20 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



EL PASO, TEXAS, AND VICINITY. 



The city is beautifully situated on hills on the 

 banks of the Kio Grande river, and the site is every- 

 thing that could be desired for a great city. She lies 

 at an altitude of 3,500 feet above sea level, with beau- 

 tiful mountain scenery on all sides, excellent drainage, 

 and magnificent sites for residence and business build- 

 ings. By looking at the map one may see that El Paso 

 is located in the southwestern corner of the state. The 

 Rio Grande river and Chihuahua, Mexico, constitute its 

 southern boundary, its latitude being about that of 

 Savannah, Ga., and San Diego, Cal. 



The county of El Paso, in which the city is situ- 

 ated, has a frontage on the Rio Grande river of about 

 147 miles', with a superficial area of about 7,000 square 

 miles or 4,480,000 acres. This county, it will be readily 

 be seen, is twice as large as Delaware, as large as Con- 

 necticut, and six times as large as Rhode Island. Its 

 surface is diversified with mountains, valleys and plains. 

 Sufficient of each to give variety to the grasses, soil and 

 climate and picturcsqueness to the scenery. 



That portion lying along the river and constitut- 

 ing the valley proper is an alluvial deposit of as rich 

 and productive soil as can anywhere be found. It 

 varies in width from one to six miles and while in 

 many places there is a heavy growth of timber, there 

 is everywhere sufficient for all purposes of the farm 

 and home. The valley is said to have been settled by 

 the Jesuits in 1620, since which time portions of it 

 have been under successful cultivation. The climate is 

 dry, healthy and delightful. The rainfall averaging 

 from ten to fourteen inches and the thermometer rarely 

 indicating above 100 degrees in summer, while the win- 

 ters are mild, the mercury rarely falling below twenty 

 above zero. The ground is never frozen and the snow- 

 fall under all circumstances is extremely light, never re- 

 maining long upon the warm, unfrozen ground. 



The productiveness of the valley of the Rio Grande, 

 especially in the vicinity of El Paso, is unsurpassed in 

 any locality. Nearly all of the products of the tem- 

 perate zone may be produced here in abundance and 

 perfection. The cereals, wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye, 

 etc., yield as much per acre and of as good quality as 

 in any part of the United States. The grasses, alfalfa, 

 millett, timothy, Bermuda and all others which have 

 been thus far introduced, do well. Alfalfa does remark- 

 ably well and may be cut from four to five times each 

 season, averaging from six to ten tons per acre. It is 

 also a perennial, with a vigorous growth of root, often 

 penetrating twelve to fourteen feet below the surface. 

 Vegetables of nearly every known variety and espe- 

 cially all those that are grown on vines, do as well 

 here in all respects as anywhere in the United States. 

 The soil and climate are perfectly adapted to the growth 

 of apples, pears, peaches, plums, grapes, quinces, apri- 

 cots, nectarines, almonds, prunes, strawberries, rasp- 

 berries and numerous others. All of these have been 

 thoroughly tested, as the numerous orchards in the 

 valley now testify. 



A MARCHING SONG. 



When life looks blue as the deuce to you 



And your step grows feeble and slow; 

 When your shoulders droop with a weary stoop, 



As if bowed with a weight of woe, 

 When fame seems farther than ever away 



And fortune is only a jilt, 

 Just think of a song as you go along 



And march to a lively lilt. 



With a hep ! hep ! as you onward step, 



Now mark the effect on you ; 

 You'll quickly see what a change '"twill be, 



When the world looks kind of blue ; 

 For courage will spring in your heart again 



And sorrow will leave you soon. 

 If you forward step with a hep ! hep ! 



To the time of a marching tune ! 



When grief and gloom in your heart have room 



And you're tired of babble and talk, 

 Go forth, I say, in the light of day, 



For the balm of a lonely walk ; 

 The spirit that sits on your heart may be 



With many another allied, 

 But they won't stay long for the ring of a song 



And the swing of a marching stride ! 



With a hep ! hep ! as you onward step, 



Oh, this is a sovereign cure 

 For minds that mope in the dark, and grope 



In the mist of a mood obscure ; 

 Oli, doubt and fear from your heart will fly 



And joy will replace them soon 

 If you onward step with a hep ! hep ! 



To the time of a marching tune ! 



Denis A. McCarthy. 



If the scientists keep on every farmer will be com- 

 pelled to establish a drug store on his ranch. If a 

 horse or cow gets enough hay and carrots what does 

 cither care whether they are called protein and carbo- 

 hydrates? And if the farmer has enough to keep them 

 in good condition what does he care? 



The Primer of Irrigation, a 300-page book, and THE 

 IRRIGATION AGE, one year, $1.50. 



Farming in Colorado, Utah and 

 New Mexico. 



The farmer who contemplates changing his loca- 

 tion should look well into the subject of irrigation. 

 Before making a trip of investigation there is no 

 better way to secure advance information than by 

 writing to those most interested in the settlement of 

 unoccupied lands. Several publications, giving val- 

 uable information in regard to the agricultural, hor- 

 ticultural and live stock interests of this great west- 

 ern section have been prepared by the Denver & 

 Rio Grande and the Rio Grande Western, which 

 should be in the hands of all who desire to become 

 acquainted with the merits of the various localities. 

 Write S. K. Hooper, G. P. & T. A., Denver, Colo. 



