2268 NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



in any other group. A few of the later blooming varie- 

 ties are the Wild Goose, Omaha, Wayland, Golden 

 Beauty and Victor. 



Cherries are not grown on a large scale at the present 

 time, though trees of the sour varieties may be found 

 growing in almost all of the fruit-growing districts. The 

 sweet cherries do not seem to do nearly so well as the 

 sour varieties. The Ostheim, Early Richmond, Mont- 

 morency and English Morello are some of the more 

 popular sour cherries. The cherry trees, as well as the 

 plum trees, are comparatively short-lived and in the 

 lower and warmer valleys they are more or less subject 

 to sun-scald. 



The area devoted to grapes is not very large, though 

 favorable climatic and soil conditions may be found in 

 different horticultural districts. In the cooler and 

 higher altitudes, the conditions are favorable for the 

 American varieties, though very few American grapes 

 are, at the present time, being grown in New Mexico. 

 These varieties may be grown very satisfactorily in 

 districts Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. More grapes 

 have been grown in district No. 2 than in all of the 

 other districts put together. Varieties of the vinifera 

 grape seem to be very satisfactory. Large vineyards are 

 to be found in this locality, mostly of the old Mission 

 grape. During later years, Thompson's Seedless, Chas- 

 selas, Black Hamburg, Muscat of Alexandria, Purple 

 Damascus, Black Cornichon, Tokay, and Black Ferrara 

 have been added to these plantations. The European 

 grape grows and bears very satisfactorily, but it is some- 

 what tender and is liable to be winter-killed occasionally. 



Much has been said about growing the date palm and 

 figs in New Mexico. The winter temperatures are much 

 too low, even in the warmer and lower valleys of the 

 state, for the date palm to grow. The plant makes a 

 good growth in the summer but it cannot stand the 

 winter temperatures. The fig is a little more hardy and 

 will stand zero temperatures frequently in the lower and 

 warmer valleys. While the fig tree cannot be grown on 

 a commercial scale, a few specimens may be planted in 

 home plantations in southern New Mexico. The best 

 results from these trees can be secured when they are 

 planted either on the south or east side of a house or 

 wall. When planted on the north or west side of the 

 house, they are more liable to be winter-killed. 



The small-fruits can be grown very satisfactorily. 

 At the present time there are no large plantations in the 

 state. On the whole, the best small-fruits are to be 

 found growing in the higher districts. Strawberries, 

 gooseberries and currants do well in the lower and 

 warmer valleys and at the present time there is con- 

 siderable interest being taken in strawberry-culture. 



While, up to the present time, most of the horticultural 

 industries have been the growing of fruits and vege- 

 tables, nursery and floricultural work is now attracting 

 considerable interest. In the last two or three years a 

 few nurseries have been started, mostly in district 

 No. 5. Not much attention has been given, so far, to 

 nut-culture in this state, though a few small experimen- 

 tal orchards of pecans, as well as a number of almond' 

 and English (Persian) walnut trees, have been set out. 



Many vegetables can be grown satisfactorily. Among 

 the most promising ones are asparagus, cantaloupes, 

 melons, tomatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, red peppers, 

 cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, peas, and beans. Because 

 of the great distance to large vegetable markets, it is 

 necessary to grow those vegetables which are less per- 

 ishable and can stand shipping a long distance. Spinach 

 in districts Nos. 1,2, 3, and 5, can be grown very satis- 

 factorily, particularly in the southern parts of districts 

 Nos. 2 and 5. From there it may be shipped to the 

 northern and eastern markets during January, Febru- 

 ary and March. Spinach in these districts yields from 

 two to four tons an acre. 



Sweet potatoes are grown all over the state, wherever 

 irrigation is possible. Such varieties as the Southern 



Queen and Red and White Bermuda grow very large 

 and produce from 15,000 to 20,000 pounds an acre. The 

 Yellow Nansemond and Yellow Jersey are the best 

 commercial varieties, but they are not so large, yielding 

 about 15,000 pounds an acre. 



One of the most promising vegetables that will stand 

 long shipments is the onion. Most of the varieties of 

 onions will grow well; in the higher and cooler districts, 

 varieties of the American type, such as the Brown 

 Australian, Yellow Danvers, Red Weathersfield and 

 White Globe are the most suitable. These varieties are 

 more popular in the local markets than the larger grow- 

 ing kinds, but are not considered so profitable when 

 they have to be shipped to eastern markets. On the 

 other hand, the large-growing and mild varieties, such 

 as the Giant Gibraltar, White Tripoli, and Denias are 

 very suitable for the warmer and lower valleys, par- 

 ticularly in districts Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 5. The Denia onion 

 is being grown in fairly large quantities in these districts. 



Chile, or pepper, is a vegetable that has been grown 

 for many years by the Mexican gardeners. It does 

 exceedingly well, particularly in the lower and warmer 

 valleys. The season in the higher altitudes is not long 

 enough for it to ripen satisfactorily. Under favorable 

 conditions it will produce a very large crop. The chile 

 may be used in the green stage or in the red ripe form. 

 It can also be canned in the green stage. The ripe chile 

 may be used in the pod or powder form. 



Tomatoes are grown rather extensively in districts 

 Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 5. At Lakewood there is a tomato 

 cannery, which is putting up some very good tomatoes. 

 In the higher altitudes the season is not long enough for 

 tomatoes to ripen satisfactorily. 



Many other vegetables can be grown, and many of 

 the more perishable ones are grown by the local truck- 

 growers for local or nearby markets. 



One of the first crops that the new farmer usually 

 tries to grow, and the one that he first fails with, is the 

 Irish potato. Unless he is at an altitude of about 7,000 

 to 8,000 feet, he is not likely to succeed very satisfac- 

 torily in the growing of Irish potatoes. For one reason 

 or another, Irish potatoes do not produce satisfactory 

 yields in the lower and warmer parts of the state. The 

 best potato-growing districts in New Mexico are found 

 in the higher and cooler parts. New Mexico grows a 

 large amount of potatoes at these higher altitudes, but 

 practically none is grown in the lower and warmer 

 valleys. 



The Catholic priests first set put plantations of Mis- 

 sion grapes up and down the Rio Grande Valley in the 

 early periods. Later such early settlers as T. J. Bull, 

 Thomas Casad, Rafael Ruelas, Rafael Bermudas and 

 Roman Gonzalez were prominent figures in the devel- 

 opment of horticulture in district No. 2, while the late 

 Archbishop Lamy and Caspar Ortiz, James J. Johnson, 

 and Major Sena were among the early settlers to take 

 much interest in the horticulture of district No. 8; and 

 W. L. Thomson, and A. Ancheta were the pioneers in 

 horticulture in district No. 1. The first one to start 

 fruit-growing in district No. 5 was the late J. J. Hag- 

 erman who became the largest apple-grower in the 

 Pecos Valley. 



Public-service agencies for horticulture. 



The Land-Grant Agricultural College is located in 

 the Mesilla Valley in south-central New Mexico near 

 Las Cruces, at State College. It was established in 1889. 

 There are four instructors in horticulture on the teach- 

 ing staff. 



The United States Experiment Station is located at 

 the same place as the College. There are eighteen on 

 the station staff. 



There are no special schools in the state where teach- 

 ing in horticulture is undertaken. Some elementary 

 horticulture is taught in some of the high-schools of the 

 state. 



