The national forum., 1910-07-23
ARIZONA.
Varied Resources OF a New Member Of
the SiSteThO0d of States.

=
Arizona has an area OF $1,000
square miles (72,332,S00 acres), en-
titling it to rank as sixth in size
among the States.
Arizona has vast mineral resources
of copper, gold, silver, coal Gas yet
but little worked), lead, mica, fiuor-
spar, molybdenum, nickel ores, lime
stone, marble, granite, sandstone in
limitless quantities, chalcedony, tung-
stem, turquoise, vanadium, garnet
(pyrope) and other minerals, and
there are many hot and mineral
springs.
Arizona has some of the grandest
scenery in the world; the famous
Grand Canon of the Colorado and the
wonderful chalcedony forest near Hol-
brook, Navejo County, with trunks
four feet thick cracked into exquisite
ly colored blocks, being prominent
Arizona has valley after valley of
marvellously fertile lands, experiment
demonstrating that in the southern
part under favorable conditions the
yield an acre is 2150 pounds for
wheat, 1000 to 5000 pounds for pota-
toes, 1890 pounds for tomatoes,
5000 pounds for strawberries, $4,000
pounds for melons and 1875 pounds
for corn. Under the reclamation
work now in large and active progress
by the Federal Government total of
1000 900 acres, or forty times the
present area under cultivation, will
be reclaimed and put to marvellously
productive use. The staple crops are
alfalfa, barley, wheat, sorghum, kaffir
corn, root crops, sugar beets, green
vegetables and small fruits of every
variety-apricots, grapes, oranges
Judged by many to be the finest in
the world), lemons, figs, almonds,
olives, etc. Experiments in the culti-
walton of Egyptian cotton, of which
the United States has to import about
$40, 100000 worth year, are also be-
ing made, and it is expected that vast
tracts Of alkali lands in the south,
hitherto believed to be waste, can be
utilized for date culture, says F. w.
Hodge, of the Smithsonian Institution
in Americana.
Arizona has climate which though
hot in summer 's not very oppressive,
while in winter it is usually delight
full. Heavy SHOWS occur in the noun
famous north and sharp frosts are
frequent, even in the Salado and Gila
valleys, but nowhere are the noun
tains perpetually snow capped, In
recent years Arizona has become a
popular resort for those suffering
from pulmonary tuberculosis and ca
tarrhal ailments.
Arizona has mountains and mesas
in the north which are generally COW
cred with nutritious grasses, forming
excellent pasturage for cattle and
sheep, while irrigated pastures in the
south afford means for fattening for
market. Ostrich farming, about 5000
birds, has become a profitable Indus
try, particularly adjacent to the city
of Phoenix, the capital to be Of the
State till at least 1925. The southern
plains and parts Of the north have
dress Of sagebrush, greasewood, yuc-
ca. cactus and other desert growths.
Cottonwoods line almost every stream.
Mesquite, the giant cactus, or sagua-
70; paloverde, ironwood, Jerusalem
thorn and other trees are indigenous
to the southern plains, and vast noun
tain areas are covered with pine, jul
niper and other valuable timber. Vast
tracts of timber, however, have been
set apart in the national forests, a
total acreage of 15,25S,S61.
Arizona has population of $780,
900, of which fully three-fourths are
American born. The Indians number
about 25,000 the Navaios leading
with $4,000 The leading cities are
Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, Jerome,
Nogales, Yuma, Globe, Flagstaff,
Tom bstone, Solomonsville, Kingman,
Houbrook, st. Johns and Florence.
Arizona has respectable array of
State institutions, university Indian
schools, reform school, normal schools,
asylum for the insane, penitentiary,
Capitol building and offices, etc.
Arizona has mining output aver
aging about $55, 100000 a year, i'm
ports and exports (port of Nogales)
Of about $15,O00,00O a year, besides
millions yearly for cattle and farm,
garden and orchard products.
Arizona has fine public school
system under active extension. COM
pulsory non-sectarian education, with
salaries to teachers only exceeded by
California and Nevada; over 1000
miles of steam railway, hundreds of
postoffices, about sixty daily, weekly
and monthly periodicals, ample bank
ing facilities, with unusually large
large deposits; very healthy condi-
tion of State county and municipal
finances.- B, in the New York Sun.