47 



San Salomon springs are 3,250 feet above the sea, in a 

 broad valley; Westward, eight to ten miles from' the 

 springs, it is encircled partly by the Limpia mountains, 

 from which the valley extends eastward to the Pecos river, 

 distant about forty-five miles. Northwestward, a branch 

 of it extends about thirty miles to where it intersects an- 

 other valley leading to Salt Lake, on the Pecos. 



Irrigation is done extensively on the Rio Grande in the 

 vicinity of El Paso, extending southward to Presidio del 

 Norte on both sides of the river. On the Texas side are 

 large quantities of productive valley lands, extending 

 forty miles below El Paso, which are more or less irri- 

 gated. Below this, very little irrigation is done on the 

 east side of the river above Presidio del Norte. On the 

 irrigated lands wheat, barley, corn and oats are grown ; 

 also, vegetables and various fruits noted elsewhere. 



On the Limpia, at Fort Davis, irrigation is done to a con- 

 siderable extent. 



In the western part of Kinney county, at the head of 

 San Felipe river, are the San Felipe springs, three or more 

 in number, from which flows the river going with a rapid 

 current about fifteen miles to the Rio Grande, making one 

 of the finest water powers in Texas or any other country. 

 Two large flouring mills. are at the little town of San 

 Felipe. On this stream, 3000 acres are irrigated and under 

 cultivation. Corn is the main crop, which, well cultivated, 

 would average forty bushels per acre. So said Mr. Taylor, 

 one of the proprietors of the irrigated land. Wheat is but 

 little raised, average crop sixteen bushels to the acre. 

 Oats grow well. Sweet potatoes do well, and are largely 

 grown for the western market. Irish' potatoes are raised 

 to a small extent. All garden vegetables do finely ; so do * 

 peaches and grapes ; other fruits recently planted and on 

 trial. Besides the mills, San Felipe has two stores and 

 from forty to fifty dwelling houses. Shee;p and cattle do 

 well, and are kept to a considerable extent in that neigh- 

 borhood. 



Eastward, on the Fort Clark road, at Mud creek, is a 

 large valley, about 700 acres of which are irrigated and 

 cultivated. Below Fort Clark, on the Los Moras, irriga- 

 tion is extensively done. 



Enough land can be irrigated and cultivated in the west- 

 ern part of the State to support a large population, and 

 the minerals of El Paso and Presidio counties, joined with 



