•
ST,ATISTICAL INFOR!IATION
R'ELA.TlN'G 'f(')
I
,_ 1
,
OF ARIZONA.
GOLLA'lED A·J E>DITJD :aY
FRANK "\-. JYicDONALD f t9
OF SAN F'RA:NCrsco, CAL.,
F1ianr GFE'I¢I,\:L RNP@.R4's OF THE 1J:NI'I:ED ST.A:.rEs GoVER-fl:i.rENT, THE T.mut{t'Pot.Y
OF AJ?.10.a1 TIIE Sou;n;e:'ERN PA.CtFre R,AII;WA.Y C@MPA?IY ; Hol-t. Caw1EtON
H. KlNG, d@MnfJ:SS:WNER OP IM:\tIGR,A.'I'I0N FOlt ARIZONA TER,ITOltY;
HON. GEQhG w. N'oR•row, OrvrL EN<¾'W·'f\iER, FOR FtF'.1,'l,EN
YEARS RESIDENT OF ARIZONA., AND PRESENT i)i.uN-
1 1 '*'En OF Trm 1V1o.HA -.vx:- O'ft{.AL A1\"':D IMPno:v:is-
J
, 1,.
r.ml{'J.' CoM»'Y, .AND :F:R.O'M N'l:f'i\1EROUS
OTEil}R: OFlteiaL SouROli;S.
NEW YORK:
L'EHrA.TER &, B-Ro. Print, 88 F-Ulton Stret.
189
j
•
THE MOH! WK VALLEY OF ARIZONA.
By GEORGE W. NORTON, C. E.
lVl@HAW K,- ARxZ.0'N.A , } Se.pt. 3, 18!).2. C
Dear Sir : I-n an&wer to your
esteemed farv0r of tli:e 9th. t1lt. I
take pleasure in Se,Q.<ling you tl:ie
followjng sketch of ot'lT beautiful
valley
Location.
however, not be confused witl1 tl:1e
s1ue'lte?·in,g atmqsphiii-re 0:£ the Eastei"fi
€log days. The atmosphere l1ere i
dry an,d tl1e vttporation rapid
the1eiore the heat is,. no-t opJ)re'ssive.
The 01:i:ly time p'ne hears, any rematk
at a,11 ab@ut tl:ie l1eat is 011 some
rare OQ..e asioJ1 afbe1· it s]QO\ver when
the. ai:.·- beco}nes l11tm·icl a11d tne
merot11·y f1tils to 856 or 906 The 1VI0J1a,v k V arlle-y· is -a portia11 in the
of t h·, e 'llu reat 'ltul - 1a :i\·r ,a l le y a1lJ,1 1-1es on shade;; but w- ith the atn1o='):I"l 1ere
t 'll. . th ·d ft" rt·i R' . ·t in its u.s'nal and 11ormal conili- 1.1e nor. Sl e !, ne \'.X"l a 1 ver, 1. s . . . .
t a "I... • 1-.- t 00 •1 tion t,l:1e mero11ryt11a:y r1se above 1000.
wes ern e . ge ue:ing auou 00 m1 es . . . ·
f. th t .e y t:i. 0 1 1n the sliade and the l1ar-vescters and rom · e ow·n or uma on 11,e €>· - • • • . 1 R.- 11,·h S t·h .· p -e. orato ;rvser. e ou· . er11 wc:i,,lc ha-ym.a lrers w-ill .S· 1n. g· at t· J·1 e"1 t laboT as
.;Jn""' J- 1r oac1 r1:1ns pftral l e1 t o· t(·,i1.1 e el .l-.4 ,,11-re m.e r1aly ws you plEla.s e ; and ,vhei1 the. 1 "h f tl l\,r h k v 11-a n1gh,t .comes Q11 after 0:a.e of tl1ose e11go I} · 1e .Ll'.LO a1v. au ey an . · . : , ., . .. · . - · ·
t 1 tl · _ · .. 1 1ntense st1mmer days there 1s a ilolce 1s a 11@ p ace more 1an s1:x n11 es . .
