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are all allowed to grow as they please during the summer, and at the regular pruning in March these canes are cut back to one or two eyes, from which spring the bearing canes. Of course as the vines get old too many spurs are made, and many of them too long, when some of them must be cut out altogether. Under this system most of the grapes seem to thrive very well, although there is a great deal of careless staking and training in the early life of the vines, resulting in difficult pruning later on, and many of the bunches get spoiled by the mud, owing to the want of good, straight, strong trunks to hold up the fruit.

There is considerable difference of opinion as to whether the grapevines need to be hilled up during the winter in this valley. The old custom among the natives has been to cover the vines with hills of earth in the month of November and not to uncover until the following March, when it is time to prune. The mounds of earth are raised sufficiently high to just cover the buds which are to be left for the coming year. No irrigation is given during the winter, or until after pruning.

The object of this hilling up is not to protect the vines so much from the winter cold as from the cold, drying winds, which cause the trunk to crack and the canes to winterkill. It is, however, claimed by those who have tried it in recent years that if the vineyards be irrigated during the winter these dry, cold winds do no harm and the vines thrive better. Pruning is usually done in March, but earlier grapes are produced when the vines are pruned in the fall.

Undoubtedly much better results would be obtained if the vines were wider apart, better trained, and the surface soil kept well pulverized throughout the year. People taking up this industry would be well repaid for the care given their vineyards in the sale of their grapes at good prices-soon becoming independent.

VEGETABLES.

Most every kind of vegetable can be raised in this Territory, except, perhaps, the Irish potato in some localities. The potato is a native of the mountain country in its wild state, and in the central and western parts of Socorro County, along the northern line of Colfax County, and extending southward for 100 miles along the base of the mountains, the finest potatoes in the world are grown. The raising of this crop requires very little work, and the yield is very large. But new upland ground is required, all efforts to produce potatoes on the low, irrigated valley lands having signally failed.

Turnips, carrots, ruta-bagas, and cabbage all do well. Of the latter, it is no uncommon thing to see heads weighing from 20 to 30 pounds, and occasionally one that weighs several pounds more. Cabbages are worth from 1 to 5 cents per pound, depending upon the season of the year when they are sold. Onions excel in size and flavor, and are a good paying crop.

FRUITS.

The fruit industry is coming to the front rapidly, and people coming to this Territory to settle learn that fine fruit can be produced here with much less trouble than in the States. There are many magnificent orchards in this Territory. The size and variety of fruits raised

would astonish and delight our Eastern orchardists. A large evaporator has been built at Santa Fe and another at Farmington, San Juan County, has just been completed.

Apples flourish luxuriantly. Pears, quinces, and plums appear to be in their native clime. The strawberry, currant, gooseberry, raspberry, and blackberry all thrive vigorously. The valley along the Rio Grande appears to be particularly adapted to all kinds of fruits, although all sections of New Mexico susceptible of cultivation will produce the finest variety of fruits and most abundantly.

CEREALS.

Wheat, in quality, size, and quantity, is not excelled anywhere in the United States. Corn does well, and oats grow luxuriantly, but are generally cut green and fed in the straw.

TIMBER.

Both hard and soft pine, spruce, oak, cedar, walnut, mountain ash, quaking asp, box elder, cottonwood, etc., are all found in great abundance.

LUMBER INDUSTRY.

Extensive pine forests in New Mexico make the lumber industry here an important one. All over the Territory individuals are erecting sawmills, whose product is demanded and utilized by the people who use lumber for building purposes in the place of the ancient adobe. The profits of lumbering are large.

HORTICULTURE.

The first annual report of the New Mexico Horticultural Society, covering the year 1899, has just been issued. It contains an account of the fruit exhibit held last year in the city of Santa Fe and the efforts of the society to awaken an interest in horticulture and stimulate, by offering suitable prizes, the production of valuable varietjes of fruit.

The exhibit referred to was highly successful. It brought together a display which in many respects was remarkable. It showed that New Mexico, in the variety of its fruit products, having regard to quality as well as species, stands in the foremost rank among fruitproducing parts of the United States. Some States may produce certain species of fruit of superior quality to any yet produced in New Mexico, but the same States may fall short in respect of certain other species in which New Mexico may excel; so that it is in the uniformly high grade of its fruits that New Mexico surpasses the other parts of the Union.

Horticulture is a business to which the people of New Mexico may well give great attention. It would be practicable for them to supply large quantities of excellent fruit to the markets of the Mississippi Valley and the lake region. The climate of their Territory will admit of placing the products of their orchards and vineyards in the market

at an earlier date than many competitive places, and care and experience in cultivation would in time enable them to produce varieties of a very superior grade.

