THE IRRIGATION AGE. 83 



sources of water supply and on the headwaters of the San Juan some 

 dry farming is practiced. Small storage basins are located at various 

 places, but the rivers are the main sources of water supply. 



San Juan in the northwest has many farms at an elevation of about 

 6,000 feet. Alfalfa is the principle crop, but all kinds of temperate 

 fruits do well, especially along the river bottom. Ditches are small 

 and do not cover the finest land on the mesas. San Miguel county 

 consists chiefly of plains where irrigation canals have not been built. 

 The small valleys are cultivated to a limited extent. Santa Fe county 

 has numerous small farms and gardens along the streams where irri- 

 gation is possible by means of small individual ditches. Sierra is 

 mostly mountainous and contains very few .small farms. Mining and 

 stockraising occupy the attention of the citizens. Socorro includes 

 much of the Rio Grande valley and contains many small farms. Min- 

 ing and stockraising are the leading industries. Taos in the north 

 contains quite an extensive area of agricultural land. The native 

 Mexicans own most of the ditches and cultivate land after their ancient 

 patterns. 



Valencia contains only small farms along the stream and has not 

 been very much developed. One peculiarity about the old Mexican 

 land holdings is the description of many claims given in yards instead 

 of acres. The land has been divided and sub-divided so often that a 

 farm will be described as "30 yards ditch front and 1,000 yards back 

 to the bluff," thus giving every claimant enough land on the ditch to 

 get his water without crossing another's possessions. Whatever may 

 be said of the old manners and customs of New Mexico the modern 

 canals and up-to-date farmers- are all that homeseekers desire. The 

 climate is mild and heathful, the soil rich and productive, water abun- 

 dant if properly reservoired and the opportunities for further indepen- 

 dence are as good here as in many of the apparently more advanced 

 and better favored western states. 



