The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-01-03

~ OvERNMENT estimates show the total value
Of crops grown IN New Mexico Ia 1915 20
have been S35lOo0.O0O. The estimate = con-
sentative and includes mo- vegetable and truck
crops, aside from potatoes aud sweet p~otatocs. The
value Of these truck crops y considerable and the
reporting sssicm Ia this state u siill far fran com.
plete. ~ that <f0.o00.O0O probably Is closer 60 The
actual production than the total given in the gov.
cfnmcni estimates.
For tho crops inclndcd m Che government esti-
mate the 1918 value is approximately n ,2O0.OOO
less than tina, Of the same crops IN 1917. This fall
ing Oft wns due altogether 10 the great drouih
which reached rs climax during the past growing
season and which wrought disaster throughout the
mifrigatcd farming sections and reduced produc-
tion materially Ia some 81 the irrigated districts
The falling OF IN production would have been very
much more serious but for the great effort PVT
forth By The state council Of defense. as part OF is
fine war work and ihe,splcndid work done by the
State Agricultural college and Is vigorous and
effective extension workers and field agents. Had
thesr two agencies been lacking the 1918 farming
season IN New Mexico would have been a disaster.
Largely dnc TO their efforts and the willing 60.
operation Of the farmers. the production was sus.
t8incd N about the average of the past hvs years.
miriy.hvc million dollars in farm crops, how
ever. i but a %baratclle. compared to the certain
productive capacity Of this state. when real alri.
cultural development gets fairly under wny The
100000 acres 81 irrivahle land in New Mexico an.
der the Elephant Butte project viii, when u has
'"'u'N ~ "N"A' W ~ ''mlfN'A' ffNNA-
Walton, produce n total a. great m the states Az.
nual production last year. The Rio Grandc valley,
when The great acreage between Pena Blanca and
San Marcihl hat been drained. will have easily nm
annual total production greater than the pasi
years total. The san Juan irrigahlc area. when
reclaimed. viii have q productive capacity pruh-
ably greater than either of The irrigated Districts
named. and the irrigablc sections of the Pecos val.
ley have development possibilities In irrigated agri.
culture that are wholly unionch,d When the dry
farming regions II New Mexico learn that general
farming ~ praeiiced Ia the rain belt j. not possible
OF success in this region, aud that their wa. to
profit le~ along the lines 81 DAIRY farming and
stock farming. the unirrifatcd farming industry
81 the state viii more than double the present an.
nunl production.
These are not matters Of guesswork or loose
estimates. They are facts which are easily demon.
ssrable By multiplying the known productive ca.
pacify Of on mere ~ irrigated land in this state,
BY the acreage available, aud by the same process
with the unirrigaicd lands. When w discuss ayr.
cultural development and il results we arr dr.
cussing development ia which there j. mo element
II chance. and The outcome of which y ccriaiu.
when conducted along sane. conservative lines Of
known efficiency.
We have right At the doors of Albuquerque .
resource which IL lar greater than all Of the Ia.
dustries las generally understood that we can