Arizona republican., 1890-06-29
TUCSON'S FRUIT GROWING.


 Considerable experimenting in vine and fruit tree culture is going on in the neighborhood of Tucson, and the future outlook of this highly commendable un- dertaking is very bright.
 To the white population that first came as pioneers to the Santa Cruz Val ley, in the neighborhood of Tucson, the most noticeable feature of the cultivated bottom lands was the great scarcity of peach, pear, apricot and other trees of like nature, whose natural home the valley named, at first blush, seems to be, but these newcomers soon appre- ciated the difficulties to be met in the shape of early warm weather and later frosts, and it became a generally conceded fact that the low lands whereon water was so plentiful, were apt to give the tree a premature start, the resulting sequel be- ing the loss of the fruit. The conse- quence of the difficulties to be con tended with, was general abandon ment of fruit culture in the low and comparatively wet lands, with the ex- ception of the few trees that would be the natural adjunct of dwellings. The cessation of efforts to grow sure crop of fruit in the rich lands of the Santa Cruz bottom, within a mile of Tucson, was by no means an abandonment of the idea that Southern Arizona is naturally adapted to fruit culture, on the contrary it was simply an incentive to further investigation as to the proper locus of land that could be counted on as reasonably sure to produce fair orchard crop each succeeding year.
 It was soon determined that the lands lying fifteen to twenty-five feet higher than the old cultivated fields back of Tucson, were much better calculated for growing fruit, on account of the difference in the temperature, which was very much in favor of the higher lands. This was especially notice able in the night time, when the suns rays were not available to bend differ ence of temperature of at least ten de- grees. It was satisfactorily determined that early frosts often came in the low lands, when the dry lands fifteen to twenty-five feet higher were absolutely free from them, and to a person leaving the higher lands after sun down and en- tering on the old cultivated fields where the acequias are and plentiful irrigation occurs, the difference of atmosphere was readily discernible, and the effect chill ing, the air being of damp, penetrating kind in the night time. Though the higher lands have been lately resorted to for fruit growing in the neighborhood of Tucson the progress is greatly retarded by the at present limited water facilities. Still the experiment is being energetically pushed, and the greatest confidence is expressed in the successful outcome. The best illustration of what thrift and intelligently directed attention will do is the beautiful place about two miles from Tucson, which has sprung up under the fostering hand of Mir. A. V. Grossetta, the grocer. The water neces- sary to the irrigation of the thousands of fruit trees and vines on Mir. Gros- setta's place, is secured by two man. moth windmills and steam pump, the latter being run semi-occasionally only. The prolific growth of everything on this veritable oasis bespeaks a plentiful water supply, when once raised to the surface and rich soil. and it is not to be doubted that the labor and money ex- pended will be amply rewarded. Mir. Grossetta's place was simply the pioneer. Other promising orchards and vineyards are springing into existence under the skillful manipulation of L. M. Prince, Mir. Gillette, Mir. Edmunds and others.
 The one great pest that these mesa fruit farms have to contend with is the rabbit. The new wire fencing material, however, successfully excludes the rabbits and renders cultivation of vines possible.
 A brief two years will demonstrate the feasibility of the undertaking to grow fruit and vines on the mesa lands. and once demonstrated the deserts around Tucson will be made to bloom, and the general aspect of the country