New-York tribune., 1910-01-18
A LAND OF WONDERS
MARVEL TO SETTLERS.
Fertile Nueces Valley Delights
Migrating Farmers.

san Antonio. Jan i1-There is a pretty
steady stream of travellers passing through
kere now the way further south. It
would be supposed by any one in this city.
where summer is successfully holding win
ter at-bay, that little was left to be desired
IN the way OF climatic agreeableness. COM
bined with an attractiveness favored with
the romance of history. But these travel
lers give only a casual glance around if
they leave the trains ,at all They are in
the main bound for the Nueces Valley in
Dimrfit County, and all the way to
Brownsville
Down here this valley is pronounced new
aces" and 10 those on the way there may
be this meaning attached to the name.
Dimnlit is the county of colonies. It is not
altogether new idea. this of colonies. It
was practised by our ancestors who came
from Europe in the Mayfiower and other
ships TO the New World They knew one
another before they started. and hence
when they settled in a certain place they
were not likely to have strange and un-
desirable neghbors. OF course. the May
flower folk did have some very unwelcome
neighbors in the Indians but the colonies
down here have no savages 10 deal with
There is a colony at Bermuda and at
Gardendaie the former in Dimmit County
and the latter in Lasalle. The farmers
didn't all know one another when they set
tied there. but they came down in groups
in the first place or clubs from farming
communities in Missouri. Nebraska, Kan
sas, Kentucky and Arkansas. These clubs
were composed of as many families as pos
sible. and this acquaintanceship banished
one of the most discoura ging elements of
settlement in a strange country, lack of
immediate friends
IRRIGATED BY ARTESIAN WELLS.
Spouting artesian wells abound in the
Nueces Valley. for that is country of irri-
cation. This system of giving nourishment
to plant life without dependence upon rain
means a succession of crops all the year
round. and with never a season of drouth
to cause loss or encouragement Dryish
vegetation is an unknown thing where the
irrigation bitches are II is an odd expert
ence to the new farmers TO be without
cricks in their necks got by looking vainly
for moisture laden clouds.
The desert shall bloom like the rose" is
no idle remark so far as the whole south
western country is concerned. since the ar
tesian wells were established This desert
has blossomed for SO many years now that
there Is no more desert. but blooming re
gion. where 'he blossoms are succeeded by
the fruit in abounding plenty. Those re-
sponsible for the productivity OF this sec
tion made an appeal early in the game to
Washington and the Department of Agri-
culture answered right readily.
DR.. S. A. Knapp is in charge Of the Bu-
reau of Plant Industry OF the department
He didn't establish experiment farms in
Texas, including the Nueces Valley and
other parts of the southwest country clear
10 the gulf. but under instructions from the
bureau the farmers themselves conducted
demonstrations. In a letter recently re-
ceived from the bureau is the following:
Many people misunderstood the nature
of the work being done by DR.. Knapp. No
experimental farms are being conducted.
but the farmers are conducting. under in
struction received from this office. demon
strations showing what can be done on
their own farms by the use of better meth
eds. There are more than $500 demonstra-
ton farms in Texas
These demonstrations serve another pur-
pose than that of showing better methods
of cultivation. They teach the farmers how
to meet the new conditions that confront
them. They are from Northern states in
the main. used TO Northern climates, de-
pendable or rainfall and the temperature.
Under DR.. Knapp's instruction they are
able to comprehend quickly all that the
serni-tropical region demands of the tiller
of the soil or the fruit grower. They are
able to adjust themselves 10 conditions that
leave no time, under old methods. for atten-
ton to fences or barns. There is no season
of enforced idleness, but the work can be
so laid out that time can be found for at
tenton to the things for which the winter
is reserved up North.
GREAT VARIETY OF CROPS.
We have frequently heard about the
beauty of waving felds of grain and
rUstling acres of corn. They are here, too.
and as extensive as up North. But there
Is also thrill in a vista of fruit trees
extending almost 10 the horizon, or rows
of vegetables, laid out with mathematical
precision, covering hundreds of acres OF
course the glory OF the region is in the
small acreage settled upon by the numer-
Gus farmers from the upper Western
states
Bermuda onions would seem to be the
natural crop for the Bermuda colony. and
there are many ten-acre farms on which
this vegetable is grown But there are
nearly all varieties of, vegetables there, and
citrus fruits and peaches and figs and the
cereals. W nave come from d nome 10 a
home" said a coonist up here for a brief
look around. He meant that there were
home surroundings in the colony. familiar
faces of years OF association. and common
interests that had brought them close to-
gether.
Many of those who pass through this
historical place with Indifference on the
way TO their newly acquired lands return
at the first opportunity for look around
in the natural human yearniEs to gaze
upon relics OF the past This is especially
true of the young men and women. There
is little of the ancient in the upper West.
The dwellers there read of the historic
East and Southwest, and long to be there.
To see the strangers here. fresh from their
new farms, looking with keenest interest
at the Alamo, reminds the New Yorker of
the strangers who hover about the Wash
ington statue in Wall street, or who ride
in the ''rubber-neck' wagons from one his
toric point to another.
NEWCOMERS WONDER AT FOLIAGE.
These newcomers will gaze at a palm
tree for minutes at time and their first
view OF other tropical foliage calls forth
words of warmest approval To them there
is deepest interest in an orange or lemon
tree or the growing fig. II Is a new land
TO them, doubly attractive as a new home.
one they intend 10 make their abiding place
permanently. They talk of what they have
done, csinpare m es and listen with eager
the sfOri,sc of fbOcn ,.ho J,a,,n ,ra