The border vidette., 1927-11-26
FRUIT IN ARIZONA
By A. F. Kinnison

| BY A. r. KinniSon
The wide range of climate
found within the borders of the
state of Arizona makes possible
the production of practically all
fruit and vegetable crops grown
anywhere in the United States.
This is indeed fortunate situa.
tion since it not only makes
available a supply of certain
crops to our people every month
in the year, but also distributes
the hazards Of commodity mar.
keting outside the state by hav-
ing q great variety of crops pro.
duced and these :, distributed
throughout the year.
Differences in elevation ac-
count for practically all the cli-
matte variations within the state.
A line from point on the Colo.
rado river where it leaves the
state to north central and north.
eastern Arizona would give US
the elevation gradient. The eli.
mate of the western and south.
ern portion is subtropical in
character, much of the area be.
ing adapted to the production of
such crops as winter vegetables,
citrus fruits, dates, figs, olives,
pecans and persimmons. In ad.
dition certain summertruck crops
berries, stone fruits and Vinifera
grapes from this district are
among the first to be placed on
the markets OF the country each
season.
The northern and eastern por.
tions Of the state range consider.
ably higher in elevation and are
adapted to the production of ap.
pies, pears. stone fruits, berries
and summer truck crops.
! The sub-tropical district com.
prising as it does the valleys of
the lower Colorado, the Gila, the
Salt river, and a few smaller
steams. contains the bulk OF the
irrigable lands of the state.
Here, winter and early spring,
head lettuce of the highest quail.
ity is produced to supply the
north and east consuming cent
ers, at time when production
ia these regions is not possible.
Between 10000 and $1,000 acres
are planted to this crop annually
in our lower valleys.
Citrus fruits are adapted to q
considerable portion of this ares.
The Washington naval and other
early varieties of oranges are
ready for the market in early
November when competition
with other districts is at q mini.
mum. Arizona grapefruit are
harvested from September to
May, and attain o quality unsur-
passed by any produced in the
United States. Some 5000 acres
are now planted to citrus fruits
and it is likely that this acreage
will be quadrupled within the
next five years. The bulk of
the new paintings will be grape
fruit.
The date. one of the choicest
of Old World fruits, appears to
be as much at home here as in
the GASES of the Sahara or in the
Irak district of the Mesopotamia
in the Valley of the Euphrates.
DR.. Walter II. Swingle of the
United States Department of
Agriculture, who perhaps has
done more in securing date plant
ings for trial in this country
than any other man, has stated
that the future center of the date
industry in the new world will
be in Arizona and probably in
the Salt River valley. The .ex-
perimental garden of the Univer.
sity of Arizona at Tempe is now
nearly 30 years old. Here over
800 varieties have been under
trial and years of study have de.
termined those most desirable
for planting and best adapted to
our climatic conditions. Many
small commercial paintings have
been made within the past few
years and these will be gradual.
ly increased as offshoots become
more readily available. Arizona
Cattleman and Farmer.