Arizona republican., 1898-02-28

regained it's normal, clear state. For this reason fogs are almost unknown, and only in the latter part of our rainy season, after an exceptionally large rainfall, is dew perceptible. While the newspapers teem with ac- counts of disastrous blizzards through out the Mississippi valley and the far east, here the people may pluck roses in their gardens and enjoy soft breezes. This county is also free from cyclonic disturbances, and thunder storms do not often occur. The heat in summer is never op- pressive, and sunstrokes are un- known here. The mountain tops are covered with snow part of the year and in winter the traveller can trans port himself from Arctic snow and ice within a few hours to valleys teem- ing with frr,ts and flowers. Arizona, stripped of all but her magnificent climate, would still command the ad- miration of the world.
 FERTILITY OF THE SOIL.
 Maricopa county's second advan- tage is the great fertility of the soil, possessing various adaptability. The soil of Mari copa county consists generally of red clay and decomposed granite, with gneissic admiXture, the whole diluted with sand, which keeps the mass ever friable, and with a sufficient propor- tion of true humus which will be sub ject to an almost constant increment under tilth The soil is one of the richest to be found in the United States Near the river it is, in places, a dark alluvial mold, well adapted for the production of cereals and grasses. Further back it is a rich loam of ex- treme fertility, while nearer to the foothills the soil has something of a lighter and more porous character, be- ing especially adapted to the cultiva- tion of every variety of fruit. It has been demonstrated that this rich and productive soil has depth of from ten to forty feet throughout the entire val ley, and although portions of it have been cultivated in the same crop for over twenty years, there is no dimi- mutton in the yield or exhaustion of it's durable fertility. The water used for irrigation constantly gives new life to the land.
 IRRIGATION IN MARICOPA CO.,
 To Arizona irrigation is what the life-blood is to man, and the farmer and horticulturist must rely entirely upon it for success, and upon it's proper application depends the tillage in the territory. he land in Mari copa county, while it varies in differ ent sections, is the highest in quality and adaptability known to the horti- culturist or the agriculturist, and is a composition most suitable for irri- gation purposes, being, as it is, of a sandy loam and of porous sediment ary soil, and so situated that the en- tire county can be irrigated without difficulty. Irrigation is the most per feet method known to man, and the land so cultivated commands the high est price the world over. Canal and ditches divert the water from the river bed and convey it to the land which it is desired to irrigate, and Maricopa county has the rivers from which to force the water for irrigation.
 FRUIT RAISING-A LIMITLESS
 MARKET.
 This pursuit stands among the most important industries of Maricopa county. So famed has this section of the country become in fruit cul- ture" that it is unnecessary to say word about her pre-eminence in this industry. The kinds and varieties of fruits which thrive and mature in Maricopa county really embrace the entire list-we may say the entire list of deciduous fruits and some kinds of semi-tropical. It is difficult to name a species that cannot be grown some where in Maricopa county. Maricopa, having such immense irrigation priv ileges, has a very great advantage over most of the other counties of the territory in producing fruit Of better qualities and more excellent flavor. With this fact and the nearness to the Phoenix market, there is no spot in this territory where fruit of such excellent size and quality can be grown so proftably as in Maricopa county. The kinds successfully grown here are oranges, lemons, quinces, apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, apricots, olives, almonds, strawberries, grapes, figs, p1ums, dates and, in fact, every fruit that ripens under the semi-trop ical suns. While capable of an almost unlimited variety of productions, it is to the cultivation of fruits that this county must look for it's greatest prosperity. No spot on the Pacific coast is better adapted to the cultiva- tion of the grape, the chief varieties planted thus far being the Muscat Of Alexandria, Zinfandel, Sultana and Tokay- oranges have not as yet been extensively planted. Yet we now have over two hundred acres in per feet condition, which demonstrates beyond a question of doubt that they can be successfully grown here. There are but few places in the world where the fig is successfully produced and the perfect success attained here in it's production will render this valley famous throughout the civilized world. It is much more profitable crop than the orange and some of the largest or chards in the United States are in this valley.
 HAY AND GRAIN FARMING.
 One of the most valuable produc- >f AHor ir