The Phoenix herald., 1879-06-07

high hills forming the fringe of the
 interior plateau That rises up from the
 coast with considerable abruptness
 The railway can sIIrmount this range
 with little difficulty, and once upon
 the plateau, the profile of the country
 for the greater portion of inc distance
 is an absolute plain, with scarce a
 variation, presenting gradual rise
 O1 from ten to sixty feet per mile to
 the summit of the dividing range near
 the Arizona border, where an elcya-
 lion of 1000 feet is reached.
 HERMosILLO
 Is 100 miles from Guaymas, on the line ofthe proposed railway, and the most considerable town on the route. It is situated on the Sonora river, at q point where that stream cuts through bed of pure white marble, pure enough for use in the arts. free from blemish, pure in color and sus- ceptible of high polish. Yet, strange 10 say, the inhabitants of the city have been contented to construct dwell 1 ings of adobes, as their ancestors have doue from time immemorial, making no Use of the marble so accessible to their hands Hermosillo has the rep utation of being the handsomest city 1 in Sonora. It is embowered in leafy gardens and luXuriant foliage, water ] ed by the canals rom the river. It contains a population of 12 900, with , empty houses for as many more. Its depopulatiOn has been caused by re- duction of various industries to the north from Indian raids and by in ternal wars-the universal story in Mexico. It contains mint, coining more than $1 100000 annually. This however, does not represent the bull ion product of Sonora, as a large amount is exported in the form of bars and crude ores, and consider able quantity of bullion is smugglcd to avoid coinage and export duties.
 AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.
 All up and down the Sonora and San Miguel valleys, where water can be obtained for irrigation, large crops of wheat, corn, tobacco, sugar and cotton are raised The yield of the cereals is enormous. Wheat pro duces 40 to 50 bushels to one sown. The rainy season sets in early in June and continues to October, though oc- casional showers fall until March, Most of the wheat raised is made into flour for export. Six Touring mills in this city produce an average of $500 tons of flour of superior quality per annum. One is run by steam, the others by horse and water-power. There are 30 mills of like capacity in the immediate vicinity of Hermosil- To, engaged in the manufacture of flour The wheat is washed in vats and spread upon adobe floors to dry, previous to being ground. The mill stones in use, have been French burrs but superior quality of millstone material has been discovered near Guaymas, which is coming into gen cral favor. With the opening of the railway, this quarry will doubtless yield sufficient to export to Califor- nia and other points.
 Agriculture has made wonderful strides in Sonora ill the last few years, and on many of the large hac- iendas the equipment of farming machinery is scarcely inferior to that of the mammoth ranches of Califor- nia. American headers, gang-plows. threshing machines and wagons have largely taken the place of the crude implements of former times. This has been brought about by the fact that the Wealthler classes have in late years sent their sons abroad 10 be educated. The young men are now f., l.; l., .1. hn sive ideas which they have imbibed from association with more enlight- ened nations. The influence of the rising generation of educated men on the affairs of State glve rise for strong hOpefulness of the future prosperity of Sonora, and the adoption of q more liberal policy of commercial as sOciatiOn with other nations. Indeed, they entertain the most exalted idea of the capacity of Americans and are in q condition to receive those who come among them with capital to de- velop their resources with unreserved welcome and encouragement. There is a clan in political circles that even lavors annexation to the Uni ted States, they would prefer acces- sion from Mexico and absolute inde- pendence. The public sentiment of that section may be set down, how. cver,as strongly opposed to any con tinuance of internal strife. As a
 GRAZING COUNTRY.
 Sonora, particularly in the northern part, is destined to pre-eminence The higher lands, unfit for agricul- tural use, are covered with q growth of nutritious grasses, adapted to sheep and cattle ranges. There are three varieties of grasses upon the lands; the mesauit grass, confined to the ranges of the mesquit timber; the sacatOn, a coarse species found on the higher ranges. and the grama, occupying the plateaus and less ele- vated hills The latter variety has much the appearance of dry, curled whitlings of pine wood, is very nu- tritiouS and is greedily eaten by ami mals. Throughout the entire year the cattle graZe '-pOn the hills, there being no need to preserve the grass.
 TIMBER
 Is more plentiful in northern Sonora than in the southern part of the State and along many of the streams cot tonwood, ash, black walnut and syca- more abound On the bottom-lands are dense forests of mesquit, species of acacia, yielding a fair quality of guma arabic, and growing sometimes