The Arizona sentinel., 1898-09-03
ARIZONA.

ARIZONA.
 Arizona stands at the threshold of al
 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 a 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 lend, IS than this.
 Arizona has reached that climacticel period which every western state has ex perienced sometime in it's 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 com pletion of two transcontinental lines of railroad across her territory-Arizona has rather dropped out of public attention, cumulating 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 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 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 tracting carefnl attention. Experiments have been made, with care, and facts regard to the culture of different kinds of fruits have been collected which cannot fail to convince, tbe most skept cal, oftb 3 wonderful superiority of Yuma County 'ver Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to a large and varied production, 'f the most remunerative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report, in 1886, writes as follows of the rich alley of the Gila, Colorado and Salt rivers.
 The soil Of these valleys is among the richest n the continent It is formed of the detritus which the streams for ages have brought down rom their mountain homes in their iourneg to the ca. By constant overfiows and change of channel, he deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form soil of extreme fertility, Near ths streams it l Vial II rains and grasses. Farther back there is a rich | andy loam' mellow and porous, and especially | Evorable for fruit culture. It has been already | emonstrated 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 the growth Of the fruits, cereals and vegetables lat the labor of the cutivator is reduced to the minimum. ln nearly all of them two crops a year m be growth, and vegetation is one month ahead California. The farmers plants a cottonwood bling before his door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty-five feet high Alfalfa can be t six times during the season, and it is an actual ct the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh- en months! What State or Territory can make ch a showing? The climate, it must be remem- red, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never Us in these southern valleys. The farmer begins plant in November, and by the middle of May 5 harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit 'es are blossoming, and the grain fields sea green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers 3 covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety grains, grasses, fruits and vege- 1les grown in the temperate and semi-tropic o les can be produced in the valleys of Arizona . neat, corn. barley, oats and all the small grains re yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to c acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and | the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, the 2 mer giving from eight to ten tons to the acre h year, Every variety of vegetable raised in
 United States be grown iD Arizona, and d where are they found of better quality. S Besides the products mentioned, these semi D pical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- i, GO, hemp and rice With the exception of the z, arcane, but little attention is paid to the culti lon Of other staples; but it has been demonstrat that the soil and climate are specially adapted Il 'helr successful growth. Cotton-growing is no a 'erlment in Arizona, for it is on record that II en the Europeans first penetrated this region, y found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics " de of cotton grown in the Gila valley. III But it is their adaptabty for fruit culture assures to these valley lands dense popula- SC l and aprosperous future. Almost every var dl known be raised in their fruitful soils. The o le, pear, plum, peach, apricot, quince and nee TT ne, are of delicious flavor, and give gen Us yield. The grape of all varieties isa home ii heSe sunny wales. No place in the grape-grow- til belt of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific a NJ d. The quality is all that could be desired; oI the wine, although it's manufacture is yet eX mental, is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet, - uns lrPassed by any native product as tablet t'