged immigration because it was not
believed that conditions were suitable.
In other districts the immigration de-
partment has hesitated to encourage
immigration, acting or the sound basis
that it was better to wait until re-
suits were assured. Mr.. G. l.. Sea-
graves. the immigration commissioner
of the Santa Fe has un~hesitattngly dis
couraged immigration 20. certain dis
trictS until such time as it is shown
that dry farming will succeed. Dur
ing the past year or more he has
urged steadily that it is better to edu-
cate the farmers already on the land
in the best n surest methods of dry
farming and insure their success be-
fore encouraging additional immigra-
ton. He has believed that when the
success of the system is proven by
the farmers themselves in any given
district, their success would prove the
only advertisement needed n that
colonization and cultivation would fol-
low without any further encourage
ment.
In employing Prof. Tinsley as its
dry farming expert, the railroad com
pany has inaugurated Il program
which, when carried to It's conclusion
will demonstrate fully and finally
what lands along its line are suitable
for dry farming and what lands are
not. The lands that are suitable will
then be quickly ~colonized and the
plain truth will be told about lands
which are found unfit for farming
without irrigation. 1t is primarily to
make the necessary tests that Prof,
Tinsley has been employed. In addi-
ton, however, he will have the very
important work of carrying on extern
sive experiments in all dry farming
districts along the company's lines,
looking first to the education of the
farmers as to the best methods of dry
farming and second. to ascertain what
crops will produce most profitable re-
turns. 1t is a program which, when
carried out, as it will be, will place
the dry farming industry in New Mex
leo upon an absolutely reliable basis
and make it one of our dependable in
d~ustries. 1t is an undertaking which
means more prosperous conditions for
the farmers, protection against settle
ment in districts which are unfit ana
a vast increase in the wealth produc-
ton Of the so-called dry lands.
In selecting Prof. Tinsley for the
work the Santa Fe chose the most
capable man in the southwest. Prof.
Tlnsley. while the agricultural college
was able to maintain a field expert
held that position. He was able to
carry ON "A widespread educational
campaign, to organize many farmers
Institutes, to begin a test farm system
and to increase interest in and confl-
dence in the dry farming lands. In
carrying on this work he acquired al
thorough acquaintance with all of the
ary farming districts n established
himself in the west as one of our fore
most dry farming experts. He has
oeen recognized by the dry farming
congress as an authority and has the
iuu confidence of the farmers with
whom he has come in contact. MT
Iinsley will continue his work with
Tue AGRICULTURAL college for "A short
ume. finishing up important work
which he has in hand. but will begin
MS new work 500 after the first Of
The year
II II not proposed to establish eN-
herimental farms permanently. This,
II IS believed. would l~ocalize the work
ana limit the results But through
.he farmers associations which it is
proposed to organize. farmers will be-
encouraged to conduct test farms, car 4
tsihg on the work under special in I
suuctions which Prof. Tinsley will \
iurhish. using the most improved i'm 4,
PIGMENTS. carefully selected seed and
elops chosen with a view to demon-
suatlng what will give the best re- .
e4"s This VIII enable every settle 1
along the santa Re In the DRY
belt 10 have its own expert :
'h' iarm whirh vin receive Just asl