THE CENTRAL RIO GRANDE VALLEY 



17 



bles are produced all year round, one especially equipped truck gardener 

 selling an average of thirty dozen bunches each of lettuce, onions and 

 radishes per day, every day in the year. 



Asparagus is one of the special crops which produce large profits. 

 It has been demonstrated that asparagus can be made to produce $1,000 

 per acre net, in this valley. 



Aside from a few large and very profitable orchards fruit growing 

 has not been developed to any considerable extent in this valley. There 

 are large orchards near Bernalillo, Albuquerque, Los Lunas and Belen 



the profits from which have demonstrated 

 APPLES, PEACHES, the tremendous commercial possibilities of 



PEARS GRAPES ETC ^^^^ fruit growing industry. These profits 



have attracted notice and the industry is now 

 receiving a great deal of attention. The next few years will bring many 

 young orchards into bearing and within five years fruit gro\ying on a 

 large scale will have been fully established. The opportunities for large 

 returns are very attractive. 



As elsewhere in New Mexico the apple is the chief fruit crop. A 

 dozen of the better known standard varieties flourish here and the yield in 

 ordinary years is large, some thinning usually being necessary. The 

 fruit may be sold on the trees if desired. The market, particularly for 

 winter apples, is dependable. 



Peaches, while not so dependable a crop as apples, because of the 

 light spring frosts which sometimes catch the early blooming varieties, 

 produce .abundantly and a fruit which is unsurpassed in size, coloring 

 and flavor. The Rio Grande Valley peach is in great demand. 



Pears do splendidly. The trees are long lived, come into bearing 

 quickly, and produce large crops of fine fruit. Apricots also grow finely 

 in all parts of the valley. The small fruit grown by the Pueblo Indians 



is a delicious 

 fruit and with 

 the proper care 

 which is now 

 being given it 

 by some grow- 

 ers is improv- 

 ing both in size 

 and flavor. 

 Plums do well, 

 the crop from 

 the so - called 

 native trees be- 

 i n g abundant 

 and in demand 

 for preserving. 



Last, but by 



Public Librar.v, Albu«!uer(ine 130 mcanS Icast 



