El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-26
(Ry c. N. carter.l

the case next year. yet results at this
time clearly prove that we have the
best combination of climate, soil and
water to be found in the entire south
west The variety OF commercial
products which thrive here, the ease
and rapfdity with which they are
grown and harvested. alike evidence
the wonderful results that may be ex-
pected from intelligent, well directed
effort.
Cooperative Pumping.
The Portales irrigation system COM
prises two gas producer engines or
$50 horsepower each. The electricity
generated by them is transmitted by
wire to the various wells under the
plant-some 10 in all. A mere touch
starts the water to flowing in
stream OF from 1000 to 1900 gallons
of water a minute from each OF the
20 wells
In addition to the irrigation sys-
tenn there are numerous private
pumping plants that are irrigaung a
great deal of land, on which great
xariety-<of products are being sue
cessfully grown:-
Mexican beans, oats aQd~4rfsh peS2<
toes have abundant1y proved their
adaptability to our soil and climate.
excellent crops of each having been
raised Corn, too. although conditions
here are not as well adapted to corn
as to many other crops, has made
cording to the opinion of corn raisers.
from Isl to leo bushels per acre.
Alfalfa 10 Tons Per Acre.
When it comes to alfalfa Portales
valley claims the distinction of rais-
ing more hay per acre and better hay
than any nearby competitor John R
Hopper has three-quarters Of an acre
In alfalfa from which he has cut as
much as two tons 10 the cutting.
OF three-quarters Of an acre Cor 10
tons per acre. is quite a yield Of al
falfa, we claim, but that is what
he expects this year.
Another man with five acres in al
falfa realizes 500 per month from
his crop during the growing season
And that is the first year, too.
Cotton is another crop that Is be-
ing ..naturalized" so as to grow in
Portales valley Conditions in some
of the fields here now point to a yield
of bale per acre.
Truck and Fruit.
| About the best evidence, however,
of what Portales valley will produce
| is the results attained by small truck
| farmers close around town Having
| but a few acres to look after, careful
| details of truck farming.
| Fruit of all kinds does well here,
| although some smudging is required
1 to assure crop of apples, peaches
! or pears every year. Plums, however,
rarely fail to make a good crop. while
! grapes are practically never-failing.
| As an experienced grape raiser has
world that will keep US from making
| grapes here"
| Rich Crops, Cheap Land.
| Onions, celery and sweet potatoes
are among the leading products raised
| by truck farmers here. To give a
| faint idea of the possibilities frora in
| tensfve cultivation of the products:
| Sweet potatoes yield from 10000 to
| 10000 pounds per. acre. Figuring that
| potatoes sell for the very moderate
| price of 1-2 cents per pound (the
merchants are now paving cents in
| Portalesl. makes yield of from $500
| to $3.50 per acre. This is not bad
when land may be had for from $50
| TO SIS per acre.
Earns 1882 Per Acre.
James Ryther has gathered onions
that yielded 31s pounds TO the square
| rod, or at the rate of 5Q,SS0 pounds
per acre. At Lie per pound this
makes a return of s7622O Fairly
| good for one acre? Yes. but wait He
| has removed the onions and viii now
/ plants to the acre. Celery sells for
| from to 5 cents per bunch Take
| the smaller figures This means $500
| per acre from his celery crop. This
| added to the $762.20 returns from
| the onion crop, makes a gross re-
ceipt OF s1362.20 per acre per year.
Mr.. Ryther has had many years ex-
| perience with celery, SO he knows
| whereof he speaks.
| Although seasons have not been at
| all favorable this year, a great deal
| Of produce will be raised on dry farms
| this year. Crops Of all kinds, such
| as maize. kaffir corn. millet. corn,
| broom corn, beans, sweet and Irish
| potatoes, melons of all kinds, pump
| kins. etc, make good yields Consid-
| cradle fruit is also raised.
| Town improvements.
Portales itself is making many i'm
provements these days. Within the
| last year an excellent system of cleo
! trio lights, water and sewerage has
been put in at total cost of $4,000.
! This is giving good service.
The court house plaza has been
planted in blue grass and clover. This
with the numerous shade trees is
| decided addition to the town. A COM
mOulOuS SrandSIand mas been erected
on the plaza, thus giving our excellent
brass band a splendid place for the
rendition of open air concerts.
Concrete sidewalks have been put
in, much street Improvement has been
made and the town generally reflects
the more prosperous days that have
come.
Beets and Railroad.
Last, but not least. is the sugar
beet factory and the Fort Worth-Tor-
rance. railroad. For some 10 months
the promoters of the beet sugar in
dustry have been laboring earnestly
in their endeavor to establish a fac
tory of 10000 tons daily capacity. This
means the irrigation of some 10000
or 10000 more acres of land, of which
only 10000 acres, however. will be in
beets in any one year. 1t means fur
Their. the installation of some 200 pri-
waite pumping plants in addition to
those now in operation.
For several months, also, the pro-
posed Fort Worth Portales- Torrance
railroad has been a much discussed
subject. The company proposed to
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