Graham guardian., 1897-12-03


Wei Worth Serious Consideration
by those Seeking new Homes, or Men
Seeking Profitable Investment for
Capital.
The agricultural resources of the
Gila valley are both varid and ex-
tensive, comprising an area OF
arabic land Of which there is at
present tributary to canals and
bitches, 10000 acres which is
leapable of being irrigated. The
1 principal products are alfalfa, wheat,
corn, barley, oats, vegetables, de-
cidious andcertain classes of citrus
fruits.
This is the natural home OF
alfalfa, of which from A to 5 crops
are grown yearly, yielding from .
to s tons per acre. 1t is not as
stocky as that which comes from
the Salt River valley and is pre-
ferable for either horses or cattle.
Wheat, barley and oats grow
prolifcly, the former containing a
very large amount of nutrition.
Yellow dent, white gourd and
other large varieties Of corn yield
productivity, vegetables are large
and solid and come to maturity
two months earlier than III the
eastern and middle states.
The valley and hill lands are
adapted to all OF the products Of
the temporal zone, and many Of
the fruits of the semi-tropical
countries. The apples equal in
size and flavor the prize winners
of the eastern states. The seed
ling fruits are unexcelled in size
and general excellence. Apricots
and apples both grow with a sur
prising rapidity. The peaches in
appearance and taste are identical
with those which come from the
famous orchards Of New Jersey.
Canagrie grows wild, some Of
the tubers being as large as good
sized potatoes. Tests now show
that canagrie root, which flourish.
es near Thomas, IN the lower DOR
ton of the valley, contains a large
er per cent of tannic acid than any
ever sent to the extract works
from either Arizona or New Mexi-
co.
Farming lands can be purchased
at from $50 to 500 per acre, in
Guiding improvements and water
rights.
Uncultivated land without water
right is free to any settler under
the United States homestead law.
This class of farms will eventually
become valuable when the canal
facilities have been increased.
The cost of maintaining the ca
nails which are owned by the farm
ers varies from 80 cts. to S1.00 per
acre per year.
The following are the market
values of the products of the soil
at the ranch, there being ready
sale for everything raised in the
valley.
Wheat 1925 per GENITAL,
Barley LOO :"
Corn l.OO
Hay 600 to IS per
Tton,
Hogs ! cts per pound
Apples " "
Cattle from sl1 to SIS de-
Tlivered in Stafford
Milk COWS S25.00 to $4,000
There is at present about lis
miles of irrigatlng canals and main
bitches, not including the Lateral
bitches which will make the t0taI
several times this amount. This
gives ample water to assure crops
| for about $4,000 acres. When the
Enterprise canal is finished it will
water several thousand acres o
ricb table and bottom land. /
has been estimated that a quartz,
of million acres Of additional lane
could be irrigated if storage dam
we're built. This could be don
in several places, notacly at tn
norrows about Is miles from Sal
ford where box canyon exist
through which the river passes
IIt is from this point the Erterpris
company are building their cana
.. Graham county covers an are
of 1000 square miles.
The GiIa valley is 35 miles fror
the narrows to the edge of the re,
ervation, with an average width {
bottom lands of Two miles, the di
tance between the foot hills bein
six miles. The valley is fanke
on the north by the ella mountain
and on the south by the Grahal
mountains, Mount Graham bein
the highest peak, with an altitud
Of ten thousand feet above sea leyc
Although bat little prospecCIn
hqs been done in either the Gil
or Graham mountains, the te
Ifopcrttus which have been d
yrTpual shaw that the ore bod