Moneys deposited with Territorial treasurer by the commissioner of public lands for the six months ending June 30, 1902, as shown by his receipts on file.

Feb. 28. Common school income fund

Insane asylum, permanent fund

Apr. 7. Common school income fund

May 15. Common school income fund

$3, 122.95
2,377.09

$5,500.04 1,867.80

855.54

5 per cent United States land sales, permanent fund. 2,530, 45

3, 385.99 1,909. 15

12, 662.98

May 21. Common school income fund

Commissioner's office expense for the six months ending June 30, 1902, as evidenced by receipted vouchers on file showing itemized expenditures.

Clerical assistance

Platting maps of selected lands, map case

Government stamped envelopes, postage, and post-office box rent

Commissioner's salary

Total.

$22.75

16.28

50.64

208.10

216.50

1,250.00

1, 764. 27

That New Mexico, in variety of its fruit products, having regard to quality as well as species, stands in the foremost rank among fruit-producing parts of the United States is amply attested by the public interest shown annually in the success of her numerous exhibits of the products of orchard, farm, and garden. The annual county fairs, of which there are now four held each autumn, taken in connection with the New Mexico Horticultural Society's yearly meeting and exhibition

at Santa Fe and the Territorial fair at Albuquerque, have of late years served to give a remarkable impetus to a study of the true science of horticulture and agriculture and kindred branches of soil culture, and resulted in bringing about a high standard in production and a hearty spirit of cooperative effort which is just now beginning to make itself felt throughout the whole Territory. With those who have attended these annual gatherings it will be considered no vain boast to assert that it is in the uniformly high grade of its fruits that New Mexico surpasses the other parts of the Union. The practical value of fruit growing has come to be generally recognized, and it has been found to be not only profitable but a most delightful and healthful occupation. Many women have taken it up in connection with poultry raising, bee culture, and dairy farming, and among those who come from the East, chiefly for health reasons, it is becoming quite the fad. The New Mexico Horticultural Society, with its large and growing membership in every section of the Territory, seeks to foster such undertakings and encourage all new ventures. Intelligent direction and supervision are the essentials of success here really more than actual labor, for an abundance of cheap, willing, and competent labor is to be had in most parts of the Territory. This labor understands the ordinary rules and requirements of irrigation, so that by a little study of the subject, with one or two good fruit and farm journals to give hints from time to time, the beginner will soon learn to utilize the knowledge of his faithful, plodding hired man, and the two thus working together will have little difficulty in starting an orchard and making a success of the business. As indicating somewhat the extent and variety of the fruits grown in the Territory it may be noted that when the premium list of the horticultural society's exhibit was first published some criticism was made that the number of varieties of fruit required thereby to be exhibited for "first premiums" was so large that no entries could be made. The schedule called for 40 varieties of apples, 40 of pears, 20 of plums, 5 of apricots, 5 of nectarines, etc. The result as brought out at the fair was a gratifying surprise even to the most enthusiastic fruit growers, and served to demonstrate that New Mexico horticulturists are raising a much greater variety of fruits than has been generally supposed.

FRUIT NOVELTIES.

Almonds, figs, English walnuts, September cherries, raspberries, and strawberries, raised in the Santa Fe Valley at an elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level, were also among the novelties exhibited at this fair.

NOTABLE EXHIBITS.

Among the exhibits were 246 entries of apples, 34 of crab apples, 125 of pears, 58 of peaches, 108 of plums, 13 of apricots, 37 of nectarines, 15 of quinces, 36 of grapes, 12 of nuts, etc.

Among the notable specimens were the following: Largest apple, weight, 23 ounces; circumference, 15 inches. Red Beitigheimer, weight, 18 ounces. Gravenstein, 14 ounces and 133 inches. Russet, 13 ounces and 134 inches, etc.

Among the pears a Bartlett weighing 18 ounces and an Idaho weighing 18 ounces were noticed.

The Agricultural College (of New Mexico) exhibit showed a peach weighing 10 ounces, and a Pride of the Rio Grande weighed 10

ounces.

A bunch of Muscat grapes, grown as far north as Espanola, weighed 25 ounces, though not ripe, and Stanwick nectarines from the same locality reached 5 ounces in weight.

Practically all the irrigated valleys of the Territory are adapted to fruit growing. The soil of the Rio Grande and Pecos valleys, for instance, is highly fertile, and irrigation has demonstrated its adaptability to both viticulture and horticulture. A good quality of wine could be produced by care in selecting the proper species of grapes. This has already been shown by what has been achieved in that direction. Altogether, the New Mexico Horticultural Society has an excellent opportunity for the accomplishment of a work of enormous value to the Territory.