a. "' t 1san . ·'f''tt r :?i.i e1ite sen. sation th-at oree.p.s- ©ver
Tl1 e ,vr·a 1 1 ey 1· s ·1 rr1· ga t .ed b y "uh: e you like a. @harn1, and ricon<Mle.s y. ou
"[ h 1_ lY .o 3J'W.'.K. G. ana1 , w. 1 11· ah 1· s On..,,n e d to., th· .e -g,l ar· e, .· an. d h. eat o.i the hottest
·
_
·
b th M h k a 1 d I spell. r11e nights are al,vays 1>leas-y
t
e Q aw ana
C
a
l
f- px ove - antly cool and brjng s11cb refresl1-
men . .1:1om1any, a a J ern 1..a cor- . . oration. 1n.g. sleep t.h.ait fully re$tores the p ,rasted eneTgy of the day aud leaves
Cliniate. y0ui1 th mor11ing bright ,tll.d ready
Th.e cljmate is sotni-tropieal; that fot whatever fate ma:y have in store
is,. hot for fot1r mo11tJ1s and pleas- for y:on. And siuce this is 11 \Ve need
antly mild for eight. June, July, t@ s:arq7 i11 expla11ation of'the general
r1.ugnst and $epten1ber are the trop- miscoucepi;ion of the AJ:iona sumical
months that give the.c0i1nt1·yits mer, we can jnvite.yo11to gjve ,vi11gs
phenominal prod11cti1reness. It is the to your brightest fancy in piott1rin.-g
heat and tl1.e 1ater combi11ed that the. delights_ of tl1e peeTless climate
work: the wondeTs of this district. of the remairri1)g eight n1011tl1s of tl1e
Vhen tl1e wo1·d h.ot is used, it sho11ld, year.
-4-
·r11e Gila Rivet·.
The Crila liver, althongh seco11d
in size to its mjghty rival the Oolorado,
is destined, £or tl1e present at
lea.st, to figure far more prominent1y
in tl1c sol11tion of the 1)roblem of redeeming
a,11 d ma ,k:ing valual)le t o
the }1nsbandma11 the immense l)oclies
of hitbetto arid and valueless
tributary 1a1':lcl. The Gila drains
a vast territory. Rising in tl1e ,vestern
})art or New 1le:xico it flows in
a 11early ,vestorly direction througJ1
the entire 're1·ritory of .1-\rizona. Its
11orther11 and eastern sources are
amo11:g n1ountajns covered for several
montl,s i11 tl1e year v.1itl1 sno1v.s of
varyi11g deJ)tl1s, the melting of whic11,
addecl to the many natural s1)ri11gs
em1)tyi11g in .to it at differe11t points)
forn1 a consideTable rive1· lono· be-among
the n1os t i1u1)ortant being tl1c
San Pedro, a singular stream rising
11ear the line between onor,i and
.A.rizo11a, and drai11ing the l{nacl1t1cit,
Mule, Gu.lino, ])ragoon and
Whetstone D'Iot1ntail1s, :na the
Bastel'n slope of t11e S:ctnta Oatalin.a.
]110,ving 11orther]y for ,nore than one
1lut1 dred n1iles it e11ters t1,e Gila
Ri,e1· at the southern extre,nity of
Gila, Cafi.011 in Pinnil C'o1.1i1ty. 1\long
its course tl1e rainfall is perl1,tps.
greater tl1nn: else,,, l1ere ilt Arizona,
bei11g estin1.atecl at 2-l inches yearly
i11 the 'licinity of tl1e Dragoon :i\Iountains.
Certain of tl1e ra11ges mentioned
are, during the "'inter, frequently
covered "1itl1 snow, "'hicl,
on some does not clisap1)ear un ti 1 the
commencen1e11t of s11mme1'.
o
fore it J)f-1,sses tl1rot1gh Gral1 a1n
Oou11ty. I t e11ters the latter county
in the 11eigl1 borhoocl of tl1e Clifton
CO})per 11Ii 11es, tl1en. cot1rses throngl1
Pueblo \fiejo ,alley ancl tl1e San
Ca rlos or ,,
.
