Arizona weekly citizen., 1890-08-02
ARIZONA.

When the millions of acres of grass
 covered plain and mesa, now solitary
 wastes, are reclaimed by the aid of arte-
 sian water, the stock-growing capacity
 will be increased greatly. That this will
 be done. and at no distant day, admits
 of no doubt; that the experiment will be
 a success has already been demonstrated
 It is only within the first half of the
 present decade that the adaptability of
 this territory to stock-raising has been
 fairly tested. Before the opening of
 railroads, the business was followed in a
 small way, the only demand being the
 local consumption; but when the bar
 riers of isolation were swept aside, the
 cowboys received an impetus which yet
 promises to place it in the van of Ari- zona's industries. To the minds of east
 ern people Arizona is still the "howling
 wilderness" they have so often called it,
 but if these cratic friends of ours could
 only pay this territory one visit, they
 would see the folly of their statements
 The once prevalent idea that beyond its
 conceded mineral wealth, Arizona's pro-
 ductive capacity was limited to Gila
 monsters, cacti and Apaches, is being
 greatly dissipated. Truth IS at last be-
 ing heard, and the unknown and varied
 resources of vast region are being un-
 derstood and appreciated. Of the Ill.,
 GOO square miles embraced within this
 territory of Arizona, 1t is estimated that
 nearly 60,G00, or more than one half, is
 excellent grazing ground. Perhaps no
 region of the west has been so generally
 blessed in this respect. From the bor-
 ders of Utah to the line of Sonora, and
 from the boundary of New Mexico al
 most to the Colorado of the west, Ari-
 zona is one vast grazing range. The country is carpeted with rich and suc- eulent grasses. Of the different vari- cites the gramma is the most widely dis tributed. It is found in every portion of the territory, and is the staple food for the stock on the range. When green it is exceedingly nutritious, and when dry it seems to lose none of its qualities No kind of hay equals the fattening qualities of gramma grass cured and dried by the sun. Cattle like it as we'll in summer as in winter and keep fat on it every month in the year. The beef from this food is unequaled for tender ness and flavor. Then, again, the eli mate Is unrIvaled for cattle growing. Not without reason has Arizona been called .'the stockman's parad ;se." From January to December, cattle roam over | the extended mesas, keeping in prime l condition. No binding snow storms, no fierce "nOrthers," no intense cold rob | the cattlemen of the accumulatIons of | years. In the northern portion of the | territory, where the elevated mountain | ranges are covered with their fleece stock is moved to the lower | foothills, where they find an abundance | of rich food during the winter months | In Arizona he stock grower is not com pelled to build corrals and barns to shel- | ter hIs herds from the freezing winds of | the winter season. He does not incur | the expense of putting up large quanti- | ties of feed to keep his stock three or | four months in the year. In fact, he | lncurs scarcely any of the risks that at tend the business in less favorable re | gions. His herds thrive and increase | winter and summer, and his bank ac | count grows apace. The natural in crease of cattle in Arizona equals that | of the most favored section of the range | area. Ninety and ninety-fve per cent | is not unusual when the maximum num- | Der of bulls Is kept. This is owing 10 | fulness and purity of the air. The loss from all sources Is estimated not to ex- ceed three per cent. yearly. Epidemic | diseases are unknown. Arizona possess IS one other great advantage for stock raising While the area of grazing | ground in other countries is becoming | narrowed by the steady advance of the here the immense stretches of | plain, foothill and mesa, can never be utilized for any other purpose than grazing. he farming industry will al | ways be confined to the valleys border ing the streams, while the vast area in cluding the rolling plains and elevated | will be devoted to cattle. The domain of the stock raiser and farmer is closely marked, and the former C. turn his herds over the broad mesaS and | rolling foothills without fear that the farmer in few years will compel him to seek fresh fields and pastures new. This is but hurried and incomplete sketch of the natural advantages that Arizona presents to the cattle raiser, which may be summarized m perfect climate, rich grass and an almost unlimited range Add to these safety, security and ample protection for property, and what more can the stockman ask? No coun- try in the United States can produce cheaper beef than Arizona and none bring more profits to the coffers of the cattleman. On the broad plains and rich pastures of Arizona fortunes are awaiting men of energy and enterprise. The vast stretches of rich pasture land will yet be utilized and covered with thousands of cattle.
 COPPER mining in Arizona is in its in- fancy, and our miring men have much to learn about the business. They have already learned one very important fact