Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-23

John A. Black, of Tucson, Arizona, ex-
commissioner of immigration for the ter
ritory, while in this city for few days,
visited the chamber of commerce ex-
hibit yesterday, where a stuffed Gila
monster is the sole representative of
Arizona's resources. A HERALD re-
porter acted as guide to the Arizona gen.
tleman, and after showing him the en-
tire museum, including the stuffed rep
tile from the Gila, and hearing his
admiration of the fine display OF Cali
fornia products, the newspaper man
asked Mr.. Black few leading ques-
tions regarding the agricultural outlook
in the territory.
''Our agricultural possibilities" re-
piled he, ''are simply illimitable.
1t is true that farming in Arizona
is still in its infancy, as it were.
But the experimental stage has pro-
gressed far enough to show that there is
as much wealth in the soil of the terri
tory as in the ores of its mines. All our
land wants is water to make it as pro-
ductive as any dirt tie sun shines upon,
and water can be had in abundance
from the numerous great streams ira
versing the territory. What has been
done in California by irrigation we are
beginning to duplicate in Arizona, prof
iting by your experience. With this
end in view, number of great lrriga-
ton canals are now in course OF con-
struction.
''Take the Salt river valley. There is
as fine body of land as you will find
anywhere, much of it under cultiva-
ton, and bringing satisfactory returns
to the farmers. The alfalfa crop this
year was especially good, and hay is
commanding big prices. The grain and
fruit crops are also immense, and
find ready market. All kinds OF de-
ciduous fruits grow here to perfection.
Grapes do well, and it is the best
climate in the world for raisin cur
ing"
"How about citrus fruits? Does the
orange flourish in Arizona?"
"Yes. At the falls of the Arizona
Canal company, above Phoenix, a 50-acre
orchard was set out about three years
ago, and it is as thrifty body of trees
as can be seen anywhere. Encouraged
by the success OF this venture, about
2000 acres were set to oranges in the
Salt river valley this summer. The
Gila bend country, however, seems to
be best adapted to citrus fruits, and the
dam and canal now being built there
will bring thousands of acres of the
finest orange land into cultivation.
ga dam 1850 feet long and 20 feet
high is being put across the Gila river,
twenty-three miles above Gila Bend sta
ton. 1t is expected that this will be
completed in four months; and the
canal leading from it will bring 250,00
acres under irrigation. This is all gov
ernment land, lying in the vicinity of
Gila Bend, Painted Rock and Sentinel.
By raising the dam, which can be done
when the necessity requires, million
acres may be irrigated by it. An effort
is being made to get colony of expert
enced orange growers from Riverside to
settle near Gila Bend, and If this is done
it will not take long to demonstrate
what the Gila Bend soil and climate is
capable of producing. The climate is
absolutely frostless, and with the excep-
tion of about three months in the year
the heat is not excessive. Perhaps no
better opportunity for homestead or
desert land entries exists than in this
section.
"Then there is the Santa Cruz valley.
A large canal is being taken out of the
Santa Cruz river about eighty miles
south of Tucson, and this will open an
other magnificent stretch of country to
settlement.
''These are only few of the many de-
velopments proceeding in the territory.
and when they once get well under way
California will have to look sharp after
her laurels.'
elbow about the Gila monsters and
renegade Apaches? Is there a good
crop of these Arizona staples this year?"
ventured the reporter as a parting
query.
"Well, now you are trying to switch
me off from the sublime to the ridicu-
lous, and decline to be further inter
viewed" and having delivered the above
eulogy on his territory, the enthusiastic
Arizonan took his departure.