Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1911-06-14

TUNSON, Ariz, June S.-froi. X.
H. Forbes. director of the agricultur.
nj experiment station of the Univer
sity of Arizona, has made the fol
lowing report concerning dry farming
and irrigation during the last year,
and Of plans for the future:
"In sulphur Springs valley, the
work Of the last two years has
shown that fairly satisfactory crops
can be grown by dry farming meth.
DDS and the same thing is true in
the northern part Of the territory at
5000 feet altitude and above. There
are several million acres of land be-
Iieved TO be available situated in this
particular belt.
DR.. A. T.. vinson, of the agricul.
tural experiment. station has just re
turned from Tunis and Algiers in the
northern part of Africa bringing with
him roots and seeds which may be
grown by dry farming methods as
well rs by irrigation methods. and
We hope 10 prove that these roots
and seeds are suited 10 the great
Southwest. Among the specimens OF
plant life brought back from the arid
regions Of Northern Africa was n
large collection Of olive cuttings
which he secured in Tunis from
region possessing no greater annual
t..f .n Iu. - q A.. l..
French are planting thousands of
hectares Of these valuable varieties
Of olives in North Africa and DR..
Vinson believe. that wherever the
mesquite tree grows in Arizona IL will
he possible TO grow the olives similar
20 thase found in the desert lands
Of Tunis.
"There are grasses, forage plants
and varieties Of maize, sorghum and
desert trees which are found in the
arid regions Of the world and we
have reason to believe that many of
these may yet be found profitable
in this part Of the United States.
As indicating the time and care
necessary TO work out n single prob.
lem in desert agriculture il might be
stated that the Arizona station, which
IL department. Of the Arizona Uni.
versity, after 10 years study Of the
date palm has successfully demon.
strated methods of culture and Of
ripening the fruit Of this healthful
and calculable tree. One Of the diff. |
eulties which we found in studying !
these particular problems was so de.
termine how to best fight the insect
pests which found their way from !.
the old world 10 the new with the
imported trees and for n time threat
ened to ruin our experiments. Fire
Was at last successfully used to
scoreh the exposed insects which we
have found can he killed without
seriously damaging the palm trees.
And the successful outcome of this
work with the date palm makes pos.
sible the cultivation of large areas Of
alkaline soil containing too much
salt for the cultivation Of any other !
crop. /,
1--WE have been introducing to thi. J
Southwest country not only desert
plants and animate which flourish in
the arid regions of other countries as 4
well. For instance, there is the AL.
gerisn sheep which has been bred
FOR unknown centuries in the hot,
dry climates Of the great Sahara q
desert and which is particularly I
adapted to the climate Of Arizona.
We have installed these sheep Mt the
station farm in tie Salt River valley q
and we are crossing them with nut.
Ton and wool producing strains Of I
sheep which originated in European !
sources, such for instance as the
Nerino and the Shropshire, thus !
the hardy and vigorous I
constitutions Of the Algerian sheep with O
The superior mutton and wool-pro.
iucing qualities Of those bred in other Q
ands. 7
"still another feature TO which we !
have been devoting good deal of {
lime and attention is the grazing in I
iustry. This is entirely apart. Tsls
night be said from the problems a
which swing around irrigation and d
Try farming. For there are large
'reas which cannot be irrigated or I
wen dry farmed that are useful az /
grazing ranges for horses, cattle,
'hcep and goats. In this connection d
I is interesting to recall that in 1910 O
arizona territory produced about $l5,. n
100000 worth Of range products, and .
With proper regulation Of our grazing
ands this output Is capable Of being r
'reatly increased. Until recently our 5
razing ranges have been without reg. v