The Arizona sentinel., 1901-07-03

: The following report from the direc-
 tor of experiment station. Is published
 as giving d fair resume of the cOnclu- siOnS which have hccn reached in re-
 gard to agriculture in this territory:
 One of the most encouraging signs of the times
 in connections with Arizona is the growth of ! her agricultural interests. These interests by
 creating T settled population aust certain sources
 of wealth. insure the Territory, as whole against those excessive nactuationS in popula 1 iion and finance which are so often observed in purely mining communities. Although bu: q ! small percentage of the tOta! area of Arizona is under cultivation, yet when the actual amount ] and productivtntSe of these lands is considered
 thc place of agriculture among the industries 1 of the Territory is very important. Arizona has
 and always will haveland ill excess of the water supply available for irrigation. without which agriculture can. excepting i'll rare Instances
 hardly be considered Out of about 2. .sOO,OOC
 acres in the Territory only 5,700,0O0 acres arc privately owned. Of which about 450G00 acres
 are under irrigation ditch. For the total amount
 of land under ditch there is not sufficient water i in all instances to insure crops: but in time | there can be little doubt that the storage and development of water will lead to the successful | irrigation Of much more than the area under ditch
 1 The future of agriculture n Arizona is with | out question, more than usually good and for
 the reason that the conditions Of soil irrigation ] and climate combine to produce an uncommon variety and amount of marketable pFotlucc | The soil Of Arizona. as is usual with the soils ei
 arid regions. rich in the elements of fertili | ty requiring only the cver-ncedful water. skill
 and industry in their management to secure | abundant returns. The fertility of cultivated 1 soils in irrigated regions is further assured ny | the dapoSitc Of silt brought upon the land with 1 irrigation water The problems of fertilization which become so serious in humid sections, arc ! therefore Of much less importance here end nos 1 to Dc sJ carefully reclEoncd with i'll connection with the future uf our agriculture
 l The most marked advantage ill connection with agriculture and horticulture. especially in l southern Arizona, is the climate. From January 1 10 June the temperature resembles that of | spring and carly summer ill the latitude of Ken ! lucky. From June to September the climate is ! of sahtrOpiCal fCryoT. while from September tu ! November there iS second mild season of tenn. i pCratc weather. The winter season. from Nov cmbcr to January though subject to sharp fro~ts ! in southern Arizona. is not seriously or even
 uncomfortably cold.
 1 Owing to this combination of seaSons :. rc- Tnarkable variety of crops may be found ill the same locality at different times of the year. ! Strawberries. which flourish in Greenland. may 1 be found on the sane land with dates and palms 1 from Sahara. Alfalfa. the great forage of the arid West fiOurishes alongside with wheat, 1 corn. and sorghum. respectively characteristic Of Minnesota, Illinois, and Kansas. Oranges. lemons. and olives from California may be found ! in the same neighoorhOOd with peanuts and sweet potatoes from Virginia. In brief. many of the leading crops of both temperate and sub ! tropical countries which are not affected by
 q too arid atmosphere or by the frosts of winter. i flourish in southern Arizona. In northern Ari- Zona. where the temperatures more resemble i those of northern Illinois many of the more dis tinctively temperate region crops flourish. such aS potatoes apples. and various small fruits. When. with this diversity of products k coupled healthful. and for the most of the year agreeable. climate it will be that agricul- ! tural in Arizona possesses distinct advantages.