1082 



NEW JERSEY 



NEW MEXICO 



blackberries, raspberries, grapes, currants, cherries, 

 gooseberries, quinces and plums. 



These fruits are all grown to a greater or less degree 

 in the different parts of the state, but those mentioned, 

 except peaches and apples, are more largely grown in 

 the southern sections. The central part of the state is 

 the chief apple producer, while the northern, as we 

 have seen, is the peach section. In the accompanying 

 skeleton map (Fig. 1481) the numbers in the county 

 indicate its relative importance in total acreage devoted 

 to fruits, 1 being the largest. . The names of the two 

 fruits most largely grown in the different counties is 

 also given. While this well shows the general distri- 

 bution of the principal fruits, it does not give the chief 

 growing centers for all the fruits, which are as follows 

 (by counties) : 



Apples. Pears. Peaches. Strawberries. 



Monmouth, Burlington, Hunterdon, Cumberland, 

 Burlington. Monmouth. Sussex. Atlantic. 



Blackberries. Grapes. Raspberries. Currants. 

 Atlantic, Cumberland, Atlantic, Burlington, 



Cumberland. Atlantic. Monmouth. Essex. 



Gooseberries. Cherries. Quinces. Plums. 



Burlington, Burlington, Burlington. Caraden, 

 Camden. Camden. Cumberland. Burlington. 



Only in two counties, Burlington and Camden, are all 

 these fruits reported. In Cumberland all are grown 

 commercially except currants and gooseberries, while 

 in Essex the exceptions are blackberries and plums. 



The cranberry industry of the state is considered 

 apart from the above fruits. The annual yield is sec- 

 ond only to the output of the New England bogs, with 

 an occasional year when it exceeds that of New Eng- 

 land. In quality of fruit New England does not bear 

 the palm. Burlington county is the chief center of the 

 industry, though cranberry bogs are scattered through- 

 out the southern half of the state. From 100,000 

 to 125,000 bushels is the approximate annual yield 

 from Burlington county; Ocean county, from which 

 no other fruits are reported, is second in cranberry- 

 growing, with an annual yield of approximately 30,000 

 bushels. 



The truck industries of the state are large and varied, 

 but confined chiefly to the southern half. Monmouth 

 county is a section producing asparagus and tomatoes, 

 as well as other vegetables in wholesale quantities. As 

 an illustration of the extent of the asparagus industry, 

 the shipment of "grass" from one little way-station 

 amounted in one month to over 100 tons, beside quanti- 

 ties sent by boat from a near-by landing. 



The sweet potato is another of Jersey's noted products 

 that is grown in large quantities. They are admitted to 

 be the "sweetest of the sweets." 



Vegetable-forcing is a growing industry that is as yet 

 in its infancy. Already there are several plants ap- 

 proaching in size those that have made Arlington, 

 Mass., famous. 



The growing of cut-flowers is another horticultural 

 industry that has assumed immense proportions. The 

 northeastern part of the state is the center of this in- 

 dustry. Roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, violets, 

 mignonette and smilax are probably the most important 

 ones grown to supply the trade. To say that the indus- 

 try is large does not convey the right idea of its extent. 

 The fact that the value of roses alone annually reaches 

 into the hundreds of thousands of dollars will bear out 

 the statement that "the growing of cut-flowers has as- 

 sumed immense proportions." j^ T. JORDAN. 



NEW JEKSEY TEA. See Ceanothus. 



NEW MEXICO, HORTICULTURAL PROSPECTS OF. 



Fig. 1482. New Mexico includes so many diverse con- 

 ditions of climate and soil that no statements can be 

 made on horticultural subjects which are applicable to 

 the whole area. Indeed, every valley has its own special 

 features, and the problem of the future is to find or de- 

 velop such fruits, vegetables, cereals, and forage plants 

 as are best adapted to the several localities, so that each 

 cultivated area may produce a maximum crop of the 

 best quality. 



