Year: 1874

We recently visited the ranch of Vim.

 B. Hooper and Co.,, of which H. c. Hook

 CT is part owner and manager, and were so

 well pleased with the superior advantages

 of the location for stock-raising, the ex-

 tensive Improvements that have been

 made and the immense stock of horses

 and cattle which are already on the ranch,

 that we have determined to describe a

 little of what we saw there, believing that

 it will be interesting to AriZonans to

 know how much can be done in a short

 space of time, as well as convincing to

 every one by practical experiment of the

 superiority of Arizona for stock-raising

 This ranch was located in February 1875,

 in valley fifteen miles wide and extend

 ing as far as the eye can reach in south

 erly direction and northerly many miles.

 The buildings and corrals are erected in

 the center of the valley, eight miles west from Camp Grant and here is found an abundance of pure mountain water that generally flows under ground from the

 Graham mountains which skirt the valley

 on the cast and are covered with tall pines and perpetual snow. The ranch is water ed mainly by four springs averaging eight miles apart and during the dry season the stock is compelled to come for water to one of these springs which is a safeguard against then struggling away and makes it far less expensive to take care of them. The whole country is covered with va riety of the most nutritious grasses, and a worn out OK turned out here at any season of the year, will become fat enough for beef in six weeks. The climate is mild and genial so that no loss is eyer sustained by reason of cold weather. But what sur prised us more than anything else was the extensive and substantial improvements Mr. Hooker has made in the very short space of time he has been there. We found erected a substantial block of houses, on four sides of a court eighty feet square, divided into convenient rooms to accommodate all who live upon this extensive ranch. In the center of the court is a magnificent well of cold water and everything in and about this has its place, and neatness and order are seen on every hand. Stables have been constructed to accommodate fifty horses, and four corrals, three of adobe and one of plank, the largest of which will hold 1000 head of cattle. We were informed that there are at present about 4OOO head of horned cattle and about l ,OOO calves, l25 saddle horses, fifty brood mares, two fine stallions, with wagons, harness, saddles and all the necessary ac- coutrements for carrying on so extensive a ranch. Adjoining the corrals is pas ture, fenced and containing at least 400 acres and the grass is so plentiful that without being fenced and with this large stock roaming at will, still hundreds of tons of hay could be cut now within a short distance of the buildings. We wish those who doubt the advantages of Arizona for stock-raising could visit this model ranch and see the thousands ot stock sleek as moles leisurely feeding there. Yearlings raised upon the ranch are as large as those two years old brought from Texas and all of the same stock, showing that abundance of food the year round will materially increase the size and improve the breed of stock.

 Any person owning such ranch need nQt envy the king upon, his throne; he has faz lsss care asa tsash9s and sesa procure