The oasis., 1896-10-24
YAQUI RIVER VALLEY

PtDh'~ VT "cNtec pS Y ID ~hisofn or uunynin.
 The advantages of the Sonora & Sin.
 alOa Irrigation Co.'S canal, in the Va
 qul River valley, m the State Of Son.
 ora, Mexico, over all other canals Of
 the world, are:
 lst. It's abundance of water the year
 round.
 2nd. There are nc frnsts to bite the
 young and tender plants.
 3rd. The convenience of the location
 for distribution Of the products to
 all parts of the world by railroad or
 steamship and sailing vessels.
 Perhaps no country on elrth offers
 the farmer inducements so great as does the state of Sonora. The great volume of water drained from the Sierra Madre m0untains and the mesa lands, comprising an area of sixteen thousand square miles, the water from which all concentrates in the Yaqui river, is sufficient guarantee to recom- mend it to the world as a point to be preferred for operation by both capl- tai and labor. With an abundance of water and the finest soil in the world, a mild aud hoaltbful climate, the like Of which no other country can boast, everything that can be grown in other countries can there he pro ced as can also dozen or more articles which cannot be raised in other ercOuntries.
 On the Nadui lands the system Of plantiRN corn has been the same fol centuries. When he has no master the Indian Is lazy and works as he likes. As an implement for planting corn he cuts stick with q length suf- iicient tO permit his making a hole in the soil without stepping. This stick he points at one end, which he drives into the grounda few inches, dropping grain Of corn into the hole thus made, and covering it by showing over d little earth with his foot. After a rain. when the soil Is soft, he takes lis pointed stick andah0ut two quarts of corn, which are amply sufficient for his needs, and proceeds to plant his crop. That task completed be retires to his jdcal and enjoys in ease and idle ness the time intervening between this short seedtime and a b0untiful harvest. From each hole made by the pointed stick stalks shoot forth until six or eight are growing from each grain Of corn that was planted. Each stalk DtdlN HUH lnO l0 NiA tilN tfl NbIH. dIU the crop they make supplies the h. dian's family with bread the entire year. With no moro effort he has, also, an abundance of watermelons cante- loupes, squashes and garbanzos dried peasl. When he feels like enjoying meat or fish diet he goes to the shore of the gulf, kills great green turtles and gathers delicious clans and Oys- ters, and upon those to0thsome dain- ties lives like a prince. If he is indus triOuS he will remain at the seaside and kill sharks for their oil, which is merchantahle commodity Of which iie can gather several hundred gallons with very little labor If he is not | disposed Go gather shark oil he returns l home with large supply of dried tur- tie meat, and, perhaps, storeof dried | shrimps, upon which he willrevel for [ several months.
 The Yaqui Indians are as strong and | healthy as oxen and know no sickness. | They will outtrayel any horse. The wo- men are the same. Any day the travel CT will see them by the banks of the river, busying themselves with their washing, meanwhile their children playing in water. their little bronze bodies shining like velvet Most of then mike tree their sole and only the entire year, thc climate beirg so mild and equable that they never require other shelter, and SO healthy that medicines are never needed The river is full of fish, the woods teeming with deer and antelope, and the meadows are alive with wild |, geese. ducks and sand hll cranes. So. with their cows and goats supplying them milk and cheese, their larders are in both abundance and variety. With the wool from their sheep they make their sarapes and woolen shirts With plenty to eat and wear the Indian is fixed. The Yaqui Indians supply a great deal of the labor n all narts of Sonora. and they are