VITICULTURE.

There is no doubt that the soil of New Mexico is splendidly adapted to the production of grapes.

There is wide opportunity in this line of industry for the establishment of a large winery at some central point in the Rio Grande, such as Belen. The present wine production is far below the demand. Parties having experience in modern methods will here discover an inviting field for exploitation, and they will find the native grape growers, who produce the Mission grape almost exclusively, ready to welcome them and to cooperate with them.

SUPERIORITY IN FLAVOR.

The chief grape-growing sections are throughout the Rio Grande Valley from Espanola south, along some parts of the Pecos, in the Mesilla Valley, and in parts of San Juan County, the largest production being in the central Rio Grande region; and the flavor of the better varieties grown here is so fully pronounced that a Colorado authority on viticulture, writing of grape culture in New Mexico, has been moved to declare that the day is not far distant when this Territory will be supplying the connoisseurs of California cities with their choicest grapes for table use. This would indeed be "carrying coals to Newcastle," but the peculiarly delicate flavor and high grade of the New Mexico table grape would seem to justify so extravagant a prophecy.

IN THE MESILLA VALLEY.

Among the natives the grape is the principal fruit raised in the Mesilla Valley, although many of the American farmers own good vineyards. The former grow the Mission grape almost exclusively, whereas the latter mostly raise the Muscat of Alexandria, Black Hamburg, Gros Colmar, and other so-called California varieties, all of which thrive perfectly.

The grapes begin to ripen toward the end of July, and the shipping season usually lasts till about the last week in October. A great deal of wine is made, but it is usually more profitable to sell the fruit for table use. During the season large quantities are shipped, mostly in

10-pound baskets, to all the towns in New Mexico and to many of the markets of Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, etc.

WINE INDUSTRY IN NEW MEXICO.

On this subject, "The wine industry of New Mexico." I am indebted to Judge J. F. Weilandy, of Santa Fe, an authority on grape culture, for the following:

The variety of grape cultivated in New Mexico by the ancient Spanish settlers, and in cultivation to this day by their descendants, is known commonly as the Mission grape, and was originally brought to the new continent from Spain.

This name was very probably given to it from the fact that after the occupation of California by the Americans it was found by them growing on the missions established by Franciscan monks on the Pacific coast, the first of which, San Diego, was erected in 1769. This variety of grape is not known to the Mexicans by the name above mentioned, being simply called by them "la uva del pais," the grape of the country. It is in all likelihood the same kind of grape met in all the SpanishAmerican states of South America as far south as Argentina and Chile, where it seems to be cultivated under the local designation of "uva de pescado," fish grape. The plant belongs botanically to the order “ Vitaceæ," and is one of the numerous varieties of the Old World grape-the Vitis vinifera”—which differs in some particulars from the northern fox grape, the summer grape, and other indigenous wild grapes found in the forests of North America.

Although perhaps not material to the purpose for which this short monograph is written, it may be stated here that the botanists seem to agree that this climbing vine came originally from Asia to Europe, and it seems to have been known from the earliest times, not to the Asiatics only, but to the Romans, Greeks, and the other nations of southern Europe.

As well known to the readers of the Scriptures, our common ancestor, Noah, who was the earliest patron of husbandry of whom history makes mention, planted a vineyard some fourteen hundred and ninety years before the Christian era, and made wine which he appears to have used rather injudiciously when he drank of it for the first time.

While it is not now possible to definitely ascertain the date of the beginning of grape culture in New Mexico, there is no doubt that it was introduced in the Rio Grande Valley long before the first grapevines were planted in California, and that it is to the monks, who were the first to plant grapes and make wine in n any parts of Europe during the middle ages, that America is indebted for this valuable gift. There are no data, at least no reliable data, given through which the values of the wine product of New Mexico could be ascertained; for exaggerations, such as that an acre of vineyard will yield 1,350 gallons of wine on an average, are not deserving of notice. But it is safe to say that it does not amount to one tithe of the production of wine in California, which for a number of years has reached 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 gallons in addition to other products derived from her grapes, such as vinegar, brandy, etc. Fifty years ago the only wine found in California consisted of small quantities made by the "fathers" for their own use on the missions.

INTRODUCTION OF NEW VARIETIES OF GRAPES IN NEW MEXICO.

There is no reason conceivable why, under favorable circumstances, as good results are not attainable in wine culture in this Territory as in California, where it represents a money value amounting to several millions of dollars annually. If the climate of the Pacific coast possesses some advantages over ours, it is in other respects subject to some drawbacks.

