The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-05-01
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every man and woman in Albuquerque.
every property OVER in the middle Rio
Grande valley, every sccptical "old-umcr'
aud Doubling Thomas" could see. i'm the mar
vclous beauty of ms blossom time. the splendid
orchard that q. D. Clark has brought % malur.
ity SiN miles south OF Albuquerque. there would
he more enthusiasm for the reclamation Of this
valley than now exists. and more activity to-
ward bringing IL about.
Mr.. Clark has accomplished what the doubt
ing Thomascs said could not be- done ,u the
middle Rio Grande valley. lie has produced
u successful commercial apple orchard from
which a substantial financial reward will be
realized. Unless there should come a very late
killing frost, which is not now likely. the or
chHrd Mr.. Clark began to create eleven Years
ago will produce au cnurmol, crop of the very
best commercial varieties oi apples this year.
Up 90 tli, time Iro,ts have NOT hurt the apple
buds. Those killed hy thc trosi> are hardly
enough 60 save the trees from ovcrlondiug.
just now this orchard is iu the glory of full
blossom II is q privilege 30 gaze down its
even, carefully pruned rows, now lanes OF
bloom. N is a lesson "a what knowledge, en-
crgy aud courage can accomplish. II is ralcu-
lated 10 make those of ms who have held that
fruit growing is Improbable and not practi
cal ia this valley ashamed of our ignorance.
This orchard. more than 5000 thriving trees,
grows on the slipping bench land east Of the
Rio Grandc. II is irrigated from o single So
foot we'll. from which an electrically driven
pump delivers 400 gallons of water q minute
when IL is needed. Not q drop Of water IS
wasted. Not a drain ditch or tile is needed
What was q stretch Of sand dunes is now an
apple orchard as thriving and as successful as
any land can boast.
And in our hide-bound reluctance 10 try amy.
thing in the way Of farming hcrcabouts that
hadn't been done by the Indians before the
Spaniards came, We said this thing could not
be done.
Il is perfectly true that the late irosts iu this
valley are q menace 20 unprotected nrcAariIug
and that smudging will be- necessary 10 insure
annual cropping. II is true that even with
smudging am occasional crop IS likely 60 bee
lost. But by utilizing the bench lands above
the line Of heavy frostS, and by drawing on
the unlimited water supply that is IN the val
ley's nnderflow, there is almost no limit 10
what may be- accomplished in successful and
highly profitable fruit culture.
A io2en orchards like the one here referred
TO would make Albuquerque q very important
factor IN the apple market. particularly in our
own region where apples are as costly as
oranges and much harder 10 get.
The more one studies the agricultural re-
sources and possibilities of this middle Rio
Graude valley the more one is bound 10 be con
WINGED Of the almost limitless opportunity for
development that is here al our hand. and the
more difficult il becomes 10 understand the
bland Indifference not only of land owners. but
particularly Of the bushes. interests Of this
city 10 This development which, II il We're ac-
complishcd. would douhle The population Of Al
buquerqne. far more than double the tributary
population and increase many times over the
volume Of wholesale and retail business in
every line.
Three men circulating petitions for members
in the Middle Rio Grande Valley association,
now being organized for flood protection and
reclamation, had secured one hundred sigma.
lures up to last saturday night. There should
have been a thousand voluntary signatures.
There would have been that many had our bus
mess land property owning interests rnder-
stood the possibilities for Development that
are Involved, The apparent lack Of this IN.
derstdnding makes one wonder il we are cursed
with ingrowing vision or if we are Of solid
svorvifrom the collar line up.
The Omaha Bee remarks that "a man ia
whom the whole world looks dirty should clean
his glhsses."
WEI respectfully recommend the advice "a
=. Dl..l.t IS tha naxYn ~ tha New hay