Practically all the irrigated valleys of the Territory are adapted to fruit growing. The soil of the Rio Grande and Pecos valleys, for instance, is highly fertile, and irrigation has demonstrated its adaptability to both viticulture and horticulture. A good quality of wine could be produced by care in selecting the proper species of grapes. This has already been shown by what has been achieved in that direction. Altogether, the New Mexico Horticultural Society has an excellent opportunity for the accomplishment of a work of enormous value to the Territory.

Our horticultural fair was pronounced by all the most comprehensive and evenly balanced exhibition of fruits of all kinds ever seen, and it has stamped New Mexico as the most perfect fruit-growing section of the world, and while there are many exhibitions on a much larger scale, and some which might excel in some particular fruit, there is none which includes such a splendid showing of fruits of all kinds. There is one very noticeable thing about the fruit of New Mexico, and that is it is entirely free from insects of all kinds, is firm, and of very fine flavor. During the course of this fair it was visited by those familiar with the American Institute fairs in New York, with State fairs of the East, as well as those of Colorado and California, and all concurred that the fruit excelled anything seen before at similar fairs.

Among the exhibits were 246 entries of apples, 34 of crab apples, 125 of pears: 58 of peaches, 108 of plums, 13 of apricots, 37 of nectarines. 15 of quinces, 36 of grapes, 12 of nuts, etc.

When the premium list was published the criticism was made that the number of varieties of fruits required for the first premiums were so large that no entries of that character could be made. The schedule called for 40 varieties of apples, 40 of pears, 20 of plums, 5 of apricots, 5 of nectarines, etc. The result showed that our horticulturists are raising a much larger variety of fruits than was generally supposed, as in all the above cases the required number was actually exceeded.

Among the notable specimens were the following: Largest apple, weight, 23 ounces; circumference, 154 inches. Red Beitigheimer, weight, 184 ounces. Gravenstein, 14 ounces and 13 inches. Russet, 134 ounces and 134 inches, etc.

Among the pears a Bartlett weighing 18 ounces, and an Idaho weighing 18 ounces were noticed.

The Agricultural College (of New Mexico) exhibit showed a peach weighing 10 ounces, and a Pride of the Rio Grande weighed 103

ounces.

A bunch of Muscat grapes, grown as far north as Espanola, weighed 25 ounces, though not ripe; and Stanwick nectarines from the same locality reached 54 ounces in weight.

No premiums were offered for vegetables and no provision made for their exhibition, but so many excellent specimens were brought in voluntarily that it is evident that arrangements should be made to include them as well as floral displays at subsequent exhibitions.

The horticultural fair which has just closed here was a great success from every point.

MEMBERSHIP AND INCOME OF THE NEW MEXICO HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, INCORPORATED AS A TERRITORIAL INSTITUTION IN 1886.

The number of life members is 17; of annual members, 166.

As life membership practically cuts off future income, the society has decided to lay aside half of the sum received from life members as a permanent fund for the purchase of land or erection of buildings in the future.

The total receipts of the society during the past year were $712.40.

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[George Vestal, agriculturist and horticulturist, New Mexico Agricultural College Experiment

Station.]

AGRICULTURE.

Our agriculture is carried on by the aid of irrigation, and when water is plentiful abundant crops are produced. In San Juan, Rio Grande, Pecos Valley, and other parts of the Territory modern farms exist, and when well managed are profitable. When a system of storing flood waters is put in operation immense areas will be put into cultivation. Alfalfa is the principal crop raised, producing three to four cuttings each season, yielding 3 to 5 tons of hay. It is an excellent feed, and most work horses receive no other at any time of the year, and remain in good condition even when continually worked. Wheat is largely raised, principally by the Mexicans. Rye and barley also do well. The experiments carried on with sugar beets at this station and by farmers in different parts of the Territory during the past year conclusively prove that beets of the highest quality can be produced in nearly every section of the Territory. Beets were produced which showed 10 to 22 per cent sucrose, great numbers of the samples running 14 to 17 per cent. The cultivation of the sugar beet is susceptible of a great development. Kaffir corn has proved to be a good crop in this climate and is largely cultivated in some sections. There are many crops not now cultivated which would prove profitable if attention were directed to them. Many sections of New Mexico, by reason of altitude or other conditions, have climates peculiarly their own, which would prove well adapted to some particular crop which would suggest itself to any live farmer. One great advantage the farmer has here over the eastern farmer is the ease by which he can preserve his crops. The dry, pure air retards decay to a great extent, and the absence of heavy dews and rains enables him to harvest and store his crops with but little waste.

HORTICULTURE.

