The Arizona champion., 1885-12-05
CENTRAL ARIZONA.
Climate, Soil, and Prodnctions.--A General Answer to Many Inquiries Relative to this part of Arizona.

l iHS portIOn or Arlzona IS vast
 plateau, varying in altitude from
 5000 to 1000 feet above the sea,
 with here and there a peak rising
 10 an heighth of from 1000 to r3,ooo
 feet. These higher elevations, situ.
 ated with remarkable regularity throughout the central portion of
 Yavapai county, are local and con-
 stant source of moisture to the adjac-
 ent parks and foothills, from the
 blankets of snow that cover them dur
 ing six to eight months of the year.
 Daring the open period of the winter
 months and in early spring great bo-
 dies of water flow from these vast
 snow beds, to be swallowed up at last
 by the unsuitable sands of the distant plain.
 A new era is diwning in regard to the water supply of Arizona, in the
 construction of artificial basins and a system of dikes that will be used to
 catch a portion of the escaping waters
 and 1t will eventually be hoarded up
 and used with the same economy and
 care by which we subdue and bring
 to our aid any other useful element.
 The annual rain fall begins in the
 month of June and lasts until Sep
 tember. It comes in gentle showers
 and wi,h admirable regularity, s,imu-
 !atinI wonderful growth in re.
 mlrkable short period oftime. Wheat,
 rye, oats, barley and mllIet are grown
 without irrigation, yielding an adun- dant and profitable crop. Corn is successfully grown in the valleys and basins below an altitude of 6.ooo feet. All kinds of root vegetables flourish and grow to enormous size and are of excellent quality, commanding a price m the "home market" that to an Eastern or Northwestern farmer would seem fabulous. Although 10000 pounds of potatoes per acre is but an average yield, such is sthe local demand from our adjacent mining camps, saw mills and railway towns, 1t has never been supplied by the home production. Cultiya- ton is not required, and no other labor be oynd the preparation of the soil, plantiag and gathering is bestowed up n the crop.
 The entire country is singularly free from farm weeds and obnoxious growth that are the bane of the Eastern husblrdmin. There is growing demand for hay, and many ranch. men find it more profitable to utilize their growing crops for that purpose by cutting and curing it before the gram Is fully n nltured.
 All tha, portion oi the grlat pli'eau above 6,ooo feet IS covered with magnificent forests of pine, with Intervening glades of mountain parks and praries, Grazing IS the leading industry of the northern portion of Yavapai rigid economy will be required Tn the future. The scarcity of water in Ariz ma is at pres ent safeguard against our ranges being overrun by herds from the crowded ranges of other localities
 It is essentially country for the poor man or the stock grower beginning life with mod. crate means. The springs and tanks afford. 1 Ing permanent water lie miles apart, giving supply in each place sufficient for a small bInd of from 100 to 800 head of stock. | Around these water supplies lie hundreds of square miles of nutritious mountain grasses, | any ten acres of which is capable of keeping one animal throughout the year. By the con. | struction of the artificial basins and dI es be- fore referred to, water may be saved and util. | iEed in proportion to the demands of the in l creaSing herds. The beef anl mutton from | this secti n commind advanced prices in the | markets of the adjacent cities. Our animals are not only marketable but in prime condi. ! ton during the year,
 The Atlantic X Pacific railway runs central. Iy through this section east and west, and the | company own alternate sections of land. They offer special inducements to capitalists or colonies requiring large blocks ofland. and | do not in thls section dispose of quantities less than 5o, 900 acres. The remaining lands | are subject to homestead and preem mption rights. The past two years show apereepti. ble increase in the filings and settlements of these Government lands, but as yet they are practically untouched.
 The pine forest of this section is 60 miles wide and in length extends beyond the limits of the Territory referred to Tn this article. As whole ii is larger thdu the State of Mary land, and an agreeable revelation to the trav- cler who, in keeping with the popular belief ol our eastern neIg bors, imagines in cross ing Arizona ke is about 10 traverse a barren and sandy waste.
 The lumber product of the one great saw mill Ill all these pireries finds a ready market in Old Mexico. Southern California and New Mexico, with increasing local de- mand. The railway towns and principal markets of this section are Holbrook, Wins. low, Flagstaff, Williams and Ash Fork. The relative merits of these towns need not here be discussed, being about equal in importance and each peopled with energetic, hospitable and progressive citizens.
 Schools. churches and social amusements prevail. The interest manifested in all mat. iers pertaining to social progress is perhaps greater than m eastern towns of like numbers.
 Aside from pulmonary complaints among those not acclimated, there is no sickness. Fevers and all forms of malarial diseases are unknYwn. Arizonas least need is doctors.
 The southern and central portion of Yava. pal county is rich in mineral. bearing ledges and placer gold fields. Recent discoveries in Cataract gorge, north of the Bill Williams bid fair to rival in some respects some of our older camps. Duriug the sum ner season persons visiting the Cataract re- gions may procure "outhts" and ind the place accessible from either Ash Fork. Will ams or Flagstaff. The lack of proper ma chnery to treat the ores of this section is at present the greatest draw back to mining interests. No mining country of like area can show such uniform value in all ore pro- ducts as this porian of the territory. and the amount of ores now being shipped to distant works for treatment should be substantial proof that reduction works capable of treat Ing the refractory ores of our mineral bearing localities yvould he nro6table ,nyestme en nj for