El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-01-27

the greatest ADVANCE was ulale IN d5LA-
cultural development.
The states biggest event Of the year
iE this line was the progress made up
on the Elephant Butte dam. which is 70
reclaim 10000 acres in the Rio Grande
valley OF New Mexico, from the point
where the dam is located. south TO the
Texas line. 100 miles distant The work
was started in real earnest upon this
dam early in the year and has con-
tinued steadily, until ali the prelimina-
ries are now practically completed and
excavations can go forward for thy
foundations OF the great cement ana
stone dam as sooz as the spring floods
have ceased.
The project wiz cost $4,000. 900, and
VIII supply also lands in Texas ana
Mexico a total Of nearly 100000 acres.
Il Is expected that within three years
II no III luck attends the construction
work upon this largest Of the worlds
great irrigation enterprtses water will
be stored in sufficient quantity y as
sure its permanency. The compile ton
Of the dam viii probably require i've
years or more. The preliminaries con-
Gututed a mammoth undertaking IN
themselves and, including borings and
surveyings, have occupied about three
years The real Work on the dam VIII
occupy but a little longer than the pre-
liFninaries. part Of which Included the
building OF a railroad line from the
santa Fe main line to the dam Site
distance OF over y miles.
Irrigation Develops Fast.
Irriga tion development has been
steadily going forward in all parts OF
the state while this gigantic project
mas been under way and several thou
sand acres Of cultivated land have been
added 10 the total classed as farming
land in the new state This includes
not only farming but fruit ana grape
growing, each of which IS becoming an
important factor in the commercial life
Of the state Apples, peaches pears,
plums, ounces and grapes form a large
part OF the annual profitable proouc-
ton of the state and they command the
very highest market prices in the coun-
Try. The PecOs valley apples produced
at Roswell, Hagermans Artesla, Hope
and Carlsbad, sell readily in the eastern
markets for better prices than the Mis-
souri product, heretofore considered as
fine as any the country produces. Inc
Pec0s valley product appears TO have
deliehtful flavor that is seldom eQucled
aud as q shipping apple Its hardness
strongly recommends x to the 1uYer-
Other apples OF fine flavor and good
kes Jung qualities are also grown .1ll
over the state, particularly IN the FlcIn-
nv of AlamOEOrdO, three RIVERS NOUN
ratn Park and sections in the Sacramen-
- to and san Andreas mountains out even
these regions and the Pecos valley are
not the only apple growing sections IN
the state Apples form a big crop Tor
New Mexico and they make money for
the growers Apple land where the or
chards are healthy and the irrigation
water assured. sells for as high as
$500 an acre and in some Instances, the
product has brought the owner 9 so
percent return the first year on land
even at this fancy price, which TO
date is the top figure
Peaches \ Productive Crop.
q
productive fruit crop OF the new state
aid this year the increased acreage over
that Of former years was more than
doubled and the number OF carloads
sent 10 the eastern market was several
more than in any previous year. cars
bad where the peaches came in for the
first time. the trees having been planted
but three years ago when the CARLSBAD
irrigation project was completed, TINS
year marketed As carloads OF peaches
and these brought $500 per car. Some
cars brought as much as $500 This Is
a sample of what the product nets the
farmer
Artesia marketed Is carloads of the
product Artesia is new town and
peach growing is a new industry, but
in addition to peaches there were mar
keted from this place 20 carloads OF ap-
pies. 1900 cars OF alfalfa 40 cars OF can
taIoupes, a carload Of honey and grapes,
plums and other fruits in smaller guam
titles.
As an Indication Of the rapid growth
Of these New Mexico farming cOmmu-
mites the facE that 125, 900 new fruit
trees were set out at Artesia this year,
affords an adequate idea. Artesta lrrl-
gates with artesian well water when
flows from wells at comparatively
shsIlow depth and this year more than
so new wells were put down, all with
success
Anything VIII Grow.
Roswell irrigates from artesian wells,
wells and from river water.
one OF the biggest private irrigation
enterprises in the country has been put
IA at Roswell during the year
the BerrendO prO5ect-and the power
for the pumping is furnished BY
the city lighting plant, which was more
than doubled In capacity this year to
take care OF the great amount Of busf-
ness resulting from the demands from
the farmers who are irrigating with
pumps and find it profitable. The pow
er plant is now Of 1900 horsepower ca
pacity. Roswell does not confine itself
20 the production OF apples, for celery,
peaches. plums, grapes, alfalfa and gar
den truck are grown ana shipped III
large quantities Roswell and the Pc
COS valley this year marketed 5000 car
All irrigation at Carlsbad Is done
from the PecOs river by means Of tre-
mendous dam erected by the United
states reclamation service, to supply
water TO 10000 acres OF land Cotton
as an experiment has passed the expert
mental stage and this year the gins at
Carlsbad and Loving, nearby, had TO
be enlarged 10 accommodate the crop,
which onlv a few years ago was un-
known The farmers readily grow a
bale Of cotton TO the acre
Alfalfa throughout the valley OF the
Pecos nets four and five cuttings to the
season, generally five with an average
OF a ton TO the acre for each cutting
Cooperative Pumping System.
Portales. at the head Of the Pecos
valley, but on ground too high for ar
tesian water, yet with water shallow I
enough to pay the farmers TO pump it. /
has the only cooperative pumping plant 1
IN the country Of its size. The central /
power station generates the power and /
IS then carried on wires throughout the /
valley to the pumps Of the stockholders, I
where the water is raised to the sur I
face for irrigation at a minimum cost j
The original cost Of the plant was $780, /
600 for 10000 acres Of land. 1t was 1
erected by pledging the land Of those /
participa ting in its benefits, to redeem
bonds issued for the construction OF the 4
plant The same crops as are produced /
at Roswell, Carlsbad. Hagerman, Arte-
sia. Lake Arthur, Lakewood and Hope,
south Of P0rtales in the Pecos valley,