INTRODUCTION. 5 
of the Big Mesa, sloping down to the Nine Mile. 
Through this ranch ran a little creek called Range 
Creek. The soil was sandy and gravelly along the 
creek, not very fertile. The climate was intensely 
hot; often the thermometer would climb to 110° and 
stay there day after day. Cattle and horses were 
kept on the ranch, some 2,000 cattle at times. In 
the narrow sandy valley little ditches were made to 
lead the water from the bubbling creek, idle for ages 
though once Cliff Dwellers had farmed along its 
banks and grown corn, which they had stored in 
adobe and stone treasure houses high up under the 
cliffs. Now little fields were cleared from their en- 
cumbering sagebrush and grease wood, the water 
turned on, and they were planted to corn and al- 
falfa. It was called lucern then; later the name 
alfalfa overpowered and became almost universal. 
At first the alfalfa did not thrive along Range 
Creek. It made a small feeble growth, but it stuck. 
In one field especially, down close to the headquar- 
ters cabin, alfalfa grew the first year no more than 
about 6 inches high. The boy, who already had 
charge of the farm and general charge of all the 
ranch, was disgusted with it and wished to plow it 
up and try something else. The soil there was 
sandy, gravelly, open and rather coarse. An old- 
timer happening in at the right time counseled 
against plowing it. ‘‘Let it be; you may have good 
alfalfa there another year,’’ he said. This advice was 
heeded; the next year the alfalfa there grew so high 
that when the burros would walk out into it only 
