The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1917-01-26
INTERESTING DATA BY A
MlMBRES VALLEY FARMER


interest 10 the Cour CT leaders.
HOndale is a par, O, the MINI
bres Valley. and practically the
same conditions exist here as in
Hondale. The people Of that
section depend upon their crops
and stock for ther living and are
making good. There is no reason
why the farmer should not do
even better here, for there is a
good market right here at home.
The story as published in the
Graphic follows:
"a very interesting story
comes from Ed. j. Berwick. Of
Hondale, New Mexico. who nine
years ago came to this great
Southwest, for he knew that here
opportunity not only knocked at
every mans door once. but
shouted to him every day and
every hour. and also. Mr.. Bern
wick sought TO get away from
the malaria infected districts Of
southern Illinois.
When Mr.. Berwick came here
he homesteaded l60 acres Of land
forty acres of which is brush
land. and ninety acres covered
with natural wild grass. and he
has about thirty acres under cul-
tivation.
On the ninety-acre pasture of
grass Mr. Berwick keeps his
herd Of sixteen head of cattle.
most Of which are Jersey stock.
Three years ago he had three
cows.
Speaking of this native grass.
Mr.. Gernwick says that he has
moved his pasture and sold a
few carloads of hay, il being
used for the army horses at Co
lumbus. The grass grows with
the natural rainfall. and al
though II may look as though IL
were dead. in three or four days
after a rain in the summer time
the green blades win begin TO
shoot out from the joints along
the stem, which looks something
Ike pipe stem" grass that some
of us have known in the cast.
The grass does not come up
green from the roots, but sprouts
out from these Joints. and unless
the grass has been moved down
close there will be- pasture in a
very few days after a rain. II
is not wise TO NOV the grass for
hay oftener than every two years
as il requires so much longer
timefor II 10 come upafter the
/ Joints Of the stem have been cut
Oft.
Last year Mr.. Berwick says
his fuel cost him Sl.50 per acre
which cost this year will be
greater on account Of the pdro.
portionate high cost of oil. He
runs a nine horsepower stoveI
engine. and has No. . pumI
which will deliver from IT'S "a
200 gallons of water per minute
His crops this year were raised
at an irrigation expense of from
Sl.50 20 $500 per acre. II is
his intention TO next year put IL
another pumping plant Of lik,
capacity as the one he now has
installing this new pump in q
different location where il viii
serve to irrigate alfalfa. which
while requiring a large amount
Of water, Mr.. Berwick feels will
be a paying proposition. as HI
plans on going into the dair,
business on a much larger scale
During the season of 1916 Mr.
Berwick raised S40O worth o.
tomatoes on three acres. and fiv,
acres Of friioles netted him S4t
per acre. He believes, however
that the crop TO raise for tn
greatest profit is kafiir corn. II,
allows the corn TO head and thel
grinds II in the head for feed
and then turns stock on the stub
Bile, He planted four or fv,
acres TO milo maize, and ais
raised some feterita, which h
considers about equal to maiz
in value, but he says that tn
kaffr corn is higher in value tha
either one, per acre, as a stoc
feed, although II takes longe
season to produce II.
Il have raised the best India
corn this year that have eve
grown" says Mr.. Berwick, an
he stated that he had put il a
into ensilage in the silo. mixin
Indian corn and sorghum, tw
4. 4 .