El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-08
By r. A. HARRIS,
FL PasO City Park Commissioner,
For Ell PasO Herald.

percent of clay; clay soils, 20 to so
The soil Of the Rio Grande valley
might be termed a sedimentary loan,
ranging IN some places to light adobe
or clay loan, differing in places in &C
cordance with the time the soil was de-
posted and the character of the soil
of the water shed from which the par
ucUlar soil came in the time of flood.
Because Of this We have several kinds
of soil sometimes within a few miles,
but the general soils may be classed
as above and viii be so considered in
their adaptation to furits.
Mesa Soils.
The mesas have as great, or greater,
range Of soils, and by an examination
Of the higher hills back of them their
general content can be determined.
Generally, they may be classed as
sandy soil and sandy loans. although
some are clay loans these occurring
more often on the high mesas. These
soils are well drained and eX-
tremely deep, and usually contain but
little, If any, alkal, although where
clay predOminates. some white alkali
may be found These soils contain 10
the single foot little humuS and nitro
gen, which fact is easily accounted for
by the scant growth of these mesas. In
consequence there has been little de-
cayed vegetation and the little that
there has been, has been washed to the
valleys.
Most of the growth on the mesas is
found IN punches on the more level
places above the level of the surround
ing ground These slight elevations
had their beginning. no doubt in a
single shrub or bush catching other
vegetation as II was being washed out
or blown along, this accommodating heap
catching other vegetation and soil;
seeds from plants and bushes, find
loQgmenr herein. the leaves and stems
OF these growing plants when dead,
add to the growing mound until fl
nally nature through the elements, has
constructed a seed bed rich in all the
requirements of plant life and furnish
ing a reservoir adapted to catch and
retain the scant rainfall and hold it in
reserve for the time of drOuth.
Natures Way.
Nature has done for ages what
scientific men call scientific soil cul-
ture or dry farming. It consists simply
Of preparing the soil so it is adapted
TO catch and retain the rainfall and
have II available in time of drOuth.
1 believe a great deal along the line
OF water conservation can be learned
from natures object lessons to be seen
all over our meSaS- In the first place,
observe that all the land is not treated:
prooaDIy where these mounds are the
Ihlckest, not over One-third or One-half
the ground area contains these mounds.
BY this method, these mounds not only
receive the water that falls upon them.
but also absorb part at least of that
which falls on the surrounding ground
The roots penetrating to lower depths
also make ideal conditions for deep
storing of this excess.
Observe, also, that nature plants I'M
der these conditions more thinly than
man giving 10 each plant more feeding
room or large range.
Also note that most of these plants
are In foliage the greater part of the
year, which furnishes shade, and re-
tards evaporation by the hot winds
and sun.
This Is departing somewhat from the
general way Of discussing soils, but 7
believe this may be of interest TO some
and never having seen these ideas in
print, or having heard them discussed,
offer them for what they are worth
All that the lands lack TO produce the
finest fruits is water, and if sufficient
water does not fall on these lands to
permit of the whole area being used
perhaps we can devise some way to use
all the water on One-fOurth or one
third of the land
Adapting Foliage.
Other factors of importance besides
the soil have as great a bearing and
should be considered carefully. I be-
Ieve that at no distant date these
lands viii be utilized for fruit produc-
ton and prove very profitable I will
take up IN its proper place the leaf or
foliage adapted TO arid conditions,
which feature is one Of the most i'm
portanr to be considered in adapting
suitable growth in this section. Some
structures of foliage are very wastefuI
OF moisture and other vital elements
and other structures of the same fam
lly are conservative, some even going
into state Of semi-dormancy at criti-
cal times and then when conditions are