El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-11-08

- ID you know that one woman II
the valley near FL Paso has
- whole acre of roses-about $500
bushes? People know about the big rose
fields in California, but there are many
things at home, under our very noses.
that We know very little about Mrs.
Milton l. Graves, who resides just
north Of the Ysieta depot and q bit
east Of the West Tsleta Country club,
has two acres Of as pretty roses as ever
zrevT IN California or anywhere else.
Mrs Graves had some Of her roses on
exhibition at the recent flower show
during the exposition. and, while they
were greatly admired and took many
premiums, few people realized that she
IS growing roses on such an extensive
scale and with such success some OF
her roses are nine years old, proving
that the rose is not short lived here,
as many have feared
Each year Mrs Graves adds to her
stock of roses and she has had Won
derful success with them Manure Is
scattered between the rows and plough
ed under and IN winter the ground IS
covered with straw, which IS ploughed
under in the spring when II begins 10
rot. These applications furnish the hu-
mu5 and keep the soil from cazing.
The roses are watersd every Is days,
each alternate furrow being irrigated
II requires 8 furrOw about seven day
TO dry so that il can be ploughed- After
the ploughing is done, Il is allowed to
wait another seven or eight days be-
fore II is irrigated again. Meantime. the
next furrow has been treated the same
way. In this manner. one Of the fur
rows is always dry so that the roses
can be picked or inspected for insects
and disease
Mr.. Graves. who Is as much a lover
Of roses as his wife. assists her in car
ing for them and does the ploughing
Tor her. Last season he ploughed very
close to the bushes themselves. dis
turbing many Of the roots OF the grow
ing plants, and he found that IL not
only did not do any harm. but rather
appeared to do the plants good. as they
during the summer. he had all the soil
between the bushes in the different
rows spaded up and turned over.
In applying fertilizer the Graveses
distribute IL in the center Of the fur
row, then, ploughing the dirt away
from the bushes on either side. turn Il
over the manue- Later. they plough in
the center and turn the mixed earth
and manure back towards the plants
The frost has nipped many Of the
Graves roses, but the garden is still
mass Of beautiful blossoms All the
plants have a very healthy color. al
though the recent cold nights have
caused some mildeW 10 form on some
Of the plants. A1ildew troubles roses
in the valley more than il does in FL
Paso, largely due, it is believed. to the
fact that where roses are irrigated from
the ditch. the water must be applied
when il can be had rather than at any
particular time OF Gay. This often re-
results IN irriga ting the bushes in the
heat Of the day. Then the cool nights
cause the mildew.
While most government bulletins are
considered very dry. you can every once
IN awhile dig out some very interesting
OF the 7S.4s5,7eO ceres Of New Mex
leo nearly half is public land and IA
H0o. 600 acres state land. according to q
recent bulletin Ranches cover 10000
Goo acres. somewhat less than 2.OO0.0O0
acres IS cultivated, and less than 600.-
600 acres IS irrigated. this bulletin con-
rinues of the irrigated area 100000
acres belongs 70 individuals or partner
ships. $4,000 acres TO commercial or
ganiaztions. 500, 900 acres to coopera-
tive or community organizations. and
$4,000 acres 10 Indians. The remainder
Is irrigated under government reclama-
ton
one OF the greatest mineral resources
Of New Mexico is coal. which occurs in
the large fields west of Ration. at places
near Cerrillos. about Gallup. and in sew
eral other areas There are also valu-
able mines of gold, copper. silver. lead,
and zinc. The total production Of these
metals in 1915. according TO this same
bulletin. had a value Of s19.279 f6S. Of
which SO, z37 go was copper. an output
that gives New Mexico considerable