OUR CROPS 59 



mountain-grown, without flavour a defect, 

 some say, due to over-irrigation ; others, to a 

 lack of stimulating quality in the atmosphere 

 whereas the fruit of New Mexico, since 

 being taken hold of and improved by Ameri- 

 cans, possesses both looks and inward merit. 

 It is also said that the superior altitude of 

 the Territory gives its fruit the flavour so 

 much relished, and that when the dam is 

 built, which will enable the high mesa lands, 

 at present barren, to be irrigated and set out 

 in orchards, not only will the fruit be still 

 finer, but the danger resulting from occa- 

 sional late frosts will be greatly lessened. 

 In California it is already proved that the 

 orange groves set out on the mesas enjoy 

 almost entire immunity from frost. Orange 

 and lemon groves are, of course, out of the 

 question in this climate, but in their stead we 

 have not only peaches and apples in perfec- 

 tion, but apricots, plums, quinces, prunes, 

 pears (the latter fruit so far only of medium 

 quality), nuts of different varieties, and grapes 

 by the ton. If this were a farming treatise 

 or an advertising pamphlet, exact statistics 

 of the bearing capacity of trees and vines 



