Arizona republican., 1890-11-30

the richest and most productive county in the State. Its raisin pack this year will be worth S2,000,000. It's dried grape, fruit and other orchard products will be worth $2, GOO 000. Its wheat and barley are worth S4, GOO GOO. It's lumber, coal, sheep wool and cattle industries are worth $3,000,000. Directly and in directly it's soil yields products that will sell for between $lO,000,00 and $l6,- 000,000. This money pours into the laps of the tilleis of the soil. Is it any wonder that tbese people are rich, prosperous and happy l know one man tho paid S7000 for vineyard last year and this year it netted him $5600 in raisins. l know another man over in Santa Clara County who got 5000 in prunes off seven acres of land.
 WHAT has been done here can be done in the Salt River Valley. Rail, road rates are no drawback to a country that can produce raisins or wine grapes, or peaches or nectarlnes or apricots. Fresno is not specially blessed on this score. Indeed, it has no advantage ONti I llOclilN. us EitdV uuNdiNdSt litS in the fact that there is no division of sentiment here, If it were so hot that it would meet the hinges of Hades, they would swear in unison that it was only 100 degrees in the shade, that there was no moisture in the atmosphere, that you don't mind it, that it is health ful, and, finally, that it is an excep- tional day, anyway. They all pull to- gether here. There is no back-capping and no back-biting. They do not boost one section and denounce another. They are here to stay and they want the country to build up. No matter where man locates, SO he comes here and becomes producer. They do not want any drones. They have no farmers who spend their days in town and their nights on the ranch; that kind would starve to death here. A section of land is all that is included in the famous Barton vineyard. which sold last year for $1 100000. The tendency is to small holdings. Many people annually take from S3500 to $5000 of twenty acres. They want no more.
 WHAT is being done here can be done in the Salt River Valley. Sub-divide and cultivate. Taboo alfalfa and plant wal nuts, olives, Adriatic figs, the Muscat of Alexandria and the Muscat Gordo Blanco. Raise fruits and can or dry them. Raise grapes and make raisins. There will be no trouble to find mar ket. That is ever ready.
 
 'Do you know where in America they make the best raisins?' asked me an old and experienced fruit man of Fresno, the other day. I had to pass on the question. Well, Tll tell you," he con tinued, it is down in the Cajon Valley in San Diego County. It is due to local conditions. Their raisins have thin ner skin, smaller seed and richer flavor We can never hope to compete with them. They will have the cream of the trade, but they cut no figure. Their area is small and theIr product will never cut figure in the market. We have the great raisin center, but 1 am sometimes afraid of that great country to the south of us, the plains about Yuma, the delta ot the Colorado and the Gila, and that wonderful valley of the Salt River. I tell you when they once get the hang to do things down there and get move on them, they will make lively competition for us"
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 HE was sincere. He did not know that had ever seen the Salt River Val ley. Isn't it time Phoenix got "a move on it?" C. O. ZIEGENFUss.