The Arizona sentinel., 1898-07-16
ARIZONA.


 Arizona stands at the threshold of sl
 era of wonderful social and industrial de
 velopment. There can't be doubt abou
 the fact. The dawn for which she ha
 waited so long is breaking at last. Ther,
 is every promise of day of great pros
 perity and permanent upbuilding just be
 fore her. The impulse of a new and ener
 gizing hope is visible everywhere among
 her people. while the cumulative effect O.
 many things, which made but small i'm pression as they transpired singly, is now commanding for her full share of atten tion and interest abroad among home seekers and capitalists.
 4 lively competition has sprung up fol the possession of things which have hereto fore gone a-begging for ownership. There is scramble for franchises. Nothing more surely indicates great industrial awaken. ing than this. The rates of interest are falling to moderate figures. Nothing more surely indicates confidence and competition among the money lenders than this. Arizona has reached that climacticer period which every western state has ex- perienced sometime in its history when, after long and weary struggle and doubt, with each side of the balance first up and then down, the clouds of despondency have suddenly rolled away, and a sunburst of energizing hope has thrilled the droop- ing spirits of the people to greater and braver endeavor than before.
 For the last twelve years the subsistence of the great Tombstone boom and the con- pletion of two transcontinental lines of railroad across her territory-Arizona has rather dropped out of public attention, but in that time she has been quietly &C., cumulating a fund of substantial wealth and a force of moral character which qualify her now to rise up and take her destiny in her own hands.
 The population of Arizona is Mexican. This is mistake of great importance froln the moral point of view. There is but one considerable center of Mexican population in the territory, the city of Tucson, and even there it is not by any means at pres ent the predominating element. It think it is certain that Arizona has not to-day nearly so large a Mexican population as Colorado and not above one-tenth as much as New Mexico -"Fitz- Mac," in Denver News.
 FRUIT CULTURE.
 Fruit production throughout Arizona is a sub ject great interest at present, and will no doubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County, The remarkable results that have sprung from very superficial and imperfect culture has de monstrated that the soil and climate of Yuma County are peculiarly adapted for this branch of agricultural enterprise. The development of these resources is of the utmost importance and is at tracing carefnl attention. Experiments have been made, with care and facts in regard to the culture of different kinds of fruits have been collected which cannot fail to convince even tbe most skept ical, oftbs wonderful superiority of Yuma County over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to large and varied production, of the most remunoratiye character
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report. published in 1886, writes as follows of the rich valley of the Gila, Colorado and Salt rivers.
 "The soil of these valleys is among the richest on the continent. It is formed of the detritus "hlch the streams for ages have brought down rom tnelr mountain homes in their journey to the sea- By constant overfows and change of channel, he deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form d soil of extreme fertility, Near tn. streams it s dark alluvial mold, we'll adapted to small Srains and grasses Farther back there is rich | andy loam, mellow and porous, and especially | avorable for fruit culture. It has been already l demonstrated that the productive capacity of these alleys IS not surpassed by lands of equal area in ny part of the United States. So rapid and prolific 5 the growth of the fruits, cereals and vegetables hat the labor of the cultvator is reduced to the minimum. Tn nearly all of them two crops year an be growth, and vegetation is one month ahead California. The farmers plants a cottonwood apling before his door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty-five feet high! Alfalfa be Ut six times during the season. and it is an actual lct the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh- cen monthsl What State or Territory can make Ich showing? The climate, it must be remem- cred, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never Llls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins plant in November, and by the middle of May is harvest is ready. Roses in bloom, fruit ees are blossoming, and the grain fields are sea green, when the fields of the. Eastern farmers re covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety grains. grasses, fruits and vege- 6les grown in the temperate and semi-tropic 'nes can be produced in the valleys of Arizona. heat, corn barley, oats and all the small grains we yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to cIO md 1 l the cultivated grasses grow luxurianty, the rmer giving from eight to ten tons to the acre oh year, Every variety of vegetable raised in e United States can be grown ip Arizona, and 'where they found of better quality. Besides the products mentioned, these semi I opical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- eco, hemp and rice. With the exception of the garcane but little attention is paid to the culti ton of other staples but it has been demonstrat- that the soil and climate are specially adapted their successful growth. Cotton-growing is no g pertinent in Arizona, for it is on record that hen the Europeans first penetrated this region, ey found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics ade of cotton grown in the Gila valley. But 1t is their adaptabillty for fruit culture at assures to these valley lands dense popula- S 'n and aprosperous future. Almost every var C y known can be raised in their fruitful soils The pie, pear, plum, peach, apricot, quince and nec- rine, are of delicious flavor, and give gen ous yield. The grape of all varieties isa home q these sunny wales. No place in the grape grow t g belt of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific ! cid. The quality is all that could be desired; Q d the wine, although its manufacture is yet ex- is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet,
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