Up to the present date no injurious insects or fungoid diseases of any kind affecting the grape have made their appearance in New Mexico. The phylloxera, or grape-root louse, which has done such immense damage in France and in other countries of Europe, and which is reported to have reached some localities in California; the thripe, or leaf-roller; the rose-chafer, and other insect pests are unknown here. The oidium of Europe, the downy mildew, the black rot, which causes the berries to rot and drop, have never been heard of in our vineyards.

Various agencies seem to have contributed to a slow development of our wine industry. Perhaps the chief cause must be sought in the persistency to cultivate a variety-the so-called Mission grape-which in California has been nearly entirely supplanted by more valuable and prolific sorts, producing wine superior in quality

and more salable in the markets, being better adapted to the taste of the consumer who are for the most part Europeans.

The Mission variety is good enough where other and better grapes can not be had, but its defects overbalance its good qualities. It originated in a southern climate, and its vine is not hardy, requiring protection in winter even as far south as El Paso against very moderate frosts. It is late in maturation, and does not get ripe in the central and northern sections of the Territory, where-a fact but little known-early European, as well as improved native American grapes can be grown with perfect success, bearing abundant crops, from which both white and red wines can be pressed equal if not superior in quality to the best vintages of the lower Rio Grande Valley. The wine of the Mission grape when new is harsh in flavor and has an earthy taste. It must be said in its favor that when it is well made and well kept and cared for during eight or ten years, which is seldom the case with our small vintures, it gradually ripens into a really fine wine, resembling somewhat sherry or port wine. But how many grape growers can afford to keep the wine ten years before they sell it?

CULTURE OF NATIVE GRAFES.

At an early date experiments were made in the American colonies to plant vine. yards with grapevines brought from Europe, but all the attempts resulted in failures Experienced vignerons were sent from Europe, and vines of the best varieties then known set out in several of the colonies, but it was discovered that after a short time the vines sickened and died. It was not known at that early date of American viticulture that these failures were due to the invasion of two insidious foes of the grape, both indigenous in North America, the oidium, or downy mildew, and the phylloxera, and whose attacks are fatal to the foreign varieties, while the more robust and hardy American sorts remain unscathed.

The failure of the European grape to succeed east of the Rocky Mountains spurred the grape fanciers to renewed efforts in endeavoring to ameliorate the native grapes found growing wild in the forests in many parts of the United States, and many hybrids and seedlings have been obtained, of which the Concord, a descendant of the Vitis labrusca or northern fox grape, is perhaps the best-known type, although many growers are now discarding it for newer and better varieties.

Some twenty-five distinct species of these native wild grapes are said by the botanists to be found in North America, and the efforts constantly going on to hybridize and improve these grapes have been followed by such promising results that many of them, like the Catawba, Diamond, Brighton, Eaton, Moore, and others of this class, already produce wines that compare favorably with good European brands in body, aroma, and a certain fruit flavor peculiarly pleasing to many American palates. To sum up the valuable qualities of these improved native grapes, I will again suggest here that they are prolific as well as early bearers, and that, being perfectly hardy in the latitude of New Mexico, the vines do not need to be protected in winter, like the Mission grape and some of the more tender foreign grapes, a fact to be taken into account, because it saves much unnecessary labor in autumn and spring. To any person that may desire to try grape culture in this Territory the planting of the best varieties of native grapes can be recommended safely.

GRAPES FOR SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO,

In making the comments that precede the writer does not desire to be understood as intending to disparage the historic wine grape of Europe, beloved by Bacchus and his merry Bacchantes, and popularly known in our country under the name of California grape. On the contrary, it is his belief that it has the certainty of a great future carved out for it in New Mexico, with its ideal climate and soil for the grape, when suitable sorts and methods of culture are introduced among us by experienced men. Of these we have already some, but we need more. The best soil for the wine grape is a warm sandy or gravelly loam, coarse gravel being even better than fine sand to produce the best classes of wine. A comparatively hot and dry summer temperature, with plenty of sunshine, such as New Mexico enjoys, is its ideal climate. It does not thrive in a cool, wet atmosphere like that of Great Britain; neither can it endure the moist heat of the rainy seasons prevailing in the Tropics. The so-called "Rio Abajo," or lower Rio Grande Valley, from Bernalillo to Las Cruces and Mesilla, and portions of the Pecos Valley, are particularly adapted to this kind of grape, although the bluffs and uplands, where irrigation can be given, are even better than the lowlands.

The cultivation of some of the superior kinds among that class of grapes has been tested in New Mexico for a number of years and has proved entirely successful. In