The Arizona sentinel., 1899-02-25
ARIZONA.


 Halfa, but somewhat cooler.
 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 80 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 inn pression as they transpired siugly, is now commanding for her full 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 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 despon6ency have suddenly rolled away, and sunhurst of energiziug hope has thrilled the droop- ing spirits of the people to greater aud bravcr endeavor than before.
 For the last twelve years tho 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, but in that time she has been quietly ac- 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 fro'a 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 0ne-tenth as much as New Mexico -"Fitz- Mac," in Denver News.
 FRUIT CULTURE.
 Fruit production throughout Arizona Is 8 sub feet 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 even tbe most skept- ical oftN, Onderful superiority of Yuma County over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to large and varied production, of the most remunerative character.
 
 published in ss6 writes as follows of the rich valle, of the Gila, Colorado and calt rivors
 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 journey to the sea- By constant overlows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of ,xtreme fertility, Near ths streams it is dark alluYial mold, we'll adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is rich sandy losm, mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demonstrated that the productive apacity of these valleys Is not surpassed by lands of equal area in any part of the United States So rapid and prolific is the growth of the fruits cereals and vegetables that the labor of the cultvator is reduced to the minimum. ir nearly all of them two crops 8 year can be growth, and vegetation is one month ahead of California. The farmers plants cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the year he has a shade tree twenty-five feet high Alfalfa can be cut six times during the season, and it is an actual fact the grape cuttings have produced within eigh- teen months! What State or Territory can make such showing7 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 May "is harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit troes blossoming, and the grair fields aye sea of green when the fields of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow and ice.
 Every varietyo grains grasses, fruits and vege- tables grown in the temperate and semi-tropic zones can be produced in the yslleys of A,izona. Wheat corn barley, oats and all the small 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 i'll the United States can be grown iD Arizona, and nowhere are they found of better quality.
 "Besides the products mentioned, these semi tropical valleys produce co:ton, sugar-cans, to- bacco, hemp and rice. With the exception of the sugarcane but little attention is paid to the cuti- vation of other staples but it has been demonstrat ed that the soil and climate are specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton growing IS no experiment in Arizona, for 1t IS on record that when the Europeans first penetrated this reSion' they found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made of cItton grown in the Giia valley.
 "But it is their adaptsbillty for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands denso populs- tion and aprosperous future. Almost every var iety known can be raised in their fruitful soils. The apple, pear plum, peach, apricot, quince and nee tarine, are of delicious favor, and give gen. erous yield. The grape of all varieties iss home In these sunny vales. No place in the grape-grow- ing belt of the Pacific Coast can show 50 prolific yield. The quality Is all that could be desired and the wine, althoughts manufacture IS yet ex- perimcnta, is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet, and ans ,,r&sssd by any Eatiys pseduct sS ktsrle