The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-02-08
FROM THE LAND
OF GREASE Bush
Miss Helen CARRIER Writes of Arizona
and Country Through Which
She Travelled.
DOWN IN TREELEss OKLAHOMA
Arizona, the Land Of Sunshine and
Perfect Winter Weather-Flow-
ers Now in Bloom.
Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 20, 1911.

Dear Readers have been asked to
write letter which could be pub
lished, and so will do so, hoping that
it will be of some interest to the read
ers of the Review.
I will tell first little about our
trip down here. We did not quite ap.
preciate the fine corn fields along the
Missouri until we came to the tree
less plains of Oklahoma. But after
we left ElPaso we saw really barren
country and soon found out the real
meaning of the word desert.
The Southern Pacific track follows
the valley between the ranges of
mountains for several hundred miles.
On either side of the track is a tree
less waste of sand, grease brush and
cacti. The grease brush is shrub,
In appearance resembling wild
goOseberry bush and is so called be-
cause of the peculiar oily look Of the
leaves. When dry the brush makes
excellent kindling.
We arrived in Tucson at three p. M.
and found a bright sun scorching the
sands. We were very thankful that
we had parasol about that time.
We We're very fortunate in having
Mr.. Failor to locate us in our new
home. When we awoke the morning
after we arrived we thought it must
be very late and were surprised to
find it was not yet seven o'clock. The
bright sun serves the purpose of an
alarm clock here. Mr.. Failor located
US about block from his home and
two blocks from Edith Gillmore-Huff-
man. We were so pleased to be near
old friends and neighbors.
We noticed the intense heat very
much during September. Since Oc-
tober first the weather has been
growing more pleasant and l think
now this is certainly perfect win.
ter climate. The minimum tempera-
ture has been IS degrees above zero,
but the cold is not noticeable only at
night. The sun warns the air so
much during the day. Many people
from the east who have been here
several years, say they feel the cold
as much as they would back east.
suppose it is because the cold snaps
follow such mild weather.
We have had two good rains this
last week and the cattle men are smil.
ing. 1t seems quite coincidence, last
year Tucson had only one day
when the sun did not shine at some
time during the day. So far this year
there have been two days, January
10th and 18th. In 1910 the day was
also January 10th.
Everything about the country here
seemed odd to us at first; so very few
frame houses, mostly brick, stone or
plastered and nearly always of one
story only. Some of the homes are
very grand, with fine trees and we'll
kept lawns. Trees, Towering plants,
ETC., have to be- irrigated here and it
takes much time and labor. Among
the trees are pepper trees, date palms,
olive and fig trees and the umbrella
tree. The umbrella trees are fine
shade trees and are such "a rich, dark
green.
We have part of small cottage
and the people living in the house
with us have horse. They have been
very kind to us and have taken us
driving many times. In the fall, one
day we We're driving near large
irrigation ditch and passed fine pear
orchard. AS rule, though, fruit
trees do not thrive so we'll in this eli.
mate. Roses were in their full glory
until after Christmas, such beautiful
large ones of every color and kind.
The State University of Arizona is
situated near us and the grounds are
very beautiful. In the fall, the olive
trees there were loaded with ripe
fruits resembling small blue plums. 1t
seems good to us when we pass a cot
t0nwOod tree on our drives. 1t makes
us think of home. 1t is surprising
what fine vegetables this country pro-
duces. The man who brings our veg
etables is Chinaman. He comes
every morning with fresh vegetables,
cabbage, radishes, celery, spinach, let
tuce, tomatoes, turnips, carrots, peas
and beans. 1t is fine thing to be able
to get these things out of season and
at very moderate price. Groceries
are high, butter now forty cents, eggs
fifty cents. Eggs have been eighty
cents and we were thankful to know
they were only fifty now. They will
not be much cheaper even in the sum-
mer. Meats are not so high and are
very good. Dry goods we find about
on par with eastern goods in price.
There, are many Mexicans here. In
e. L. Al, 1v,% nc tl.<>