New-York tribune., 1873-12-26


pure sand and gravel is fertile and needs only moisture
to produce sbundantly. The soil s principally sands
loan, mixed with gravel Bat iiJte rain falls. and
nothing be done In Colorado, New Mexico. aud Am
zona. without artificial irrigation. Consequently tho
only available fsrming lands the river bottoms, or
lands near running stream with low banks The coll
OF such bottoms valleys is always fertile and B on
T1ched rather than impoverished by irrigation nearly
all the streams being turbd and holding materials In
partial solution which do duty excellent manure
This is shown by the operations Of the and Mari
copa Indians living on the ella River, in Arizona. who
have for generations titled the safno ground withou ap
plying fertilizers other than tho waters OF the river yet
their crops show deterioration either IN quantity Or
quality.
New-Mexco has rich farming and grazing Iands, bus
the available part too often monopolizcd by land
grants" preventing settlement by homestead or pro
emptioD. The land grants invariably we'll vatsred
regions In the plains these from to 1000
above sea level and resemble immense washes water
sheds, and from them rise on all sides mesas-,abls
ands-usuay about 1000 feet higher than the plains,
which covered luxuraDtly with pine. oak ash and
the fnesti.g grasses These too high
aud too muchjsubcct early and late frosts for farm
ing purposes but would make good Summer grazing
grounds
A largo portion OF New Mexico il covered with vol
canic rock granite and sandstone It s no doubt Ike
Arizona rich in the precious Ores but at present. on 40
count OF lack OF water well here and there OF fuel
proved profitable investment New Mexico IL not iikeiy
to rank as great agricultural region, but may become
great wool State well as rich mining center
ARIZONA.
Arizona present more variations Of altitude and
seQuently OF facilities for agriculture. than New
Mexico. From the Valley OF the Rio Grande which
near Santa Fe has elevation Of about 5000 feet above
sea level, west, there is gradual rise for some 3N
miles until the summit OF the Sierra Madre, having an
altitude of 1900 feet is reached; thence there IA m
gradual descent the Colorado River 400 miles west
the Sierra Madre the latter river having in tho sams
latitude as Santa Fe, elevation OF but few hundred
feet above sea- the part of the alluded TO- which
lies west the mountains there IA every variety Of
climate. soil, and scenery, depending principally upon
comparative altitude
The amount and time OF rain fall is nearly the sams
hero as New Mexico and here. Also no Agricultural
horticultural enterprise is possible without irrigation
The middle western, ana southwestern portion OF
Arizona-but little abovesea evel-s one vast DESERT
and boasts of only two streams the Moiaye is nos
worth mention Colorado and the Gila The climate
and soil the borders Of the Colorado River adapf
its valley TO the growth OF some semi-tropica and
all the northern fruits and vegetables except the
apple and the potato. Cotton sugarcane, coffee. and
rice flourish along it; but hitherto the water
Of the river has been made available for irrigation
long and costly aeequias being required TO effect this
Near exit from the territory Of the United states e
bottom widens. and the river annually overfows ih
banks for miles. In ordinary years vast amount OF
land could planted after the recedng OF the waters
to their natural bed, and would produce enormous
crops Some of the bottom lands already thus Guilt
vated.
The CHA is the most important river OF Arizona from
autlitarian point OF view. 1t rises in the Sierra do
Nueya Of New-Mexico at altitude OF about 5000 fees
above sea level thence flows west 10 the Colorado,
distance OF quite 500 miles, having an average fau
in its last 800 miles OF five feet per mle an average
faat anha al lnQif " nf
two miles per hour. Its banks are low, making 1t an
easy matter to cut from 1t irrigating dches and n
already supports large population OF whites ana
peaceable Indians and is capable OF recaimng hund
reds Of thousands OF Of waste lands. The valley
as well the hill country on both sides OF IT, rich IN
grass and woud especially adapted to sheep. were
shade trees more plentiful. This river drains svs's
extent Of country and the tributaries joining
1t at an altitude from 1900 to $500 feet above the sea
have fine bottom lands, full OF fish, and the noun
famous country nclosng them abounds In nne grasa
and timber and grain Tho higher, barren mountains
running parallel with the Gla are rich In the precious
ana may attract large mining popuis-
ton and thus furnish to the farmer market near AZ
hand There Is prospect of the construction OF the
SD Parallel Railroad which for many miles Is Is to skirt
the level banks Of the river.
The plateaus and mountains OF Arizona comprising
about onesxth Of its area, 5000 feet above sea
level are very rich in the best wild grasses and
tain country recently explored and opened to settle
ment. They plentfully watered and offer induce
ments for settlement BY the farmer and sockraiser,
especially the latter. The portion 1000 feet high
perhaps cold for Winter pasurage, but in two
days the stock could be driven 10 quartersto
the ella on the west the Colorado Chiquito the
east The Colorado Plateau is pastureeround ofgreat
excellence hundreds OF miles square, but lacks
and lies high for farming purposes. II s totally
unnhabited. Hundreds OF springs and few small
streams can be found which might make their owners
the virtual possessors OF all the country aroana
them from one spring to another for perhaps
fifty miles. Every foot OF this great plateau
is covered with fine grass and cedar or pine.
Not far from the town OF Prescott and along the RIO
Verde is very rich farming. grazing: and timber %
depredations OF the Apache Moayes but Is now safe
Many valuable mines have been worked in different
parts OF the Territory for many years past put tno
depredatons Of the Apaches have so fa the
country from assuming any great mining Importance
CLIMATE
Colorado New-MeIico sand Arizona form part OF tho
arid region, including all the country bordering tho
Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains from the borders
of Mexico to latitude Of Southern Oregon and from
the Longitude Of Central Kansas to the Pacific Ocean.
These two great mountain chains attract the vapors
arising from and rivers TO their SUBMITS there 9
be discharged large part OF the water so discharged
IA lost Appare nty in the dry and porous SOIL the re-
mander being carried back to the sea by the rivers.
The amount of rain which falls yearly aoon the same
In as ArizonaS inches In ordinary years
from June to August In the former and from July
to september In the latter Territory The rest OF the
wear there is but ltte II any rain usually cloudiess
ky. no fog; and II we except the highest mountain ro
nons, NO dew The heat varies with altitude The e
country adjoining the Colorado River is probably tho
hottest In the United States IL from 100 to Tees
above sea level, composed Of granc hills volcanic
rocf States gravel and sand; has no mountains. no
streams worth mentioning except the Gia and Coorado
Us soSd asa cactus CT a froy
Of Grizonats middle western. and southwestern hslf
In thus section the thermometer reaches maximum OF
isoo ~ in summer and minimum OF Is fl IN winter
No snow falls but ice the depth OF haf an inch
occasionally 1t night, disappearing shortly sIer sun
rse The Thermometer reaches so nearly every day OF
the wear The air extremely free from moisture, ana
a difference of 400 between dry ana wet pulo ther-
"a