El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-08

! Farming Is AurOWlnEs
New Mexico Is rapidly becoming
I known throughout the country as one
3 of the great irrigated regions OF the
west.
/ In 1900 the fruit crop of New Mex
I leo had a total value Of 100000. For
/ the season 1910 this value was about
I 100000 For the season Of 1911 most
: conservative estimates place II at
I S1,5O0,0O0. The fruit crop of the Pecos
valley alone is estimated at more than
/ 500, 900. and there is heavy prOduc-
[ ton from the Rio Grande valley, San
( Juan county, and other of the older ir-
/ rigated sections
Two years ago New Mexico was
shipping very little produce This sea
( son more than 5000 cars Of alfalfa viii
go out of q single irrigated district,
a considerable quantity of the hay be-
ing shipped out Of the United states.
New Mexico cantaloupes are being sup
piled TO eastern markets in carload
lots from several districts ana this
! year the territory for the first time
has taken an important position as
shipping section.
The activity in irrigated farming
has not been confined 10 any one sec
ton It has been general in all of our
irrigated districts
The continued filing Of final proofs
upon hOmesteads in our dry farming
districts indicates that a very large
portion Of the settlement of the past
five years has been permanent and
that IL has attained a degree Of pros
perity in spite Of the disastrous
drouths Of 1903 and 1910.
Water supply and Irrigation.
During the year ended June 80, 1911.
the irrigation department received los
applications for permits to appropriate
water, covering 679, 1886 acres, and
promising an expenditure of 1880
OSl.50 IN construction Of reservoirs,
canals, etc. This number, with apprO-
priatiOns previously filed, makes a to-
tai Of $50 permits, covering more than
100000 acres to be reclaimed. and a
proposed expenditure of more than
S32,000.0OO.
The past year has brought a marked
advance in number and character Of
new projects
Pumping for Irrigation.
There has been a rapid advance dur
ing the year in the use of the pump
for irrigation In the Mimbres. Por-
tales, AlamogOrdo, Sacramento. Estan-
ella, Albuquerque and other valleys the
success of this form Of irrigation and
the stability Of the water supply has
been demonstrated and results thus far
have been very satisfactory.
The estimated area susceptible of ir-
rigation by pumping in the various
districts is as follows.
Location. Acres.
Mimbres valley ..-.........2 200. 900 /
AlamOrgOrdo valley .-.-.....- $4,000
Estancia valley MISREPRESENTATION 600 i
Portales valley 10000 !
Rio Grande valley. Albuquerque
to Socorro .--.--............. 125,OOO |
Artesian Wells.
A recent report upon the artesian (
belt Of the ROsweu-A rtesia district. in
Chaves and Eddy counties shows 700 Z
flowing wells. irrigating an average /
of so acres each, or a total of $4,000 .
acres. Tt is estimated that eventually
600 acres Will be reclaimed by these
wells.
The irrigation department recently
has inaugurated a system of state SUI J
pervision of private irrigation con-
structiOn with a view to insuring per- 3
manent construction and a reliable wa
ter supply.
National Forests.
While some Examinations and addi-