While it is impossible to enter into details within the 

 limits of a short article, it may be said, in brief, that the 

 following zones are well represented and of horticul- 

 tural importance in New Mexico: 



(1) Canadian zone: at about 8,000 to 9,000 feet. Ce- 

 reals can be cultivated successfully, and good pasturage 

 is found; but fruit trees, with one or two possible ex- 

 ceptions, will not withstand the cold. Irish potatoes do 

 very well in this zone. In this zone crops are often 

 grown witho.ut irrigation, as on the Sacramento moun- 

 tains in Otero county. 



(2) Transition zone: at about 7,000 feet, as at Santa 

 Fe. The deciduous fruit trees and all sorts of small 

 fruits do admirably. Corn also does very well, and 

 sugar beets have been grown with much success. 



(3) Upper Sonoran zone: at about 5,000 to 6,000 feet, 

 as at Albuquerque. Sweet potatoes and the European 

 grapes do very well, and the deciduous fruit trees are 

 largely grown. This is a good peach region, but apples 

 are less profitable than formerly, owing to the abun- 

 dance of the codlin moth, which increases very rapidly 

 owing to the warm climate. 



(4) Middle Sonoran zone: somewhat lower than the 

 last, as in the Mesilla valley and at Deming. Horticul- 

 turally, this resembles the last, but its native products 

 resemble those of the Lower Sonoran. ( See American 

 Naturalist, April, 1900.) Cotton can be grown, but is not 

 considered as a possible source of profit. 



T. D. A. COCKERELL. 



New Mexico lies altogether above the altitude of 

 3,000 feet. Some cultivated valleys, in which many 

 fruits and vegetables succeed, are as high as 7,000 feet. 

 This is the altitude of Santa F, where gardening and 

 orcharding are successful. It is mostly a country of 

 mountains and mountain valleys. The mountains reach 

 to 14,000 feet. The average height of New Mexican 

 valleys and arable areas probably exceeds 5,000 feet. 

 While the territory is very large, the area of the moun- 

 tain districts and of the arid and untillable hillsides is 

 so great in proportion that the lands suited to farming 

 and horticulture which can be irrigated when all water 

 resources are utilized, will* not much exceed 2,000,000 

 acres. A small proportion of this amount is at present 

 in actual cultivation. Of the acreage under cultivation, 

 agriculture claims the larger share. 



There is a possibility that as much as 500,000 acres 

 may ultimately be devoted to horticultural uses. The 

 preeminent adaptability of these soils, and of this cli- 

 mate, to all the garden, vineyard and orchard crops of 

 temperate latitudes, leads one to hope that the laws of 

 supply and demand will finally consign a large portion 

 of these arable lands to the uses of horticulture. 

 The precise conditions for successful horticultural pro- 

 duction are found in narrower areas in America than 

 those that favor common farm crops; hence when the 

 demands of the future American population crowd 

 the resources of supply of the higher orders of human 

 food, it will of necessity follow that the soils and con- 

 ditions that will yield the largest amounts of the most 

 valuable foods will be devoted to these ends. As this 

 time draws near a quarter to a half-century hence the 

 resources of New Mexico for the growth of the most im- 

 portant crops will surely be developed. The soils pos- 

 sess inexhaustible richness of mineral elements, and 

 under good husbandry are permanently fertile. The 

 great average elevation above sea-level gives exemp- 

 tion from most of the destructive plant diseases of hu- 

 mid climates, hence surer, cheaper, better and larger 

 crops. The altitude gives moderate summer tempera- 

 tures, while the latitude protects against severe winter 

 cold, The grapes of Spain and Italy are grown with 

 little or no protection. In fact, the perfect salubrity of 

 the climate renders horticulture easy in nearly all its 

 branches. 



It must be understood that crop-growing in New 

 Mexico is largely dependent on irrigation. There are 

 moderate annual rains, which mostly fall in summer. 

 The average rainfall is about 12 inches. Most of the 

 crops require as much more. The standard of water 

 supply of the irrigation companies is 12 inches. The 

 possible limits of irrigation farming in the old states 

 are very narrow. 



Stated in brief terms, irrigation costs money and 



