Bisbee daily review., 1911-06-20
GiIa River Valley Among
 The Richest in Arizona
lRy Chas. A. DInsmore.l ]

20 miles up and l5 miles down rom
 Duncan, Ariz.. is one of the most
 fertile in the southwest, where the
 growth of grains, vegetables and
 fruits is luxuriant. fter one mas
 eaten the luscious strawberries. the
 handsome peaches. the royal purple
 piuns, the juicy and firm apples.
 which are all grown here to absolute
 perfection. he Is certain to have
 such faith in the soil of Arizona, and
 10 agree that. with water. it is capa-
 ble Of anything. I have speRt a week
 in and around Duncan and visited a
 number of farms and ranches and
 the tale Of it all tells a wonderful
 story It must be remembered that
 but a few years ago this country was
 wholly eiven over to the cattlemen
 and miners, and that everyone scoff-
 ed at the idea of any farming ever
 being. successful: but the men accus-
 toned to tilling the soil looked the
 valley over. noted that where cattle
 men planted posts for fences they
 had grown into enormous trees not ed the depth of the soil and that it
 looked fertile-and they took up
 hOmesteads and made a trial The success or these efforts was wonder
 full We rode up to the Gila ranch. about IA miles from Clifton. and were the guests for two days of Man ager Frank c. Ioulihan and his wife. and here was demonstrated what in- tensive farming means and what 1t will amount to.
 Ranch of 1000 Acres.
 This Gila ranch is a company prop osition. principally owned by Cedar Rapids. Iowa. people, and embraces 1000 acres, 517 of which is under cultivation in one body This firm was originally instituted by the Fra ser brothers and Albert Newhouse and F. L. Diserous is president It is wateTed by two ditches. an in- dependent one and the Sunset ditch, together carrying a little more than 1000 miners inches. The water is taken from the Gila river. the Sunset headgate being 3 miles mp river from the farm, and from the intake there is ditch in solid rock for F. miles. The land slopes so gently that oft times it does not cost more than S an acre to prepare it for the wa ter and crops: but in some places there are hillocks which must be leveled before the energizing fluid is turned on. This is one Of the many bur there is one fact that all farm CTS in the arid regions are coming to recognize, which is that all growth ideal locations for an irrigated farm: having leaves must have water on the foliage to make its best produc- tion. with the possible exception of fruit trees. However. there is usually sufficient rainfall to satisfy this need 50. With plenty of water for irrigating the roots, the yield is much greater than in ordinary farm ing sections where sole dependence is upon rainfall. ] saw an alfalfa field on the Giia ranch. possibly em- bracing 100 acres, where last year five crops average D tons per acre were cut, and it was all the finest grade of properly cured hay. As this hay is in constant demand at S10 per ton f. is no wonder that improved land is held at from S10e to S250 per acre. On the Giia ranch there is an orchard of g acres. in which gre raised peaches. pears. plUms, quinc- es. apricots This orchard is on the upland and apples o-- thrive well on lowlauds. t 1cw r2s been made on lar5 orchard, where are arly rasp- berry, blackbs ant bushes, strawberries, zrl les. and much E being given ts t%e eultI- Vetion and raising of small fruits in the future. The cost Of maintaining this ground and watering is infnites- imal. not much more than a tenth of the cost of an alfalfa field: and yet the alfalfa costs are exceptional ly low. as well as the grains The cost Of alfalfa is approximately s10 per acre for the first preparation of the ground when it is ready for years of production: s2 for planting and seed. and about S1 per year for water. The cost of cutting. baling and marketing is the same as pre- pairing hay in any country.
 Big Crops.
 This year on the Gila ranch there is in cultivation 100 acres of alfalfa. 75 of barley and wheat. 70 corn, 30 beans. chili peppers, 10 vegetables, the @atter including a large acreage Of potatoes The plum trees in the orchard average a net income of S35 per acre per year, peaches about the same. and it Is anticipated that in- come another year rom the small 'uits wiu be exceptionally large. as .if-se Of his fruit is raised in the southwest
 This Gia ranch project was a -evelation to even the oId-timers. Here the work is systematized. the rrigation done on scientific princi- 1ies. and according to the needs of he different growths. As to the pos abilities. there is no limit within ieason. The soil is demonstrated of treat fertility. there is abundant wa er at all seasons of the year; there 8 9 market for everything that can ossibly be raised There are no iD- grn1 ountable obstacles and there ara To features making fife undesirable .ere. This Is an age of money making nd such a project ss the Gila ranch B SO certain Of profit it is no wonder leorie are going into similar pro notions with avidity 1t costs some