The Arizona champion., 1886-05-01
CENTRAL ARIZONA.
Climate, Soil, and Protluctions.-AG General Answer to Many Inquiries Relative to this part of Arizona.

Climate, Soil, and ProtluctiOns.-AG General
 Answer to Many Inquiries Relative to
 this part of ArizoHa.
 This portion of Arizona is a vast plateau, varying in altitude from 5000 to 1000 feet above the sea, with here and there a peak rising to an heighth of from o,ooo to 5000 feet. These higher elevations, situ- ated with remarkable regularity throughout the central portion ol 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. During 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 dawning in regard to the water supply of Arizona, in the construction of artifiCal basins and a system of dikes that will be used to catch portion of the escaping waters and it 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 rainfall begins in the month of June and lasts until Sep tember. It comes in gentle showers and with admirable regularity, stimu lating a wonderful growth in re- markable short period oftime. Wheat rye, oats, barley and millet are grown without irrigation, yielding an adun- dant and profitable crop. Corn lis 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 price in the "home market" that toI an Eastern or Northwestern farmer would seem fabulous. Although Io,oco pounds of potatoes per acre is but Nan average yield, such Is the local demand from our adjacent mining camps, saw mills and railway towns, it has never been supplied by the home production. Cultivs. ton is not required, and no other labor be, oynd the preparation of the soil, planting, and gathering, is bestowed upon the crop.
 The entire country is Sngularly free from farm weeds and obnoxious growth that are the bane of the Eastern husblndman. 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 Il before the graln Is fully nllured. All that portion ot the grtd; plateau above 6,ooo feet Is covered with magnificent forests of pine, with intervening glades" mountain parks and praries, GrAAlng Is the leading industry of the northern portion of favapar county. The water supply Is limited, and rigid economy will be eigqulred m the future | The scarcity of water iu ArlL ma Is 4t pres ent safeguard against our ranges being overrun by herds from the crowded I'd nges | of other localities
 It is esentially country for the poor man or the stock grower beginning lie with mod. crate means. The sprrng, ami la rkS afford ing permanent water lie miles apart, gIsins supply m each place sufficient for a small band of from 100 to 500 head Oi stock | Around these water Sui plies lie hundreds ui | square miles Oi nutritious mountain grasses, ! any ten acres of which Is cdppDle of keeping | one animal throughOut the year. By the con 1 strucuun of the auiliCli basins and Glke be- | fore referred tO, water may be saved arH utli ! ized in proportion 10 the demands ul the in | creasing herds. The Esel aIlh mutton from this secIi ,n command advanced prices in the { markets of lhe adjacent cities. Our animal> are not only marketable but l, prime c"n,Il ton during lhe year. The Atlantic X Pacifc rillwav runs central | ly through this sectiolL east and west, and the company own ahcrnale sections of land. | They offer spectral indureme t> 10 capitalists or colonies requiring l@rge blocks oi land. and do not in this section 9lspqse ni quantite> less than 5o,ooo acres. The remaining lands are subject to homestead apd preemutIon rights. The past two y-Gls show percep,i' ble increase in the filings 9pl settlements of these G"vernmsnt lan.ls, bu, 2s yet they art practically untouched,
 The pine forest of this section il Co miles wide and in length extends brgO dthe hunts of the Territory referred to rp this arIcle As whole il is larger thLu the State ot Mary land, and all al reeaDlc revelation To the lrav- eler who, in keeping with the popular beliei oi our eastern peig borS, lnasneo | . cross ing Arizona he is abIut to traverse barren alid sandy waste.
 The lumber product of the one great saw mill ni all tnese pi enes hnds rca,i market in ola Mexico Soulhsrn CalliornIs and New Mexico, win increasing local d.. mand. The railway towns and principal markets of thls section are ilolbrook, Wins low, Flagstaff, Williams and Ash Fork. The relative merits of these towns need not herr be discussed, being about equal in importance and each peopled with enerselIc, hospltable and progressive citizens.
 Schools, chgTches and social amusemenis prevail. The interest manileoled in all maj ters pertaining 10 social progress is perhap, greater than ih eastern towns of ke numbers
 Aside from pulmonary complaints among those not aeclimated, there is 10 sickness. fever and all forms of malariil diseases are unknown. Arizons's least need Is doctors The southern aud central portion of Yava pal county is rich iE mineral. bearing ledseN and placer gold fields. Recent discoveries m Cataract gorge, Rorh of the BI Williams mountain, bid falr to rival in s,me respects some of our older camps. During the sum mer season persons visiting the Cataract re- gions may procure "oultits" and hnd the place accessible from either Ash Fork, Wlll-