. hi te 1'1o u 11 tain I11dian
ReserYati011 finally ente·ing tb.e
Gila \tdley some fe,v n,i1es abo,te
Floren0e. Thence, for 11early three
l1n11dred 1niles, it winds through tl1e
110,v fan1011s (:+ila "\' alley, eventually
mergi11g in to tl1e larger stream at
Yumit. 'rl1e entire course of tJ1e
Tiver is erratic and irregular, as it
follo,vs a na,t11rally tortuous route
caused by tl1e cliversifie<.1 character
or tl1e cot111 try tr,1versed. 'l'be tota.J
le1igtl1, £ro11 its sot1rces in N e,v Iexico
to its cor1 1luence witl1 the Colorado,
including its 1na11y windi11gs,
is fu]ly 650 miles. Before reaching
tlte eastern 1)011ndary of Yu.ma
Co11 11t-y it is fed by u11m,crous rivers,
Another 11otab1e tribut[try of tl1e
Gila is tl1e Sa,l t River, 111 itself a la1·gc
strea111 havi11g its head watersin t11e
\Vhite 1[: oun. tains)near Green's Peak.
It rises in the, easte1·n 1)01·tio.n 0£ tl1e
Territory, draining the mou11tJiino11s
regi0- 11 in the far nortl1, in.cl uding
among others the Sa11 Francisco,
SieTra .1\..ncha, ,,Thite, Apacl1e a11 d
Tonto Basin Iouutains. 1\1nong
tl1e u1ost in1porta11t strearns tl1at
feed jt n1tty be n1entio11ed the
,r erde River a11d To11to, Raccoon,
Oherry, Cafio11, Oibren, Cairriyo,
Ceclar, Pi11aJ a,-11:d Pin to creeks. Its
general direction is ,vest a11d south
until it 01npties into the Gila son1.e
distance below Pl1ce11 ix, jts ei1tire
length closely appro):.in1ating t,Yo
hundred miles. An importii,nt a-id
i11 increasing its volun1c is the l1 eavy
rainfall ,1,bout Preseott, /Ln1ounting
during the l)ast te11 years, as sho,yn
by the rep01"ted obser-vu.tions of tl1e
-5-
U;uited States signal service ofice .at
that place to an ave'l:·age of 15.18
incl1es ann11ally.
:fif 11ch of its l\tatets a1°e' 11sed i11 i:rrigating
i ow11 -valleys at Pl1cen.ix;
b 11 t tlie Salt Rivel· and tJ1e 1vashe
,v.ate1· o:f th 'Salt Riv:e,r Valley irrigating
·canals is gradttally refrtir\1ed.,
in part. th.rough sepage, to tl1e Gila,
thereby aug,me11ti11g the la,tter.
Other rivers like tl1e A:gua Fria,
Haissayan1pa, etc., bring down :rnrther
st1pplies draiue·d from th.e
l1eavily timbered m©lJ,P:tain regions
tra-versd by tl1e-n1, finally t>o1.1ring
thei1· ricl1ly lade.n a;:nd J>J.'E;cious ft11id$
into the Gila.
"\V,ater S11111>1y.
Tl:1e ,v.ater supply to th:e Mohaw.lr
Valley depends up011 t1'ie Gila Ri-veJ,
ancl, a;s ,vill be s-ee:n from the detailed
description of the Gila jt1t gi-ve:n,
and f.rom a special re1)ort on this
q1.1esti0n l1eTet0 '3.]l})eJ'.ldecl. it iS" m9re
tha11 at>u:ndant. 1'Jie lancls to be irrigated
from the b11@liawk Canal embra;
ce an area of 25,000 tci 30,-
000 acres, aii,d experience h·as
sl1 own t1'1at th,1·ge ae1·es 1'eq uil'e
lees th,an o·ne miner'-s, i11eh of
water for their reden1p·ti0n. The
Ca.11al, wl1en rL1nning at its fttll capacity
e.aJ:rie.sJs-2000 inches.of watel',
which. leaves a sl1ri:)l11s of 2,000
i:nel1es. I:.t;1 many very warm parti:i
of the Pacific Co-ast on'.e 111iner'-s inch
is app01·ti011eE1 to ten ares o:f land
and found to 'be a,1'.l'i. ple.
La.11,I-Soil.
