The Arizona sentinel., 1898-02-19
ARIZONA.

Arizona stands at the threshold of an era of wonderful social and industrial de- velopment. There can't be doubt about the fact. The dawn for which she has waited so long is breaking at last. There is every promise of a 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 of many things, which made but small im- pression as they transpired singly, is now commanding for her 8 fall share of atten- ton and interest abroad among home seekers and capitalists.
 4 lively competition has sprung up for the possession of things which have hereto fore gone a-begging for ownership. There is a 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 aud 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 sunhurst of energizing hope has thrilled the droop- ing spirits of the people to greater aud braver endeavor than before.
 For the last twelve years the subsistence of the great Tombstone boom and the com pletion of two transcontinental lines of railroad across her territory has rather dropped out of public attention, but in that time she has been quietly ac- and 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 a mistake of great importance from 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 2 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 tracting careful 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, tbe most skept ical, ofthe wonderful superiority of Yuma County over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to large and varied production, of the most remunerative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration ill his report, published in 1886, writes as follows of the rich valleys 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 which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountaia Nomes in their journeg to the sea. By constant oFer6ou= and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of cxtrame fertility, Near the streams ii is dark alluyisl acids well adaptc. to smar grains and grasses. Farther back Ja ere is a rich sandy loam, mellow and porous nd especially favorable for fruit culture lt aa5 been already demonstratsd that the productive capacity of these valleys is not ed by lands of equal area in any par of the United States Q rapid and prolific Is the growth of the fruits, als and vegetables that th 'a6or If the cu.si,otor is reduced to the minimum. n nearly all 1. hem two crops a year can b. growth, and vegetation is one month ahead of Csi.iornia. The farmers plants cottonwood sapling latar his door, aud within the year he has ashsaa tree twenty five fee high! Alfalfa can be cu six t--ss during the ason, and it is an actual fa- the zraua-curiHg- Ina ye produced within eigh- teen uoa.ts' Wha. S-are or Territory can make such a showir.7 The -f nate, it must be remem- ber7d nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls a these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant m Ea.embaf, and by the middle of May lis harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit trees are hlo5somiu- and the grain fields are sea Of green, whom the fields of the Eastern farmers aGe covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety grains, grasses, fruits and vege- tables grown in the temperate and semitropic zones caa be p.. need in the valleys of Arizona. Wheat. corn bsrley, oats and all the small grains give yield of rom twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre aL. zlfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and aIl the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, the .o;rrl fc4 Ion each wear Every variety of vegetable raised in che United states can be grown in Arizona, and nowhere ars they found of better quality.
 "Besa.s the products mentioned, these semi tropical alleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- laceJ hemp and rice. With the exception of the
 --arcane, but little attention is paid to the cult
 -dou of other staples; but it has been demonstrat- ed that the soil and climate are specially adapted 5, -na 1T successful growth. Cotton-g growing is no aEpeIiment in Arizona, for it is on record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region, they found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made of cotton grown in the Gila valley.
 But it is their adaptabihty for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense popula- ion and aprosperous future. Almost every var cty known cnn be raised in their fruitful soils The apple, pcar plum, peach, apricot, quince and nec- tarine, arc of delicious flavor, and give gen orous yield. The grape of all varieties ia home in these sunny wales. No place in the Srape-grow- ing belt O; the Pacific Coast can show so prolific yield Tine quality is all that could be desired; and the wine, although it's manufacture is vet ex permental IS ol fine flavor, delicious bouquet, and unsurpassed by any native product as table