The weekly Arizona miner., 1869-07-24
Rain, Crops, Etc


 interest, than the ope just passed, and we re- gret to have Co state, that never, since the | time alluded to above, has a Summer grown | as old as has the present without giving us mere rain. We need, then, scarcely inform our readers that the splendid start and ad- vancement made by the crops under the in- tlucnce of a favorable Spring. have, in many cases and places, been more of detriment than benefit to said crops. The reason for this is obyiots. Corn, wheat, barley, etc, having been planted early--while the ground vas in splendid condtion--grew rapidly un- til the latter part of June. about which time. or very soon thereafter, the experience of former years led us to look for and count pretty surely, upon having and receiving heavy rains, but, instead of the expected rains-so badly needed and so confidently looked for--came dry, hot Southern winds, that parched, crispcd, and almost burned the delicate leaves and stems growing in our fields. Once, twice, and we believe thrice, the usual signs thunder and ndlightning-were heard and seen in the heavens, but failed to produce the needed rain, save in one or two localities. Time passed, old Sol shone down hercely, whitening, with his crisping rays, every green thing, and thereby soaring many poor, industrious tiller of the soil, who, month previous, felt as happy and as jolly as king is supposed to feel out of the prospect of raising big crops and disposing of tbafr, anofgh rnopax- atn 4o ,av a,r debts, keep them and enable them to extend the area of their cultivated acres another year. They were the more anxious tbat the wheel of time should revolve and evolve ac- oordmg to their wishes from the fact that last years crop of grain, which, by the way, was a very good one. had to be sold, if sold st sil- tand some of it has not yc. been dis posed of, at prices that left no margin what ever for profit, or reward for toil. for its pro- ducers. Another reason: A glance at mat ters as they now appear, lead them % hope and believe that the prospect for better market for grain, hay, etc, looks fairer this year than last, and we, ourself, really believe it does. Judge, then, of the disappoint- ment, if not chagrin, many farmers must have felt-feel now-at beholding, after the rain has come, that it came too late to prevent the sickly portions of their grain fields from begging out" We sympathize with them to certain extent-pot to great degree-for we still think God will bless them with good damages from the drought unreasonably. Nc doubt. not more than two-thirds of a croI will he raised, this year, in this part of tho county, and some ranchmen may not succee1 in doing even that, yet, on the whole, W, believe, that, six months from to-day, du vii feel satisfied with results and we'll pleased with Him, "who doeth all things for tn. bert"
 Last year, according to rough estirnat. made by us, the county produced 6,720,OO' pounds of corn, large quantity of whicl had to be sold for 3 E and cents per pound This year, if we are correctly informed, no many more acres are planted in corn thai were planted last year, so, taking the damag done by the drought into consideration, VI dare not, at present, calculate that more thai 5,OO0,000 pounds of corn will this year b harvested. But, to make up for this def ciency and seeming loss we, this year, hay more wheat, barley, potatoes, etc, than W had last year, besides, we think, no man wi be forced to sell his grain for g or cents pc pound. Indeed, we believe corn is now goin up, and we hope it will keep ascending unt 1t commands fair price, when, of course, W want it to stop ascending.
 It is now generally believed, and the belle IS founded upon facts, that the surest croE to plant in this part of the county are whea barley and oats. Not that the country is poor corn country, but that the summer rain cannot always be relied upon to commend when they are most needed, and when the have heretofore commenced-early in July Wheat, barley and oats, planted any time b' tween October and December, do, and hay done, we'll in our foot-hill valleys, and W earnestly entreat our farmers to plant ever grain of them that can be procured this fal Another such dry spell as the one throug which the country has just passed may nc again occur for many years to come, and in mense crops of corn may be produced b very little labor, as heretofore, but, rocolIec