Qf good la11cl-riclt soil-A·izona
h.a.s a,11 abundance. It is desert oncy
i11 eue respect, that of rai11fall or
water. rrheTe are 1l011e Of its broacl
})laj11s J;iut that, if tl1ey we.;re bl.esse:-d
with a unifbrni a11d timely rin:f
all d,11ring the spri11g, su1nn1er and
fall, wot1ld prt>tluce a11 ]111ndTe.d
fold. Water is th.e oue grea.t
need, ; tb-a.t st11:rp1ied, everythin·g
else foll@ws like magjc. 'rl1e 1rpla11diS
or mesa ate 11nifo'rn11y a- sandy
or gravelly loam, deep and rich.
'I'he. ti,ver bottoms aa1led valley lnd
a:1·e alluvi1n1 ancl ri'ah. as tlie· Nile,,
which for thf;lnsa-nds of years has
11eveT ti1·ec. l, 11e.'Vex :fai1erl, to l'espond
t.o tl1e tot1cl1 of the l1usbandman.
Tlie 1Vfohaw1t V.a7ley is enti.rely bottom
la11d and is inexbau. sti b]e. The . - -
.
soiI reacbes to ,vell--wartr, a.11 '!lve1•aige
depth of from ten to twelve feet.
Ne,v Life.
A 1·elly new life, is e:re.ated by tlae
atmos1)heric eli.xir of tli.e wa;11i1J;g days
of tl1e 9ld year, a.n,d tl1e waxiu:g
hours of the ·ilew. Witl1 their almo.
st, perpetu,al .st1n. the few clot1.1cy
and l'ainy S'J!)ells qn,ly serve tQ ac.cent11.
ate the. su· p1·emaoy of th,e st111,
1i100:n and stars ov•.ei· t11i-s most 11ai:;>pily
named SUN LAND.
Even in tbe. s):J.0rtest days of winter
the su11 is bright a1id ,varm; and
£ire&., except for lrousebolcl workl
c·a11 be e1ltriTely 1:lispe11sed witl1, althoug11
mor1rings and e-ve11i1rgs a '
fw sticks in an 01Yet1 grat.e take
of the sligl1t chill of the aira11cl impart
ai warm glow tl1at is pleasi11g to
the aged and feeble. Frosts are so
fe,v arrd 1' ig1a.t that cluring years in,
sx1ecessio11 they c10 not evsn kill the
leaves 011 the te11der cottonwood
tres., aucl the ne,v gro,vt1l .forces off
tl1e old, i;llmost cha11gii1g ai clecid11-
ous J>lant to an evergreen. 111 Feb.rnary
and iffrcl1 the or-aBg:es, len1-
•
-6-
011s, li1nes, ap1icots, pea.ell.es and
gra1'>es begin to pl1t fortl1 their
bloon1; ,tnd in .1\pl'il figs a11cl apTicots
ri1)eu on tl1e trees, and the first of
.J 11no secs perfect bunches of grapes
covered vith bloom a11d fragrance,
hangi1,g n1ellow au, d juicy 011 tl1e
vi11es. \\
y
itb f;he least expenditure
of e11ergy, fresh vegetables may be
served llp with every meal for three
h 11uclred and sisty-6.ve clays i11 the
year. These are but t11e milestones
ma.rking tl1e Sl111erlative excellence
of the year in 1\l[ol1awk
,ra lley.
\¥hat other @oun try, bowe-ver
blessed, ca.u sl10,v a finer list or a
fairer record? Our climate, iu sl1ort,
js tbe cou11terpart of that of Pel'sia
the latitude beil1g almost ide11tical.
P1'oc111ctio11s.
Being i11 the latitude of Persia,
,vitl1 similar climate, it is not u11-
reasonable to infer th-at there sbonld
be a close l'elatio11 i11 productions.
Of the cereals, all do ec11.1all3r ,vell.
011 th, alluvium along the river
fro)n 40 to 60 bttsh.e1s of ,vbeat per
acre ca.11 be r,aised, aud 1'),roportionately
0.:f oats and barley. Oor11 can
l)e grown wbetl1er planted very early
or very lato. • 'orghnm and tbe trt1e
cane gro,v luxuriantly. Cotton becon1es
a perennial, plants i11 Yltma
having gro\vn from 011,e seecling
t,vel ve years i11 succession. The .,
lint 1nay be gathered continually
from ,J1111e to .Ja11uary. '11J1e ca&'tor
bean gro,vs into n1i11iat11re trees a11d
is a,s long livelcl as 1nany of tl1e orname11tal
trees of n1ore norther11 latitucles.
ile1np is indigenous, its fibre
bci1tg of good quality. Rarne ,vill
do eqnaJly well as hen1p, a11d the
time ,vill come ,vhen its cultivation
,vill be an im1)ortant incl11stry. The
saLne may lJe said of flax a.11d obacco.
