16 THE CENTRAL RIO GRANDE VALLEY 



In Bear Canyon, Sandla Mountains. East of Albuquerque 



crop will bring about the same price, growers finding a net profit of 

 from $500 to $750 per acre. 



If the profits from Alfalfa, onions, beets and other field crops are 

 large, they are completely overshadowed by the earnings from truck 

 gardening. Several of the largest incomes in New Mexico today are 



enjoyed by men who own truck gardens in 

 TRUCK GARDENING the vicinity of Albuquerque. The ready mar- 

 ket, so absolutely essential in trucking, is found 

 in Albuquerque and in the constantly growing demands of the cities and 

 towns along the Santa Fe railroad north, south, east and west. There is 

 a ready market, at high prices, for every pound of truck that can be 

 grown in this valley. 



Melons are grown extensively by a few gardners for the local and 

 immediate southwestern market. Cantaloupes will not become a large 

 shipping crop immediately owing to the competition of the established 

 Rocky Ford district where the crop ripens at about the same time. The 

 local demand, however,' is enormous and the acreage could be doubled 

 many times without crowding the market, while the flavor of the melon 

 grown here is quite the equal of the Rocky Ford or Brawley product. 



The same conditions are true of watermelons, which produce abim- 

 dantly and in exceptional quality. 



Celery is one of the prize truck crops. The plant produced here by 

 the Blueher and the Mann Brothers gardens is acknowledged to be 

 superior to the best Michigan product and celery from these gardens 

 is supplied to the Harvey eating house system from Chicago to San 

 Francisco upon yearl}'- contract while it is eagerly sought by the markets 

 of Denver and Los Angeles. 



Tomatoes, cabbages, cauliflower, beans, carrots, parsnips, turnips, all 

 produce abundantly and find ready markets while the small table ve^eta- 



