Estancia news-herald. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1912-19??, 1914-08-13
healthful climate.

The surface of Estancia valley
could not have been deposited
with more favorable slope for ir.
rigation. The central part Of
the valley is practically level and
the broad borders of this part
rise with gentle slope and with
few Irregularities back to the
very foothills. This is ideal for
the mains and smaller leads and
control of the water.
The soil of the valley is new,
has a large amount of lime and
but very little alkali. Those
minerals, such as alkali, which
often collect in irrigable fields
are fairly certain to have been
carried to the salt lake, before
mentioned, and therefore would
not present the usual difficulty
to the farmer.
The fact that the mountains of
Estancia valley are not exceed
ingly high is point in favor of
irrigation. Were they very high
there would be heavy SHOWS with
torrential streams in the spring
season and destructive streams
from the rains of the fall season.
With their present height they
cause enough condensation to
thoroughly water the valley by
underground process without
causing erosion of the surface.
Those who are familiar with the
semi-arid regions Of the west
will appreciate this point.
The present vegetation of the
valley consists of loco weed,
chamisa, snake weed, sage brush
prickley pear cactus, ball cactus,
tree cactus, thistle, black gramma
grass, red top grass, swamp
grass, cedar trees, pinon trees,
juniper trees and yellow pine.
The cultivated plants which saw
were beans, alfalfa, corn, wheat
oats, millet, thrifty gardens,
peaches, pears and apples. All
of these were being we'll tended
and showed the great productive
ness of the soil when watered. |
picked apples from a tree at
Mariana which was said to De
three hundred years old. Several
of these old apple trees stand
near the Manza1o spring.
Farmers and natives of the
valley give glowing accounts of
the crops and fruits raised in the
valley where water could be Sc
cured. In comparing the region
with that of western New York
| believe it would closely ap-
approach The kind and quality Of
the New York products, and this
without the great expenditure OF
money for fertilizer necessary in
the older state.
The depth to water varies in
the several parts of the valley.
There is belt, called by drillers
the shallow water belt" which
| believe to be the water-table OF
the Secondary Mantle Rock.
This does not afford sufficient
water for artesian water, but the
water finds an outlet to the sur
face in two famous springs.
Artesian water will be en-
countered at greater depths, with
high pressure, in certain parts OF
the valley.
Before | went to the Estancia
valley to study its geology, | was
very doubtful as to the success
of the enterprise for those who
contemplate developing and agri
cultural or mineral proposition
After travelling over the entire
valley and surrounding noun
tains, gathering specimens fol
chemical analysis, listening tt
the history of the valley by chose
who have believed in it through
hard years of labor and poverty
and waiting, and after confer
ence with my friend Pref. Chas
T. Kirk, state geologist o
New Mexico, and after confer
ence with my friend Mr.. Quinc.
Randles of the forest service,
am enthusiastic over the futur,
, of Estancia valley.
The surface is practical,
worthless for other than grazinI
purposes today, but in on
months S time it can be made on
of the most valuable land prou