But it is in tl1e realrn of I>on1ona
,,,J1ere tl1e infinite ricl1es of this
cou11try ,vill be specially fo1111d. All
tl1e citrons fruits are at home. 1rQe
ora11g·e, the lemo11 and the liine
rnalte fragrant ,vith blossoms an<l
frt1it all the days of the year, and
such oranges, len1ous and lin1es as
gro,v nowhere els:e iJJ tl1e United
States. :i\[exico ancl the isla,ncls of
tl1e sea do not produce such 01·auges;
i11 size, flavor ancl color they are
simply J)e.rfect. The len1011s a1·e the
equals of Sicily. The 1ime is as
large, jt1icy ;1,nd purely acid as those
0£ Acapnlco, :Wie}.ico, ,vl1euce (Jalifornia
dra ,vs its 1nain_ supply. 'l'hc
dat.!3 gro,vs as rapidly a11cl is as
healthy as i11 Pe1·sia or Arttbia, a11d
,vill ii1 tirne beco1ne a11 ioiporta11t
tree, for its fruit as well as for oruiime11tal
pttrposes. 'l'he long-lived
oli Ye is at b.on1e here a11cl ,vil 1 add
its conti11gent of oil aull pickles to
the wealt:b of the la1ld. From A})ril
to December the fig rnay be ga.there,
d i11 perfection from the trees.
All tl1e 1:>i tt@d fruits '17hose l1on1c is
Persia gro,v ,vith. an cibaJztlo1t, grace
and beat1ty unknown clse\V}lere on
this continent. A11d w11n.t shall "'e
say of the enclless gl'.t}le fan1ily, the
fruits of which ri1)e11 here more than
a :month in ad vanoe of a11y other
locality? Neither l\l[orocco, Bvain,
France 11or H1111gary, that lia·e
sent us tbeir :fin.est vn,rieties, cn,n
excel the Moha1v]( \ralley for productiveness,
si7,e an<l flavor of tlJeir
gta,i)es: 011r grapes are simply uns11rpassribl('..
"' - (-
The.. list of pr@d.uctjons alreacly tJ1is matchless valley. All t}1at regiv;
e1'1., altl1ough lor1g,. might be ex- mai11s for the pt1rpo0 scs of this
tendeu. a-lmost indefinitely., for every- $ketch is to ad9 the testimouy ef
thing_ native to the semi-tropics :nl'ay disinterested observers wl1ose- utbe
added. Tb,is,., J'!,oweyer, is 110t te·rances will eerta:inly b.e free from
-necessary, for in thos.e already n1en- the uha:rge of ·self-interest.
, tipned are note.cl. possibilities of lux- 'lery respectfully,
t1ry a11d wealth fo'r tl1ose who settle GEO. W. N0RTON.
11d c,-1ltivti,te the wQn.derf11l soil of
THE '\V-AT:ER SUPPi,.'\." OF 'I'.IE 1'l0Jl '\\'Ii. VALLF;Y.
,BY GEOR0-E w! NoRTQ'N, C: E.
1\fQRAWK S-epAt. R3I,Z O18N9- A2,. }
rains in sot1theaster11 Arizona and
11orth.e.ra Son.ota) 1\iexico.
