18 Department Circular 2W, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



may be obtained by pumping from levels 10 to 100 feet below the 

 surface. The future prosperity of the valley would, therefore, ap- 

 pear to depend on a stable and adequate supply of underground 

 water, and it is certain that most of this water is derived from the 

 National Forest area immediately to the westward, whose careful 

 administration accordingly assumes additional importance because 

 of its value as a watershed. 



South of this is located the Chupadera Mesa, a high plateau that 

 grows much piiion and juniper cordwood. Most of this timber is 

 now inaccessible, and the area was until recently very little used, 

 since it had no living water upon it. As a result of the development 

 of stock tanks and deep wells, however, practically all of this coun- 

 try is now used by cattle and sheep. 



The remainder of the forest lies in the Zuni Mountains. The divi- 

 sions on Mount Taylor, Mount Powell. Mount Sedgewick, and in the 

 more level country near Fort Wingate all contain valuable stands 

 of saw timber which because of its proximity to the Santa Fe Rail- 

 road is readily marketable. Most of the Manzano Forest's annual 

 cut, which in the year ending June 30, 1921, was 1,366.000 feet of 

 lumber, props, and other forest products, comes from the Zuni 

 Mountains. 



The, Manzano Xational Forest is also an important grazing region, 

 which in the calendar year 1921 afforded range for 10,381 head of 

 cattle and horses and 51,090 head of sheep and goats as well as for a 

 large additional number of cattle, horses, and goats grazed free o 

 charge by the settlers and by Zuni and Xavajo Indians. The num 

 ber of permittees was 209. 



The Forest is somewhat densely populated, about 3,000 people be 

 ing directly dependent on its resources for their immediate livelihood 

 and a much greater number for their fuel and timber supply. Most 

 of those areas on the Forest which are more valuable for agriculture 

 than for timber production were taken up under the homestead law 

 and small holdings act before its creation into a Forest. The remain- 

 ing areas within the forest which are chiefly valuable for agriculture 

 have been largely taken up under the forest homestead law, 212 

 tracts having been listed to homesteaders. 



The close proximity of the Manzano Forest to the most densely 

 populated part of New Mexico explains its importance to the pros- 

 perity of the State. A number of fairly good roads running through 

 the Forest make it readily accessible. It will probably be the first 

 Xew Mexico Xational Forest upon which timber cutting must be re- 

 stricted in order through a long period of years to maintain for local 

 consumption an approximately even annual yield. 



