The border vidette., 1914-11-07
1.-THE KEY COUNTY"
Interesting Description Of Santa Cruz
 County.
(By J. B. BRISTOL.)


 Santa Cruz county is one ot
 the most southern in the sta te
 abutting on that part of Mexico
 where the International line de
 fleets from a westerly course to
 the northwest, the angle being
 in the vicinity of Nogales, 'The
 Key" to the wonderful west
 coast coast Of Mexico. The re-
 zion embraced consists of a
 series of lofty mountain ranges
 rich in minerals and rich and
 fertile valleys, susceptible of a
 h 2 h state of GU ltiv a t O n,
 which are settling fast with a
 population of sturdy and pract-
 ical farmers who are planning
 and projecting improvements
 which will make these valleys
 very prod uctive along agricul-
 tural and horticultural lines.
 The extensive development of
 the mining regions in the
 mountains. which goes on with
 out abatement, is adding it's share to the increased valuation of property, and is making
 home markets for the products | of tke farms. In the foothill re- | giOnS of the mountains are great ranges for cattle, and stOckraiS- ing is an important industry. Feeding and fatteuing cattle for market is an industry which will take root and thrive in the valley. The new forage crops, such as milo maize, feterita, sorghum, kaffir corn, shallu, etc., which are very fattening, eaten by cattle with avidity, grow lux uriantly on the farming lands and the best way for market ing such products will be to con vert them into beef and pork. Cattle from the hills will be fed and fattened in the valleys and the cattlemen will find there their best markets.
 Seldom can there be found anywhere so great a variety of natural resources awaiting de velopment, so closely contiguous and so capable of contributing to esta blishment and mainten- ance within limited area of so greatly diversified a system of | industrial pursuits. Here are | the farm, the field and the mine | in close juXta position, capable | of supporting large and in dustrious population.
 In this favored region, ai- i titude and latitude unite in pre- senting a variety of climate such as is not found frequently with in distances so close. Lying be- tween the thirty first and thirty secQnd parallels of north lati- tude, the southerly location of the region serves to modify the rigor of the high attitudes and the climate is mild and equable at all times, never severely cold in winter nor hot in summer.
 The elevations of the valleys above the sea level range from about 5000 feet along the Santa Cruz rizer, near Tubac, to f, 300 to 4,8OO feet and even more in the San Rafael valley and Rain valleys with adjacent regions in the east end of the county; and the mountains rise above the valleys to heights varying from 1000 to 5000 feet.
 There are two rainy seasons, one i'll the winter months, an other in the summer. The lat ter begins in the latter part of June, or early in July, extend ing through August and lasting some years even into September. The winter showers begin short ly after the autumnal equinox and occur at intervals until or March. Sometimes the summer rains continue through September and October, into the winter storms and extending continuous rainy season from about the first of July to the first of March following.
 The agricultural resources of Santa Cruz county have been ; considered of little importance until recent years. The rich 1 valleys were there, but settle ; ment and improvement of the ; lands have been retarded and by the incubus caused l by the overhanging shadow of great grants of land made by { the Spanish and Mexican gov ' some of which were ( while others that l were valid were made to cover ' claims for areas much greater { han those itri1al1U CcraDtp6 (