El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-19

~ HE director of the reclamation
service Of the United States, Dr.
Samuel Fortier, in Farmers bull
letin No. 263. entitled, practical InfOr-
nation for Beginners in irrigation,
proposes certain tests which the pros
pcctive purchaser OF irrigated IanuS
should keep firmly in mind before IN
vesting his money. 1t would be Wen
if every prospective investor IN MINI
bres valley lands had IN his pocket Tor
reference copy OF TINS heIpIuI Dulie-
tin. A careful investigation OF TINS
section in the light Of the suggestions
of Mr.. FOrtier would convince the most
Skeptical investor of the IrultIuineSS
Of investments in this region In the
beginning of this bulletin, Mr.. For1er
uses the following language anent the
proper kind of soil;
IN choosing land which is to be ir-
rigated, a careful examination should
be made of the character and depth OF
the soil, its behavior when irrigated,
the slope and evenhess of the surface,
the presence of injurious salts, and the
facilities for dramas &c. One of the pest
indications of the character OF the soil
is the native vegetation which grows
on it. When sGgebrUSh, buffalo grass,
or cactus is found on the tract, II IS
reasonably certain that the soil IS fer
tile. easily titled and well drained. The
plants are but few of a large group
which grow on good soil easily irri-
gated. On the other hand, the presence
of greaSeWOOd, SaltWOrt, salt weeds, or
other similar plants is indicative OF
heavier soil, less easily cultivated, and
containing more or less of the injuri-
Gus salts usually grouped under the
common name of alkali-"
Native GrO,vths in Mimbres Valley.
The prevailing native growths in the
Mimbres valley are as follows: Mes
quite, sagebrush, buffalo grass, gramma
grass and cactus. Thus, so far as the
character Of the soil IS indicated by
native growth. Mimbres valley lands
are of the first quality for irrigation
The presence of greaseWOOd, saltwOrt
and salt weeds, is practically unknown
here.
Further, AIr. Fortier says: Some
soils are so imperTiOus that it is diff
cult to wet more than a few inches
below the surface, and others are so
porous that the water soon percOldtes
through them beyond the reach of the
deepest roots"
Happily, neither condition obtains in
the MimbreS valley The soils Of the
Mimbres valley are for the most part
of a sandy nature which Will absorb
sufficient water IN "a hours after an
irrigation to become moist to a depth
of two or three feet Even the adobe
soils of the valley have sufficient sand
to render them trdctable under the
hand of the irrigator, and abound in
fertility
Mr.. Fortier continues: The intend
ing purchaser should likewise examine
with much care the nature of the
ground surface. The best conditions
are a smooth surface. with Il uniform
slope of from 10 to 20 feet to the mile"
LeVeIinE Expense is Low.
The leveling expense on Mimbres
valley lands is exceptionally low. The
general slope of the valley is about 10
feet to the mile from northwest 10
southeast. Miles upon miles of land
in the Alimbres valley will irrigate per
fectly in its natural condition. In Ger
tain places, the sand has blown up
about MESQUITE bushes, making bumps.
However, when the mesquite roots are