Arizona republican., 1912-12-22
FINE APPLES
 GROW IN APACHE
Not All of County Given Over to National Forest and Grazing Land; Many Fertile Acres Known to Be There

Slderation what is shown there to- SetheF with a possible previous inn pression that all of the state is either TOOK, crag or desert, the following de- Scliption of the inland empire found ln Apache county comes as a distinct surprise:
 Apache county is supposed to be largely a sheep grazing county which as a matter of fact it is. but also there are agricultural sections in the county that need not take a back seat Tor any sections in the state. The state Land Commission examined the county but short time ago and in report to Governor Hunt, described the county in the following language: Outside of the White Mountain In dian Reservation, outside of the Sit greaVes and Apache National Forests, and outside of the Navajo Reserva- tion, Apache county is mainly q grazing country. over it's miles and miles of broken and rolling mesas clothed from sparsely to luxuriantIv with cedar and juniper, and almost everywhere showing signs of the vol canic upheavals which one time streWed the plains with lava. many horses sheep graze on gramma and other ma tive wild grasses. Except in seasons Of extreme drouth it is good graz ing country, where the stockmen have generally prospered, and where money is now being made in the business.
 Not the entire county. however. is grazing land. Flowing from the White Mountains at a point near the New Mexican line, the Little Colorado meanders down from the heights and pursues it's course northWesterly across Apache; Navajo and CoconinO counties to a junction with the Colo rado. From the east, where it rises on the New Mexico Indian Reserva- tiOn of Zuni, comes the river of that name to join the Little Colorado near the town of Hunt in Apache county The valleys of these and a number of small tributary streams. chief among which may be mentioned Nutrioso, Coyote and Concho creeks. are generally in d state of cultiva- tiOn, and though the awakening has been slow in coming, there is at last a daWning realization that these streams and valleys are pregnant with agricultural and horticultural possibilities. In all probability a few years will work a marvellous transformation in what has generally been regarded as a grazing country exclusively
 "The orchards already in existence demonstrate conclusively that few sections are better adapted to the growing of apples, peaches and pears, while the grain fields of the Little Colorado and it's tributaries can hardly be excelled.
 Though the medium of water stor- age reservoirs now eXistant, in course of construction and projected. and the attendant throwing open of bodies of land heretofore neglected or utilized only for grazing, important irriga- tionaI development in the early future is a practical certainty. Of the res ervoirs referred to. the most impor- tant are known as the Lyman Reser- yoir, situate on the Little Colorado, a few miles above St Johns, which has very recently been completed, and the UdalI Reservoir. on the same stream. ten miles below St. Johns The latter is a comparatively old and established reservoir, by means of which several thousand acres of land are watered but an important en- largement is projected, which. if car ried out, will greatly increase the irri gated area The Lyman Reservoir, it is estimated, will water about 15,- 900 acres.
 No Water for School Lands
 Under both of these water sys- tems, as d matter of course, is the usual amount of school land; four sections-where not otherwise apprO- priated-in each township. These school lands, if supplied with water, would be. of great value, and suscep- tible of producing an important reve- nue for the fund for which they were reserved. but the course to be pur- sued in securing the needed water is indefinite and doubtful, and the result of such an effort at best uncertain. Water rights have been issued to the full capacity of the reservoirs, and are almost if not quite, invariably owned by parties who are likewise the owners of land, the irrigation of which they contemplate, while the lands which might be irrigated are greatly in excess of the available water supply. It seems to follow, therefore, that this water, held in private ownership will be devoted en- tirely to lands other than, though Surrounding, school lands, with little prospect that either the state or the lessees of school lands owned by the State can acquire the necessary right to the water which would so appre ciably enhance the value of the school property.
 Dry Farming in Apache County
 Tn the western part of Apache county. near the Navajo border, dry farming is being practiced by few farmers with such success as to af- ford very reasonable assurance that d - considerable area will be found suitable for that purpose. Corn and small grains produce abundantly, while conditions are equally favorable for many varieties of vegetables"
 RETURN FROM TRIP-J. L. IT, win, A. F. Jones. pr. Haughton, J. B Gillespie and families returned yes terday from a duck hunting trip by auto to Arlington. They succeed ed in bagging about $50 quail, and q