It is in horticulture that New Mexico may expect her greatest development. The soil, when properly cultivated and irrigated, and the climate seem to be peculiarly adapted to the production of fine fruit. The soil is supplied with such essential elements for tree growth as lime, potash, etc., in such abundance as to be practically inexhaustible. These fertilizers form a large part of the expense bill of the fruit grower of the humid region. Our sunny climate produces a large, fine-flavored, highcolored, attractive-looking fruit, which greatly adds to its selling qualities.

The fruit industry of the Territory is still undeveloped. True, fruit growing has been largely carried on in San Juan County, the Rio Grande, and Pecos Valley, and large quantities of fruit have been shipped to near-by and distant markets, successfully competing with fruit from other States; but the large area comprising the small valleys, mesas, and level tracts, when supplied with irrigating waters, will produce such fruits as their climates will mature in larger quantities and to a greater perfection than any other part of the United States.

VEGETABLES.

Vegetables of all kinds reach their highest development in the parts of the Territory having climates favorable to their growth, and when properly cultivated yield enormously. The quality of our fruits and vegetables will compare favorably with those produced anywhere. The celery of Bernalillo and Chaves counties has gained a wide reputation for its crispness and fine flavor, and is quite largely shipped to adjoining States. The cabbage of northern New Mexico has been known for years to be as fine as can be produced. The tomatoes of the Mesilla Valley, when canned, are superior to any yet brought to this market, and the demand for them is rapidly increasing.

TEN ACRES ENOUGH.

[W. S. Burke.]

WHAT A MAN CAN DO WITH A SMALL TRACT OF LAND UNDER IRRIGATION,

Sweet potatoes of most excellent quality yield abundantly in all the valleys of the central and southern portions of the Territory, and constitute one of the best crops that the farmer can raise, because they enable him to realize a good return for his season's work from a very small tract of land, which is an important consideration to a farmer anywhere, but especially so to one in an irrigation country. The soil and climate of this country seem to be peculiarly adapted to the growth of the sweet potato; the quality of the product is fully equal to that of the famous potatoes of New Jersey, and a fair average crop will give from 900 to 1,000 bushels to the acre with proper cultivation. They never sell for less in the fall than $1 a bushel, and those that are kept into the winter usually bring as much as $2. From this it will be seen that 1 acre cultivated to sweet potatoes in New Mexico will yield the farmer as much money as he can hope to realize in a good year from 80 acres of corn or wheat in Kansas or Nebraska, and since the results are to be measured by dollars and not by acres, it will be apparent to anyone that the irrigation farmer, although he may not be able to cultivate fields as broad as those of his neighbor in the rain belt, has a better prospect of success and a decidedly better chance of a bank account at the end of the year.

The onion is another product that seems to be peculiarly adapted to this section of the country. The large white Spanish onion, which grows to greater perfection in the Southwest than anywhere else in the United States, affords one of the most profitable crops that can be grown in this Territory, and requires irrigation to bring it to perfection. On account of its beautiful silvery color and its peculiar mild flavor, this onion finds ready sale in any part of the country and always brings the highest market price. The yield is about 500 bushels to the acre under proper cultivation, and the price at home ranges from $1 to $2.50 per bushel.

Celery and asparagus are also articles which are especially adapted to the soil and climate of this country, and attain here a degree of excellence rarely found in such articles grown elsewhere.

The New Mexico celery is far superior to that grown in California and is pronounced by all who try it fully equal in all respects to the famous Kalamazoo product, which is noted throughout the country for its superiority.

And when it comes to asparagus New Mexico can fairly claim to "beat the world,” for nowhere else on the American continent is there raised asparagus which can at all compare with that grown in the valley of central and southern New Mexico. In many places there are large quantities of saltpeter in the soil (the American settlers call it "alkali," because it comes to the surface after a rain and makes the ground white, causing it to resemble the alkali of the north). This article, which is deleterious to many kinds of vegetables, is the favorite food of asparagus and obviates the necessity of applying salt to the ground, as has been done wherever this vegetable is grown in the Eastern or Middle States. It also causes the plant to attain a degree of excellence and flavor in this country which is unknown elsewhere. During April and May, the months when the cutting is done, the shoots will attain, under favorable conditions, a growth of about 6 inches in a day, every particle of which is edible; there is no woody portion to be thrown away-the whole stock is as soft and tender as green peas, and the flavor is proportionately superior. Sample lots of New Mexico asparagus have been sent to many parts of the country, and the verdict is everywhere the same, "The best I ever saw." It is not only better than that grown in the East, but is so much better that its superiority is noticeable at once even to the casual observer. Actual experience has shown that it will bear shipping to Portland, Me., and that is as far away from New Mexico as you can get in the United States; so the 6487-16

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