Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-11-21

/
1.-THE class of population coming in is
composed OF substantial farmers The
speculative element is rapidly disap-
pearing from this district. A number
Of large tracts of land adjacent TO Ros-
well have recently been sold and are
now being cut up into small tracts. The
sale Of these lands will result in bring
ing many new farmers to the district
during tine coming year.
The has been an important land
movement in the Mesilla valley, sur
rounding and south of Las Cruces.
This includes both lands already under
irrigation and those which will come
under the completed Elephant Butte
project. ON which construction is now
under way Lands in this district are
also advancing in price; the season
has been favorable and production of
all classes of crops excellent.
Activity in ColfaX county irrigated
lands has been considerable. Five
new projects are now delivering water
in this county. and the companies own
ing the land are enjoying a rapid
sale to a most desirable class of pur-
chasers. chiefly actual farmers. There
IS still a considerable area IN this coun-
" which Will be reclaimed by private
capital, plans for the most important
projects having been completed
1t is now assured that an important
irrigation project Will be constructed
at Las Vegas, which viii deliver water
to $4,000 acres in 1912. This will mean
an important immigration movement
to this district, in addition to the heavy
movement to the dry farming lands
east of Las Vegas, which has contin-
ued during the past year.
san Juan county continues to at
tract the attention of high class farm
ers and fruit growers. Lands in this
county are selling rapidly and the new
irrigation projects now under way viii
add very large acreage which Will
be available within the next twelve
or fifteen months. one Of the first i'm
portant projects under our new dis
trict irrigation law is under way in
this county.
The Deming district in Luna county
has shown remarkable activity Dem |
onstration of the feasibility Of pump /
Ing for irrigation has given great inn /
petus to land sales; new people have
come in rapidly; acreage under culti- 4
yation has been extended, and the dis |
trict is very prosperous.
At Portales, in Roosevelt county an
important central pumping plant has
been completed. furnishing power to I
pump water for 10000 acres of fine
land. This project was not completed I
in time for this seasons crop, but viii
be in active operation during the next
season
one of the most important develop
ments of the year in irrigation has
been the opening OF the new Fort
sumner district in Guadalupe county
where 49, 600 acres are already re-
claimed by direct diversion from the
Pecos river, and where a very large
additional acreage will be brought un-
lgt irraf mot yftr !
been adjusted Practically within a
single year this district has advanced
from open range TO one of the most 4
highly cultivated and most profitable /
farms in New Mexico. Land prices J.
have advanced from $50 to as high as
$500 an acre in case Of pr0ducingl
ands The district is being settled
- aetual farmers most Of whom have Il
sufficient capital for the proper and
profitable development of their land.
Pumping for irrigation is now being
Investigated in the Estancia valley,
heretofore a dry farming district Test
wells show a considerable volume of
water, and it is hoped to reclaim some
10000 acres by means of central
)ower plant
An important private irrigation pro-
ect is under way at Chama in Rio
Arriba county. where private capital is
developing a portion of the great Tier
a Amarillo land grant. while another
private corporation has undertaken
be construction of irrigation works,
lear Red River in Taos county for the
exclamation of $1,000 acres of territo-
ial land. There are many small pri
ate irrigation enterprises which might
'e enumerated and which in the ag
regate have placed an extensive area
nder cultivation.
Dry Farming.
The great increase I'm final and COM
luted homestead entries during the
ast year indicates that very consid-
rable part of the recent settlement
iithin our dry farming districts is
ornament. substantial and successful :
lthough dry farming is still expert +
rental in many districts, and although .
has been the policy of the territorial
overnment not to encourage immi-3 \
ration into those districts which have y
OF been thoroughly tested, the imm {
rants have come voluntarily and in e
lany districts, particularly those in \
he higher attitudes. the farmers have
ecome very prosperous. Successive
roughts in the eastern and south n
astern counties have discouraged
lany of the dry farmers in those sec
Ons; Yet many have remained with
Heir hOmesteads, and not a few have
ecured fair crops in spite of a rain
Ill which for two years has been far =
Glow the average.
The lack of knowledge Of a majority
these people of the essential princi- ,
les of dry farming, their ignorance of .
zeal conditions, of drought resistant
ops, proper planting time etc, have
orked seriously against their success
borrower, many of them have come
to the country wholly without means
nd dry farming, save i'm the higher
titudes Of New Mexico, is not a poor 7
ans industry" for the farmer in the !