Semi-weekly herald., 1913-10-09
SAN JUAN COUNTY
GREATLY IMPROVED

SAN JUAN COUNTY
GREATLY IMPROVED
Recently the writer spent few
days travelling about San Juan coun-
ty, N. NJ. Most of the time was very
enjoyable and It would be a pleas
ure to make the trip often-n it
were not for the roads, and we find
this to be the case with others. Many
Durango people say they would make
the trip to Aztec and Pennington of
ten during the summer months if
they could do so with any degree of
comfort. The road question will be
left until later. Arriving at Aztec
we found the citizens getting ready
for the first annual San Juan county
fair to be held the following week.
Every one appeared to be working
in harmony and judging by results a
splendid showing of farm products
was made, indicating that more at
tention is being paid to general farm
ing, although fruit culture continues
to form one of the principal occupa-
tions. Aztec people are quite proud
of their location and believe they
have one of the coming towns of
the southwest. The location will per
nit of increased population without
cramping and thus provide comfort
able homes and roomy yards, one OF
| the greatest blessings one can have.
The members of our party comprised
three ladies and as they were driven
around the residence section they
were surprised 10 find so many hand
some homes with well kept lawns and
trees loaded with fruits of most every
kind. Merchants reported business
very good and few complaints were
heard, exhibiting the right kind of
spirit. One must have faith in their
| own community and always present
| the best side. 1t is a fact that the
| farmers are in better shape around
Aztec than for many years. They
are beginning to pay more attention
to diversified farming instead of de-
pending on the orchard, although the
latter has paid nicely this season.
An auto ride of a little over an
hour and one arrives at Pennington.
En- route one discovers that many
new farms are being settled upon
and improved, also that the second
mesas are the fertile ones, growing
about everything man wants when
properly watered. One of the no
ticeable things was the number and
size of cornfields. And this leads Us
to wonder why more corn is not
, planted. For some years it has beer
demonstrated that corn does exceed
, ingly well. We visited some just as
fine looking corn fields as found IL
. the great corn belt of Kansas anC
Nebraska and the quality equally as
, good 1t requires warm nights fol
corn during July and August and this
can be relied on in most parts o.
San Juan county. We believe there
, is more money in corn for the farm
ers of that section than any othel
one thing with possibly the except
ion of alfalfa. AS sure none!
maker alfalfa leads everything, evei
l fruit. And remark we heard il
, Pennington contains more trutl
than one might think. A gentleman
speaking of conditions, said: "Sai
Juan county would be better off to
day if cyclone had struck us SOM
years ago and wiped every fruit ire
off the land. Then the farmers woul,
have set about to farm systematical
Al ly and not sit around waiting for
good fruit year" Suppose we illus
trate: George Allen is regarded b,
a nine-tenths of the people as an ex
elusive fruit grower when the fact
p are that fruit comprises very smal
q portion of his acreage. True, MI
Allen makes a specially of fruit an
by keeping in touch with the mar
kets, giving careful attention to hi
trees, picking and packing, has es
r tablished reputation for first-cias
fruit all over the country and as W
A had the pleasure of spending coupl
of days at this place it was cheer
ing to see the way be attended t
things and the manner in whic
orders were rushed to all parts o
F, the southwest, not counting the dali
visits of farmers with wagons to hau
away their winters supply. Mr.. Al
:, len does not confine himself to on
line of fruit. He has peaches, pears
apples, plums, cherries and all kind
of small fruits, such as black berries
raspberries and some twenty-odd var
ieties of grapes Now, for the othe
side; If fruit should prove an en-
tire failure, Mr.. Allen finds plent
to do along other lines. In tn
spring and summer months his gar
den products amount to no smal
item. He pays special attention t
asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage, egI
I l... -.