the growing season, seems to develop a larger percentage of sugar in the beet than in almost any other section of the United States in which tests have been made. It appears from tests made at the experimental station last year that Santa Fe grown beets weighing over 10 pounds tested over 12 per cent sugar content, and smaller beets of less than 20 ounces contained more than 20 per cent of sugar.

The yield per acre with irrigation appears to be merely a matter of care and skill in cultivation and in handling the crop under our conditions of climate. The tendency in overirrigation is to produce a large beet of small sugar content. On the other hand, on the prevailing sandy clay soil about Santa Fe, from 10 to 12 tons of small beets of large sugar content may be grown with even less water for irrigation than is usually given an average crop of corn. For sugar making the beet most desired should weigh less than 20 ounces and contain more than 15 per cent of sugar; and for the raising of this beet New Mexico has the necessary soil, sunshine, water, and cheap labor to successfully grow in almost any quantity desired. It is not alone in the produc ion of sugar beets of superior quality that New Mexico invites the attention of the sugar-making interest in the country; her railroad facilities for delivering beets at a common point centrally located for the manufac ture of sugar in the Territory are all that can be desired. Both at Santa Fe and at Albuquerque may be located sugar factories, convenient to the ample supply of good water, cheap fuel, the best of limestone in unlimited supply for factory use, and reliable local labor. The Rio Grande Valley, and especially in the neighborhood of Santa Fe, has been the home of a native population for many generations accustomed to small truck farming and gardening with irrigation, and are already skilled in the light labor required for the cultivation of the sugar beet.

It is rare indeed that all or so many of the conditions for successful beet sugar production may be found in the same locality.

Nature has indeed been generous in endowing New Mexico in this particular interest.

GYPSUM.

In south Santa Fe County, in the county of San Miguel, and in several other places in New Mexico, are to be found large deposits of this mineral. In Donna Ana County, on the San Augustin Plains, there exists the largest deposit of gypsum known in the world, of an exceedingly pure character. The location of this deposit is unique. The San Augustin Plain is about 150 miles in length from north to south, and from 30 to 60 miles from east to west. Near Whiteoaks, in Lincoln County, in the midst of this plain, is the crater of an ancient volcano, the lava from which has flown in a southerly direction like a stream of water for a distance of 60 or 70 miles, varying in width from one half to 3 miles. At the southern end of this stream of lava there is a small stream of salt water flowing into a salt lake, about 1 mile in width, and 13 miles in length. At the southern end of this lake the bed of gypsum begins, and extends in a southerly direction down the center of the plain, adjoining what appears to be an ancient river bed, almost without a break for a distance of 50 miles. The gypsum bed varies from 5 to 20 miles in width. It is granulated in character, white as the driven snow, and seems to be piled up on the plain like snowdrifts, requiring no labor for mining or for handling. 1 can not more accurately describe its appearance than by comparing it to granulated sugar.

If you should take granulated sugar in one hand and the gyp

sum in the other it would be difficult to tell one from the other by sight or touch. The body of gypsum stands from 10 to 40 feet above the surrounding plain, and the line is as distinctly marked as the sand upon the ocean beach.

CARBONATE AND SULPHATE OF SODA.

Immediately adjoining this extensive deposit of gypsum upon the west, and in what is apparently the bed of an ancient river or lake, exists a deposit of carbonate and sulphate of soda, carrying about 15 per cent of carbonate of soda, 20 per cent of sulphate of soda, 4 per cent of borax, the remainder being mostly moisture and sulphate of lime. This deposit is about 1 mile wide and 5 miles in length. Its depth is unknown. At from 2 to 4 feet below the surface water is encountered, which is largely impregnated with these minerals and with chloride of sodium. Explorations have been made in several places throughout the deposits by driving down tubes to a depth of from 20 to 30 feet without discovering any change in the character of the deposit.

There is also a considerable deposit of carbonate of soda near Manzano, in the county of Valencia, and near Wagon Mound, in the county of Mora.

KAOLIN AND FIRE CLAYS.

These valuable minerals have been found in considerable quantities in several places in the Territory. The most notable deposit of fire clay worked to any considerable extent is situated near Socorro, in Socorro County. There has been a recent discovery of a large deposit of kaolin and fire clays in the suburbs of Santa Fe of superior quality. Efforts are now being made to utilize these clays at the Territorial prison. In the immediate vicinity there is also found a considerable bed of graphite, and it is hoped that in the near future it will be extensively worked.

ALUM.'

A large deposit of alum has been opened on the Gila River. It is reported to be of great commercial value, and is now being worked to some extent. With proper railroad facilities these alum beds and the beds of gypsum and soda, heretofore referred to, would become the most productive properties in the Territory.

PRECIOUS STONES.

In describing the mineral resources of New Mexico, the native precious stones are worthy of mention, as they are steadily rising in popular estimation and production.

Traditionally this Territory has been noted as having produced some remarkable gems, and recent developments are proving the older records to have been correct. It is only recently that scientific research and skilled labor have been directed to this purpose. The result is a steady increase of expert prospecting and labor in development, which, though only fairly begun, has resulted in finding many varieties of precious and semiprecious stones.

The estimated production and value of gems up to the year 1890 can be found in the census reports of that year. It is worthy of remark that the amount and the value thereof are understated, the facilities for correct and full information being limited.

Since that time the annual product has more than doubled, and is still increasing. Diligent prospecting has revealed new deposits, and the industry bids fair at present to become a large item in the economic resources of the Territory.

The gems found in New Mexico, in the order of their value, are emeralds, there being one now cut in Santa Fe which weighs 1 karat and is of fine quality. Many other smaller ones have been found, although no expert search has been made for them thus far. A very recent find, next in value, is a gem resembling the ruby in respect of color, brilliancy, and hardness. Of these, quantities are found frequently associated with peridots and garnets, but differing from the latter in being harder and of a different specific gravity and form of crystallization. The range of color is from a light rose or pink to that of a bright red garnet. Though no very large ones have been found, yet gems cut from those found have sold at $20 to $50 each, while their numbers and merits have made them a decided acquisition to the list of precious stones of New Mexico, which must, when more widely known, create for them a large demand.

The turquoise deposits of the Territory are too well known to require an extended description. It is only necessary to state that while some of these gems have been famed in Europe for centuries, yet in the United States they have never met the appreciation their merits and rank as gems deserve until the last few years; now they are in great demand, having been pronounced by experts equal, if not superior, to the Per sian turquoise. There are single gems from Santa Fe County, now in New York, held as high as $4,000, and some in Santa Fe of nearly equal size and quality.

This sudden appreciation has given a stimulus to further research, resulting in finding large turquoise deposits near Silver City, in the Hatchitas and Cow Spring mountains, of great merit. One of the new discoveries is phenomenally large, considering quantity of production, size, and color of stones found in it.

In addition to the above-named are found native euclase; the so-called Montana sapphires, garnets, milk and fire opals, peridots, a great variety of fine agates, besides petrified woods, fit for inlaying, mosaic work, or jewelry. Gold and silver quartz valuable for fine work in jewelry are produced from various mines.

COAL.

Chief among them is that of coal, of which there are large beds of bituminous situated in nearly every county in the Territory, and an extensive body of anthracite coal near Cerrillos, in southern Santa Fe County.