178 



THE IBBIGATION AGE. 



lor gathering and furnishing detailed data with reference to 

 the valley. Inquiries should be directed to its secretary. 



The sum of $250,000 was invested in new buildings 

 in Deming during the year 1911. 



Climatological. 



Tables covering this data for a number of years 

 past are matters of record on file at Deming or pro- 

 curable of the United States Weather Bureau (Climato- 

 logical Summary of Southwestern New Mexico). In 

 popular terms, the climate may be described as "semi- 

 arid", the rainfall in the valley averaging about eight 

 inches per annum. Winter temperature (night readings) 

 may reach zero for a day or two during January. For a 

 few days at a time, the ground may freeze to a depth 

 of two or three inches. The summer temperature never 

 exceeds a maximum of 100 degrees (day reading) the 

 sensible temperature, owing to the dryness of atmos- 

 phere, about twenty degrees less. Due to the same 

 atmospheric quality and consequent rapid radiation, the 

 nights are always cool and pleasant. The first frost 

 occurs about October 10. The growing season is long 

 and vegetable growth rapid. High winds (dust storms) 

 are of occasional occurrence during the late winter 

 months. While of no economic importance at that period, 

 they constitute the only disagreeable phase of existence 

 throughout all the plains country of the arid west, but 

 are a very small factor relatively to the overwhelming 

 preponderancy of days when mere living is a delight. 

 Cyclones, or tornadoes, as in all the trans-Rocky moun- 

 tain country as well as blizzards are unknown phe- 

 nomena'. For those desiring rest or active recreation, 

 there is Silver City to the north site of the United 

 States Army Sanitarium for Consumptives, and thousands 

 of square miles of the most glorious mountain ranges in 

 all America with virgin opportunities for hunting, fishing 

 and camping within a few hours' drive. Two of the most 

 famous hot springs in America Faywood and Mimbres 

 Hot Springs are within a half day's drive of Deming. 

 It is impossible to exaggerate the climatic delights of 

 this section let the skeptic consult the official data re- 

 ferred to. 



Geology Topography and Hydrography. 



The Mimbres Valley has no drainage outlet. All the 

 water falling upon its watersheds is retained in the sub- 

 terranean strata. The Mimbres river, proper, has a 

 watershed of about 1,500 square miles the catchment 

 area of the entire valley embraces about 5,300 square 

 miles. Mr. Fuller estimates the annual accretions to the 

 vast underground supplies at 300,000 acre feet. (For the 

 benefit of the uninitiated an "acre foot" enough water to 

 cover an acre one foot in depth) while Mr. Clapp states 

 "the indications for a large underground flow are very 

 good." The Mimbres river is a perennial stream to where 

 it leaves the mountains to the north of the valley, and 

 enters the valley proper. There it sinks its waters find- 

 ing their way into the underground system of the alluvial 

 and colluvial deposit which fills the valley proper. During 

 "flood periods" the head of live water pushes its way a 

 considerable distance into the valley, but it also is lost 

 and sinks into the lower strata. The valley "fill" consists, 

 first, soil from 5 to 50 feet deep, then alternate layers 

 of clay and gravel. The "logs" of 100 wells from 150 to 

 200 feet in depth show gravel strata ranging from 5 to 50 

 feet in depth and from 2 to 10 strata within that depth. 

 The water plane, or depth from the surface, varies from 

 10 to 150 feet, there being an area of probably 125,000 



acres over which the pumping lift for wells of from 500 to 

 1,500 gallons per minute capacity will range from 30 to 

 85 feet. Mr. Fuller, further estimates that if 300,000 acre 

 feet were withdrawn from the underflow (without con- 

 sidering the annual accretions referred to above) it would 

 lower the water plane only 3% inches, and places the limit 

 of probable future demands of "profitable life" at 225,000 

 acre feet, annually, exclusive of loss by evaporation and 

 ditch seepage which items with a well upon each quarter 

 section or less is a negligible factor. 



Character of Water. 



The water pumped from the Mimbres Valley is very 

 soft and pure containing only GO parts of solids per 100,- 

 000 by analysis. Alkali is lacking organic matter from 

 the purity of its origin, necessarily so. From the stand- 

 point of irrigation, the absence of alkali is a factor of the 

 utmost importance. 



Soil Characteristics. 



Along the river bottoms, the soil is of sandy alluvial 

 type, but over the valley at large, of a more compact type. 

 Underlying the top soil, which varies in depth from 5 to 

 50 feet, is a clay loam and this condition, together with the 

 remarkably level character of the floor of the valley and 

 its uniform slope towards the river channel makes the 

 valley almost ideal from an irrigation standpoint. The 

 heavier soil holds the moisture while the more porous 

 top soil receives and transmits it readily to the lower 

 stratum, affording excellent drainage and preventing "water 

 logging." There is no evidence of black alkali and the 

 presence of excellent crops in almost every part of the 

 valley appears to preclude the presence of other salts in 

 appreciable quantity. No "Soil Survey" has been made, 

 as yet, by the Federal Government. 



Crop Possibilities. 



Some of the possibilities are set forth by Mr. Fuller 

 as follows: "Some of the most remarkable possibilities 

 from irrigation were observed in the quick response of the 

 soil. One the place of Dr. Conway (160 acres in cultiva- 

 tion) was first plowed and irrigated on April 17, 1911, and 

 now, July 18th, 1911 in 90 days maize stands 8 feet high, 

 while corn and alfalfa has made an equally phenomenal 

 growth. Eighty acres of this land is planted to red beans 

 and will be harvested in August. The gross return from 

 this area will be $8,000 this fall, or in about six months. 

 The net returns will be close to $4,000." 



Other notable ranches are those of John Hund; B. P. 

 Shull; C. E. Hicks; S. Schwing and Messrs, Burdick & 

 Bumpus. It would require much space to relate the suc- 

 cess attained on these places, each of which includes from 

 80 to 160 acres irrigated from single wells. 



The place of Mr. Bumpus showed a stand of alfalfa 

 which had been planted about 60 days prior and would 

 now cut over a ton of hay per acre. Judging from the 

 crops harvested from land irrigated from plants which 

 have been in operation for the past year or two a conser- 

 vative estimate of the average yield per acre would be 

 as follows: ' 



Alfalfa, 7 tons; Potatoes, 100 bushels; Red Beans, 

 2,000 Ibs; Cane, 8 tons; Oats, 60 bushels; Milo Maize, 5 

 tons; Wheat, 30 bushels. 



Cane can be planted following potatoes, thus securing 

 two crops per season. I am of the opinion, however, that 

 the soil, as characteristic of all virgin soil, is lacking in 

 nitrogen and much better yields will be obtained after 

 crop rotation with alfalfa. 