F. '\T. l\,foDON.A.LD. The appropriation or location of
Dear Si1· : .As per your reqnest I w:;i,te1· for the 1\foha,vk Oanal w:S
s11bn1it tl1e f0llo,vi11g report on the made i.n 'bfay, 1833, wl1ich gives the
water sup1>ly of l\fol1awk Valley: Ioha:wk Canal th,e ll't\\>r right
Tl1e 1'1oha,vk Ca11al ever all canals lt0aterd or c0nstJ,u@ted
has a capacity of 12,000 mi11er's sin.e:e that date. Up to lVLay, l883,
i 11 cl1es of ,vater. The 'grad,e .of tl1e t'he .r were @nly a fw SQ'J.all dit011es
ca11a;l is two feet per mile. Grade taken lJ'Om tl}e Gil River. F.r0n1
at. }1eacl of the ea1;al is level wit]l my 0wn obsexvati0us, exten.ding
tl1 e bottGm of tl1e river, so that a11y Qver a geriod of fifteen year&,
,vaterin the.river will e;ntertheoan.al. since June 1, 1877, there hi'l.ve
'l'his being tl1e. caS'e, the wa. ter bee11 but th ,ree seasons in which
s1111,ply dui:ing uy .Q1011.th. oi the' thre wa:S- a1'1y s·ho1·hag of ,vater, and
year deenc1& on tl1e an1on11t or then only for s11ch a sl1ort time 'that
water in the 1•i :ver, but any w&t.er no dam:tlige to tres eot1ld oect.lJt ;
in tb.·1·ive:r yield.,s a'ID,t1,ndance far all these sho:rt gpe.Lls were, irt August,
11oecls. 18$3 f 011r wBks; in. Augt1st, 188S.,
The Gila River }J as t,vo season.s of te.n days zi:od jn A11gt1s.t, 18.92,
11 igh wateT each year : the first higl1 fot1r weeks; but tJ1ere is now a rise
watel' during the. mouth of FebruJ1,ry of- t.hEi·il.'iver reported from Fl0.i'enee..
w11icl1 co1nes from 1neJtin. g snows. on This sho,vs that for fifteen years
the mountain ra 11ges in 11orthern -tl1e water s11pply has been ab11udant,
Arizona aind New }l<½ .xico ; the e:c- wit11 tl1e exception of the brief
ond liigh wa.ter, during th.e n1ontl1 s } Jeriods meutionecl above, t11at are of
of J11ly, A11 g11st ©t Se1Jtemb.er, some no practical moment.
seasons ea.1:lier a,nd some later, Y 0urs txuly,
whiel1 com.es rro!l the s·nmmer GEO. -nr. NORTON, C. E.
DISINTERES'l'ED T:ESTll'tJONY OF THE
1'JOHA"\VK VALLEY AND THE BASIN'
lIERITS
OF THE
OF
GREA'I' NOR'I':U A1'IERICAN NJl,E.
The first 1vit11ess we shall put
upon the stand is Joaquin l\1il1er,
(( the 1->oet of t11e Sierras,'' tl1an
,vhom 11one will be found more comyietent
or more impaTtia.J.
Tl1e NortJ1 Americ:-111 Nile.
BY J O.A.QlJIN MILLER.
In a.n axticle p1.1l:>lis}1ed i11 tl1e
ew York hiclepe1icle11,t, on August
2d, 1888, lie saiys :
111 the second 1,lace., (( Casa,
(f rn.nde '' is an old ruin-a very
old rtlin. lV(auy men ,vill calmly
assert and assure you over a11d
over again tl1at tl1is js but tlie
relic of a tempo1·ary occupation b y
the Spaniards when trtcki1lg this
1a1:i.cl 111 searcl1 of the ((, 'even Cities
o-f Gold.'' The tru tl1 is, Al var
Nunez de \7 a.ca vis:i'ted tl1e ruins of
Casa Graiude amout tl1e year 1538.
A det,iiled acco11 n t of his cliscovery
of: these ruins I have myself read in
tl1e library of l\1e:xico. nd the
antifluity of -tl1ese a11d oth8"r rt1ins
i n . tl1ls region make.s t1p a ve:ry impoxtai1t
fact in the testimony of t}1e
case, ,vhicl1 I should lilre to present
to the ,vorld in this brief paper.
I1et this, then, be ,,ell settled in
yottr n1 .ind ; these TUins of Arizona,
or '( Arizunt1,' as the SpaniaTcls
called this region ef the Gila aucl
Ooloraclo., are olcl, older tlrali history-
as old rnaybe as the oldest
rtri11s on the Nile of Egypt. This
1·eg'ion then 1vas once densely μeol)
letl. o allurements of gold, uo
lust of coI'.HJuest, notl1ing at all but
t11e. generous soil and t})e genial
climate built up a city he1·e; n1any
llities, indeed, np and clown the
ll'\11d, tl1at must l1ave Tivaled i11
splendor ancl extent the storiecl
eities 0£ the Nile of ·old .. If, then,
tl1e simple, pl'imitive and h,a.lfe- 'ivilized
})eople of the dead-1)a$t made
a garden of this JaJ,d where' the world
has al"rays insisted au cl insists no,v
011 loca:ti11g a desert, ca11 we not do
s0111ething with our plo,vs, our
ditches, Ol1r doze11s of j n1proved
methods? Let us try a11d get do,v11
to the facts of tli.is contradiction and
see who is at fat1lt. Let us see
,vhether itisi11 th.eland, the climate,
or tl1e people tl1 .en1se1ves.
