The Arizona sentinel., 1898-12-31
ARIZONA.

Arizona. stands at the threshold of sn 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 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 full share of atten- ton aud 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 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 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 sunhurst of energiziug hope has thrilled the droop- ing spirits of the people to greater and braver endeavor than before.
 i 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 has rather dropped out of public attention, but in that time she has been quietly &C., cumulating fund of substantial wealth l 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 fro,h
 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 1 it is certain that Arizona has not to-day nearly so large Mexican population as | Colorado and not above nne-tenth as much 1 as New Mexico. >"Fitz- Mac" i'll Denver News.
 FRUIT CULTURE.
 Fruit production throughout Arizona is a sub ject great interest at present, and will nc 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 arc 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 even tbe most stskept ical, ofths ondcrful superiority of Yuma County over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to q large and varied production 1 of the most romuncrative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report published in 8S8, writes as follows of the rich valley of the Gia, 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 mountain homes in their journeg to the sea- By constant overfows and change Of channel the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of ,xtreme fertility, Near th3 streams it is dark alluvial mold, well adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is rich sandy loan, mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demonstrated that the productive opacity Of these valleys is not surpassed by Ian Is of equal area in any part of the United States So rapid and proit is the growth of the fruits cereals and veget bic that the labor Gf the cutivator is reduceI to the can be growth, and vegetation is one month ahead of California; The farmers pllnts cottonwood sap!ng before his door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty-five feet hgh Alfalfa can be cut six times during the season, and it is actual fact the grapecuttings have produced within eigh- teen months What State or Territory can make such O showing? The climate, it must be remem- bered, is nearly perpetual summer Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of Nay lis harvest is ready Roses are in bloom, fruit trees are blossomng, and the grair fields are sea of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety grains grasses, fruits and vege- tables grown in the temperate and semi-tropic zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona. Wheat, corn barley, oats and all the smal! grains give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and all the cultivated grasses grow luxurianty, the former giving from eight to ten tons to the acre each year, Every variety of vegetable raised in the United States can be grown iD Arizona, and nowhere arc they found of better quality.
 ''Besidcs the products mentioned, these semi tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- bacco, hemp and rice. With the exception of the sugar cane but little attention is paid to the culti- vaon of other staples; but it has been demonstrat ed that the soil and climate specially adapted to their successful growth. CottOn-growing is no experiment. 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 ill the Gila valley.
 ''BuS it is their adaptabiIIty for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense popula- ton and aprosperous future. Almost every var icty known can be raised in their fruitful soils. The apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, quince and nee, tarine arc of delicious flavor, and give gen. erous yield The grape of all varieties isa home | in these sunny vales. No place in the grapo-grow ing belt of the Pacific Coast can show prolific a yield, The quality is all that could be desired and the wine, although it's manufacture is yet ex permcntal, is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet aud unsurpassed by any native product as table