El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-26
(By Forrest Mckinley

AS CRUCES. N. NJ, Aug. 20
The MesiIla valley of New Mex
leo stands at the head of the
list of recent reclamation projects
under the government, as to new set
tiers. prosperous farms and improved
business conditions even before the
dam has been started
For many years the native settlers
on lands in the Mesilla valley have
been raising alfalfa, fruit and various
kinds OF garden produce by the un-
satisfactory irrigation methods OF
taking out an irrigation, ditch without
head or dam. simply depending on
keeping the head of the ditch below
the level of the river in order TO draw
off sufficient water for irrigation
purposes
The alfalfa crops raised during the
wears when the water in the river
was available for the entire crop sea-
son would more than repay the farm
er for the loss oocasioned by the
river going dry on other seasons. and
the farmers of the valley continued
the development Of the ranches under
these crude methods until the United
States reclamation service started
work on the Rio Grande project and
ths erection of the diversion dam ana
ditch heads at Leasburg made 1t pos
sible for the farmers In the upper
valley TO depend on water for the en-
tire season
Profit I'm Alfalfa.
After years of successful alfalfa
r-anching, the average rancher does
not feel like making change TO the
more profitable crops Of fruit ano
vegetables, yet in numerous cases
where this change has been made. the
ones who have entered upon the more
scientific methods of fruit raising re-
port wonderful success both as TO
production as well as financial re-
suits.
Alfalfa is a good crop if handled on
an extensive scale. The ranch of Os-
car Snow, which comprises 1000 acres
Of alfalfa, is shining example Of
what a man can do who has the en-
ergy and ability to handle large
ranch. Mr.. Snow will ship over ESQ
carloads of alfalfa this year, and the
pfher crops of fruit and garden truck
grown for the use Of the family and
help, will make q most respectable
showing
Scott P. Stewart in 1903, raised s05
tons of alfalfa from a so acre tract,
thus averaging more than six tons
per acre, and this alfalfa was cut dur
ing one Of the years when the river
did not supply water for the whole
season. This year the crop from the
Same so acres should average nearer
seven tons per acre, and at So per
ton at the ranch, the crop would net
$3.50 On SO acres. after deducting 81
per ton for labor.
Success with Fruit.
Fruit is taking the place of alfalfa
with the men who are willing 70 de-
vote their undivided attention to the
of a small ranch, and
many tracts of from 10 to 30 and 30
acres are being set out to fruit, par
ticularly pears. The Bartlett pear is
the most prolific as well as the best
paying orchard that man can set
out.
DR.. W. c. Field is an example of
the professional man making good in
the Mesilla valley with q pear orch
ard; he has about 2000 pear trees set
out they will begin bearing within a
year. and the expense of planting the
orchard and caring for it. during the
growing season was paid out of the
profits Of a cantaloupe crop grown
between the rows of the trees. In
1910 DR.. Field sold cantaloupes from
his eight acre orchard that netted