T11 e first bananas I ever sa ,v I
saw here in tl1e valley of this North
America11 Nile, near ,vhat is now
Fort Y1.1ma, I think; althong}1 the
J>lace was tl1en called Colora,do ancl
after,vard 1\.rizona, Cit)·. And
richer, sweeter, or better banana,s r
11e,er ate. I "'as witl1 some 1Iexicans
who were un.gaged in driving
J1e>rscs to N01·theru Oaliforuia, 11d
tJ1ey bought large bu1cl1es from th•3
Indians. Now it is jt1st }'>Ossible
that this fruit llad bee11 gro,vn in
ifexico, or about the 111otlth of tl1e
Colorado, a,nc1 had been bro11gl1t up
tl1e rivel' in l,oats ; but n1y recollection
is that it wa,s grow11 right there
,vhere we got it. I remembe1·, at
least, that ,ve l1ad bn,11a11as until ,;ve
reacl1ed Sa11 Bernardino. This ,vas
more tl1an thirty years ago. And
why, you asl<, has this region 11ot
been converted into a garden. ancl
p1·ei;>arecl so as t o furnisl1 onr peo-
1,le ,vitl1 this fruit? Sin1ply because
we 1Jave bee11 seeki11g for gold,
listening to tales n.bo1lt Indians, and
looking away up at tl1e 'tvonclers of
tl1e Gra1'tcl Oano11. We h,tve not
bee11 a,ble in a.11 these years to get
-9-
oi1,r fa0es ben: t dClw1a to the soil of very sauas '.@f a ,-iveT :so snJJpliecl
the Qolorado. must be as ricth a,,s gold. .,1..\..nd, le:St
J.1ook1:ug backtwQ these early clays yo11 may ha-ve s0:ine d0ubtS' ab011..t
I remenfh>ex the }JauJts of t'h¢ Colo- tl1e feJ:tility of these s11,,na-d ul)es that
raclo as the m.ost g·reen. a11d floweTy lie along 3/ncl a little back: fron1 the
a11cl wltogetl1er qelicio1is lancl I ever 1tive1·'s bank, pern'lit me to ea11 your
bel1eld. I b;ave spent t,vo ,vi11ters at'tentjou to tl1e shifti11g drift' ing
i1:1 U}>pe1· Egypt, and s0 have thor- and bl\1l1v'ilig hanks of saJ1(l that
0t1gl11y seen· ab@n t all tl1e Nile ltas once laJ be,t"reen '" S-e:al Roel1ss " and
to offer; :yet I arn b01.111d to .say that 8a11 Fra1ieiseo. ':l'hes.e sru11ds. hac1
i11- .rny teeollectjo.11 tl,e first- of these beeti, washed do1vn ii1 the l!i>n,g eeni,
v0 vie,vs takes· preeedenee f.01: ver- turies f1:om t1'1e Sierras throng11 t11e
d ure and fe:i;tr.ility. SacJ·an1ento :R,j ver. 'fhey .seemed to
Gatc111t, red a:n'<l. dirt-b1·0,vn be as barren, as s11b1v-ba.11kg. 'rhey
camels, a few la:z.y arna l0t1sy 'asses, ,vere as n1igrato,ry as ,gyps:ies, a-nd
one-ey€id Arabs 111 very s}xott shirts, nJ.Oved up a11d down the land with
a :few ]©,rte1y and 1ea11i11g pa1m.s all the e?{aspe.tating jr1regnlarity of
s,vayi11,g i11 the 'Sa11.dy wjnd, that is tl1e scale of fi,gur(;)s in tl;ie 1'eports of
tJ1e p,rospe.c.t as y0u are dr,agge,a up the st00k market. One pioneer, , a
tlae dt·<'rl\1 Sy Nllo s9f Eg;ypt. I l1ave :9ersona frie11cl of n1ine, 1vh0 atIl'Ot
stea1ned up a.nd a.own tl1e Co1o- te1npted to se'ttle d0w11 and l0cate a
