Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1893-06-01
RAISIN GROWING.
UNIV It will Pay Well On the
Mesa.
,,controvertible Facts and Plain
but Ailurlng Figures
to Prove 1t.

Considerable attention has beer
armed Of late. in the direction OF raisil
,,osipg in Mesa and its surroundi ngs
The last few years have demonstrated
,bs fact that it can produce just a
sns quality and in as large quantities
:, AN be raised in any country.
The soil is just as rich and adapted t.
ma growing, and the climate will riper
ina fruit earlier. and dry it better, with
"a, chance for loss than will the much
smsd fruit districts OF California
Tbis may seem broad assertion, but
!, Il based upon facts that will chow
ior themselves.
To prove this it is only necessary to
,oto the ranch OF s. Moote & Co.,
mich sdjoins Mesa on the north, and
ssurs with him for q few moments.
W. has 60 acres OF three year old mus
at grape vines. The land cost him SIS
rsr acre which one would have TO pay
rr no better land 800 per in California.
Tho cost OF setting out the cuttings, 95
MAI cent Of which grew, and tending
hem the first year. was about $40 per
ARE amounting to 81 200. The second
rear SIS per acre or $500.
The second season after planting the
,rop Of muscats was one ton to the acre
AZ twenty tone of dried raisins to the
,Ity acres. OF course, as in any 10.
aIity the second seasons crop was OF
40 inferior quality and would sell for
not more than cents per pound. At
that rate the crop amounted TO 81 200,
he whole cost OF planting and tending
,hp first year.
The third season the yield was about
Two tons TO the acre, or forty tons OF q
rood quality OF raisins which brought
rOm to cents per pound, amounting
u4ce to So, 200.
The fourth season the crop, which is
now on the vines, will produce at least
10 tons OF as fine raisins as can be
UOwn in any locality.
The third and fourth years the cost
was about the same. The total ex-
pense for the four wears will be, for
buying land, planting cuttings and
lending amounts to but $4,000, or not
quite a OF what the naked land would
@sr in California.
The cost OF the came size, tract OF
land placed in the same condition in
California figuring grape land there
worth 800 or 81 200 in excess OF the
eost here, and with no larger profits, in
hct with less profit as may be shown.
This at cents per pound would amoant
TO tue SUN OF $1,000.
The crop this season would have been
much larger had not an unprecedented
fsn TALL OF about two inches set in just
when the vines were in fullDloom. The
rain washed off the bloom and the
warmth caused remarkable growth to
wood, thus causing the loss Of OF
The first crop.
The total receipts OF the three crops
amounts to sl2, 400 thus clearing in the
tr:t four years Of their growth the sum
dS,6O0.
This figuring of course is upon vines
tOm cuttings to aud including their
burth season. California after the
18th and sixth year raises from five to
.eyen tons to the acre and there 10 no
reason why the Salt River valley will
bot raise just as much, and there are
rssOnS why she should get higher
price for what she raises and with less
thanCe for loss. The first crop here
"opens about the first OF August, the
second by September, while the Cali
Nfnla crops are not off and dried until
december and January, this giving
ample time to pick and dry both crops,
.l9 them and get our returns before
ValltOrnia gets her first crop before the
market, thus giving US an advance OF
nom Z cent to 2 cents over California
N' the earliest fruit.