98 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 



argue the case in the newspapers and publish books to convince 

 them that to adopt our system is the way and the only way open to 

 reliance upon a full and perfect crop year in and year out. 



Having in previous chapter made mention of the subterranean 

 river in lower California, where, in the midst of the desert is found 

 a valley of perpetual green abounding in rarest productions of the 

 fruits of the earth, we proceed to quote from the article referred to, 

 as it appeared in Harper's Monthly for April, under head of "Along 

 the Rio Grande." 



"It was the wonderful fertility of the far-famed Mesilla which 

 led to its purchase from Mexico by the United States, under the 

 Gadsden treaty, moving the boundary about thirty miles south- 

 ward and making American citizens of the Mesilleros. La Mesilla 

 is a charming looking place with luxuriant gardens and noble 

 trees densely shading its streets. The United States land office for 

 the southern part of New Mexico is here, and the great excess in 

 the number of paid up mining claims over those of the northern 

 district at Santa Fe, speaks well for the prosperity of the mining 

 interest of the section. 



"Contemplating the uncultivated soil, one wonders where the 

 Mesilla Valley got its fame for fertility, since it apparently consists 

 of barren sand, tufted with rank weeds. But an abundance of 

 sunshine and water, works wonders here, as is testified by the rich 

 tilled fields, and the many beautiful orchards and vineyards. The 

 profits of agriculture here are great. One of the leading citizens 

 of Mesilla, is said to have an annual income of something like ten 

 thousand dollars from eighteen acres of vineyard and orchard. 

 Several hundred acres of prairie land would hardly accomplish so 

 much. The mildness of the climate is shown by the existence of a 

 beautiful large fig tree in the patio of one of the Mesilla houses. 

 Considerable Mesilla wine is now taken east by the railway, and it 



