Arizona republican., 1908-04-01

Silt and other mineral substances, brought down from the mountains in the river water find their way into the irrigating ditches and are eventu- ally deposited on the land. A constant enrichment of the soil thus produced does away with the necessity for oth- CT fertilizers.
 The country produces a great va riety of crops but the method of farm ing is in every instance the same. That is every thing must be done by irrigation. Irrigation is a simple pro cess learned in a day. Out of the ever flowing Salt river where it's level is higher than that of the country to be irrigated, a volume of water is con- ducted by means of a canal. down into the valley. The canal branches into smaller ditches, until every farm has a. ditch of its own. By means of balks or borders, and by still smaller ditches peculiar to each farm. it is possible for man to- flood any part of his land at will. and at the same time restrict the water to given limits.
 If the farmer is handling any of the ordinary crops he has a general irri gation not oftner than once a month on the average. A crop Of grain or hay requires about four irrigations- frequently less. Fruits, cantaloupes and beets. demand some what closer attention: but here the plant is not directly flooded. With ordinary forms of produce the field is submerged to the depth of an inch or so and the water is left to soak in, which it does in a few hours. The farmer is to direct the water and shut it off at the proper time. tract of forty acres will require about eight hours to irri gate
 In addition to the waters stored by the government dam at Roosevelt, it has been demonstrated that there is an immense reservoir of water under meath the ground all around Mesa Wells have been put down extending over an area of many square miles. penetrating in loose gravel beds, vary ing from 150 to 250 feet. filled with water Constant pumping for many years has in no way diminished the supply Through the building of the Tonto reservoir there will be created more than 10000 electric horse power. a great part of which can be used for
 
 to the permanent water supply for ir- rigauOn purposes.
 FARM PRODUCTS.
 As already stated the territory about Mesa produces q very wide range of crops-the products of the middle and eastern states. as well as many trCp- ical and semi-tropical growths. Prob ably the distinctive crop of the section is alfalfa. of this fine hay large quantities are exported. Such is its remarkable yield that, under favorable water conditions. five and six cuttings are frequently taken from the same piece of land with a year. The yield to the acre is from one and d half to two and half tons at each cutting The seed brings high price, Much alfalfa is consumed at home in the process of feeding winter cattle for the market.
 Grains of the different varieties are grown in sufficient quantities for the local market. Wheat and barley yield from thirty to fifty bushels and oats as high as eighty bushels to the acre. Corn has. in many instances. yielded sixty to seventy bushels and netted lhe farmer rom SlzO 10 Sliu per acre Having d quick growth here it is often planted as a second crop on land from which tomatoes or cantaloupes have already been harvested.
 CANTALOUPES.
 The one industry. which more than any other. has gained for Mesa recog- milton in the eastern markets, and which promises to make the South Side one of the wealthiest farming