The herald., 1897-10-21
DATES A PROFITABLE CROP
LIVE STOCK AND AGRICULT.
URAL NOTES
Fred q. Hughes Five Times q
Legislator and Now
Fugitive

have been held the annual meetings Of
the Arizona Agricultural society and of
the Arizona Live Stock association. The
former is a society with several years
standing. 1t is headed. by Prof. VIM
Stowe Devol, director of Arizona agri-
cultural experiment stations and mar,
of the utmost activity and of learning
in agricultural topics. Though the at
tendance upon the meetings was not
what it should have been, there was keer.
interest, and there can be no doubt that
much of value was brought out. One Of
the interesting features Of the session
was the exhibit of dates and the testi-
mony of half dozen members that
there exists in Arizona no reason why
the culture of the fruit should not be an
unqualified success The dates exhibit
ed were of excellent quality. Several
shipments of small lots have been made
east. At every point where comparison
was made with the imported article the
Arizona dates were pronounced supe-
rior. Fully ripened ON the tree, the dates
are rich yellow in color, plump as large
plums and delicious. The speakers were
not backward in expressing their opin-
ion that date culture would soon be one
of the most important industries in the
Salt River valley.
SUGAR BEET FAILURES
The sugar beet was the topic of an
evenings discussion The results OF the
deliberations could hardly be called en-
couraging. Three professors Of the ter
ritorial university presented reports
upon the different lots Of beets sent to
that institution for analysis. The SAM
pies were from all parts Of the territory.
Very few Of them reached the Califor-
rha standard, The percentage Of sugar
was low In nearly all, and the grade of
the product was comparatively poor.
1t was found that the best results were
obtained not in the rich. warm valleys,
but at an elevation of about 5000 feet.
Still the farmers were advised not to
despair, but to experiment with high
er degree of care in tillage and with diff
ferent seed.
Canaigre was one of the main topics
The tannio root finds its natural home
in the valleys of Arizona, every water
course being fringed with the broad
leafed plant. Across Salt river, south OF
Phoenix a few miles. an English com
pany has several thousand acres of the
canaigre and will enlarge the acreage,
with the anticipate Of soon erecting
am extract factory.
LIVE STOCK CONDITIONS
The cattlemen were addressed by the
governor, who is something of a stock
man himself, and by a half dozen of
their own number who had good ideas to
express In plain language. The old
fashioned Durham steer seemed to be
the favorite as feeder. while the Here
ford was given first place as the animal
for the range and the general favorite
with the butcher Sanitary conditions
were declared good. There has been
little disease among the cattle of Arizona
for several years and that which has
come has been readily controlled.
1t would appear that the years of the
seven lean kline have gone from Arizona.
for the association members report
themselves as prosperous beyond any,
thing they have known for a decade.
The orsly trouble is that on the Arizona
ranges not one head of cattde has been
left where once there were five. To pre-
vent, if possible, this overstocking is one
of the reasons for the organization of
the territorial association. The associa-
tion at its main office in Phoenix will
get daily telegraphic reports from the
main cattle markets and is expected to
conduce materially to the fina ncial BEN
eft OF its members
SHEEP SHIPMENTS
The sheep industry of Arizona has
come out of even greater depths than
has the cattle trade. Aided by the
Dingley bill, the man who held on to his
fiocks has been made wealthy. Many
were beggared, however, in the slump
several years ago. Nearly all the, sheep
in Arizona are held in. the northern por-
tiop I really believe it would, be i'm
possible to introduce any flocks or, the
ranges Of southern Arizona. Cattle
and sheep may not exist oU the same
range with any degree Of profit and
there have been instances in the south
west where bloody battles have been
fought for the supremacy of one or the
other The sheep range stops at Phoe-
nix, and this place has suddenly become
the main shipping point for the terri
torys flocks The woolies are driven
southwark when winter sets in. till the
plains are reached north of Phoenix
There they are held till spring, when
they are shipped, two railway systems
being easily available. giving competi-
tion of rates and accommodation Last
year 100000 head of sheep We're thus
wintered, and the number will this
winter be increased by fully $4,000. Last
year the sheep men. doubled their in
vestment by driving south One drive
from Apache county Will be composed
of 5000 head of lambs.
CITRUS FRUITS
Ripe oranges have already been
brought into Phoenix from the groves
northeast of the city. To be true, the
samples are few and they have not
fully attained color, but they are sweet
and palatable. The crop this year will
be about 500 acres, mainly set to Wash
irgton navels, and will be ready for the
market about November 18th. In the
entire Salt River valley are about 1900
acres Of navel oranges. Nearly all will
be bearing next season. There are two
sections of the valley within. which the
fruit thrives. One Of these is under the
Arizona canal, eight miles from Phoe-
nix, the other at Mesa, sixteen miles to
the eastward. In both localities an