Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1876-04-15

one Oh the spreading eupuOTDlaS WllcL
grow so abundantly on the dry ground
1t is a reputed remedy for the bite o.
the rattlesnake, and the Indians appear
to place implicit confidence in its vir
tues. 1t is evidently one OF the pros
trate forms known to the natives a:
Yerba de Ia GolondIma. 1t is used, in
the form of tincture, as local applica
ton in snake-bite by the Mexicans.
have had no opportunity of testing its
efficacy, nor do | know of any reliable
observations bearing on this point II
is well, however, to remember thai
popular ideas that are so widely spread
and generally believed have usually
enough of truth in them TO commend
them to the serious attention of com
petent observers. In this special case.
however, it is somewhat difficult TO un
derstand how mere topic;l use OF the
remedy is to act on pc son which has
already gone into the general circula
ton.
The region from Camp Apache for
thirty miles south, either by the San
Carlos trail or the Camp Grant wagon
road, is largely mesa-land, with an
average elevation of 800 feet above
Camp Apache.
The lava overflow darkened the sur.
face everywhere until we approached
the ella valley. Grass though by no
means abundant, was Of good quality.
The same pines and oaks we had be-
fore alluded TO in connection with the
Sierra Blanca were still common, AID
grew to a good size. The small walnut
was first seen at Rocky Canon. In the
same region the NeZundO was first
observed, usually standing alone out on
the dry plain. The button wood grows
quite abundantly along the sandy water
courses, becoming beautiful branched
tree, a foot or more through, with a
height of forty feet Between Camp
Apache and the ella river water suf-
ficient for irrigati1g purposes was only
seen at Prieto fork. 1t did, however,
exist at several points abundantly
enough for herding. In almost all the
cahons which cut up the
surface of the country itremains stand
ing in pools, pure and fresh, though
warm, the year through, and for por-
ton Of the year, at least, flowing streams
course down many of them.
Crossing the divide between Ash
Creek and the ella, marked change
comes over the scenery as We 60 south.
One by one the familiar forms Of plants
disappear, and in their stead We have
the mescal, mesquite, from which the
mesquite gum is derived, creosote plant,
and giantcactus. A more forlOrn look
ing vegetation can hardly be imagined.
1t was observed in descending the di-
vide to the ella, that giant cactus grew
by choice on such ground as gave en-
eastern exposure. Cottonwood trees Of
fair size grew quite abundantly along
the ella river, where, with willows,
bulrushes. and the large reeds, an al
most impeneuable thicket is formed.
The only forage vas found on the
brittle kafdg 1thGlriff26Hiisi tl9aHiG6fn!y
which appears to have crowded all
other grasses out 1t contains in Its
tissues so much mineral matter that il
is impossible to cut it with moving
machine without running the imple-
ment. The mules Will not touch any
part except the tops, if they can find
other forage. The whole valley has
a. baked appearance, and the atmos-
phere, tinged with Q half-clOudy red
ness, can be seen rising IN tremulous
waves from the superheated surface.
The valley of the ella at our cross
ing of the river Is 2j17 feet above the
sea; hence in coming from Camp Apa-
che we had descended, 240S feet. Camp
Grant, about thirty miles south in a
direct line, is 1886 feet higher than the
river, so that there is marked sloping
Of the country from north and south
toward this stream, which fact must
not be lost sight OF in considering its pc
culiar climate conditions. Its sandy
soil, its rapid evaporation, the dryness
of the ridges parallel 10 the river, to
rether with its greatly lower altitude,
impress Of necessity upon the flora the
which contrast so strongly
with that of the surrounding region.
Yet it is but just to state that this val
ley in many places produces fair crops
Of barley and corn. There is enough
water for irrigation of the adjacent low
ands, and this rescues even the soils of
he ella valley from the hopeless steril-
ty Indeed at the very point of our
crossing there are evidences of some
ruins that a large population of semi
civilized Indians subsisted on the pro
auctions of this region in the past.
At Camp Goodwin now abandoned
Is a military posi- we found luxuriantI
field of corn and potatoes. As to the
Iuality of the latter, l would remark
hat / never tasted better Melons,
,nions and cabbages of the best quail
V swelled the list of productions.
5rass was scarce, but by clearing away
he growth of rank weeds that infested
he ground, and protecting it from
tray animals, the soil would yield good
,rOps of grass or of any of the cereals.
This place is capable of being trans
ormed into a garden. Its worst fea-
ure Is the unhealthiness of the climate.
N fact, it was on this account abandon
ID by the Government authorities.
Drainage would do much toward I'M
proving the location in this respect.
Between Camp Goodwin and Cotton.
wood nineteen miles, the agricultural
.esources are reduced to q minimum,
md except at one or two points along
he route, even grazing to any consider
.ble extent Is out of the question
Water may be found, possibly, at some
points off the line of March; but unless
{ is, there is nothing to Invalidate my
as to the general worthless
less of the country.
At Cottonwood we found a creek-bed, I
With some water remaining in a few
scattered pools, at which the stock
ound enough TO supply their wants
,ut herds of any size would have eX-
lausted this precarious supply.
There was an abundance of grass on
he hlll-sides, which would, during the
portions of the year in which water
,ould be found in sufficient quantity,
make this a rood grazing center. III