rad&, 01· the North: Anler:iea11 Nile, botnestead on these shiftjng d;.1.1ne.s
from tlie £e.a o".f Od:rte-z ot Gulf f of sa,11d irt the early days of C'aliQalifotu,
ia to the. Gl'and Ga.n,on as fotnia, told me that lie arth:t1llytried
m,any have, but, I ha,re trave.ld on to stae his laIJ,<il do,vn and h.old i1;
hqrsel.9ac'k :a pqrtiQn of tl1at iistanee, still b)' si11·eadipg bla1ikets o n it, and
a.ncl ;as a tTaveler, w .hvse t.1:a.il e is the tl.;ien, .clTi vi ng pegs th:rou gh, th· e
stndy and c6mpa1,ison of lands, I blankets. Bt1t 'tai1i;n·g to l10ld }u.js
unl.iesitatisngly testify that tt1e air, real estate sf7i11 even b:y this process
tl1e 01:1tlook, t1te ,sense of a vital soil, h.e. ahando11e& it in cles:pair and went
tl1at spice. or possibilities) ,v hicli you back to tJ1e m,irres.
cleaTly feel yet but feebly e1cptess, A11:d manwkile w}1at has become
is altogetheT with tliis. great ta"'ny of tJae' blo,vy ad drifting sandriver
of the Ne'l-v '\Vorld, the Colo- d.u11s that my fri,n.d i1i the early
raclo. As for the fertility o:f the d,ays of California triecl to l10ld do,v11
soil-sand,. if you prefei· t0 call it with pegs ,and blankets hack o.f San.
Sf.l,n&, of tne OoloTado, J.etthe1ie be no Fta1:1eisco towa1·ti Seal Raeks? The;y
t,vCl opi11i:ons. This riv-er was. not a1·i in thB h.eart of the most beut1,
bor11 in the G,ta11 Qan(i)n by a g1'eat ful pa¥lt in the ,v0rl<1l-a ve;l'ita,bJe
{teal. It draiins m11y la11cls. The garden of vses.
st11Dlin1e slopes of th,e Rpeky Moun-· I ctsse11t that the sctn'le thi1ig can be
ta.ins feed the Coloraao with their done' 1vitli every sct1'icl-d2t1e 1&ithir1,
fertiliry th.e wJ1ole year throt1gb. rectoli o.f' the 1va.te1·s df' th.e Cfolo1·ailo
Perpetua-1 suow a11d perptual sun Rive1· 01· the Gila either. Ay, n1.f21·e /
eon'trib1.1te year jn aucl year ont 11i1.1,c;l1, 1no1·e; For tlie bct'1iCtiict, fve1·y
theiJ· rjel1es to the not1rish.rne11t of 01ie o.f' the site hitndrecl varieties o.t·
the Co10Tad@ and its alluvial banks. _fig, i1'1,cl-eecl all .fi·,uits, etll jio2ve1·s of
J.100lr J1.t J(;)llt map and tra0e tl1.e the se1ni-t1·0;1i,oal la1iils, ca1i be 111ade
n1ea11<lering t'ibt1i;a.ries that al'e i11- to .floi,rish on, the ba,rn,'/4:;; f this 1'\Tort.h
terlaced witl1 the wateTs of the Ante?'ican, 1Vile.
0011:1 rf1 bia ai;1d. the 1V[issouTi i11 th.e I read, uJ:i.der tl1e autl1ori ty 0f the
heart of t.b.e Rocky l\i0untai11s. Tl1e C+o-vernn1e11t survey01·$, that there
-10-
are sixteen thousand i,quare n1iles of
these Coloratlo a11d (,ila sand-clu11es
-cleserts ?-lying belo,v the level of
the '\\'aters of tl1ose t,vo great ri,rers.
! tick :1 1,il1 here-if JOll have 11ot
tl1c enterprise to st,ick a peg in the
gron11d there and get possessio11 of
a little land-ancl ,atcl1 tl1e devel-
01)n1en t thrLt must be born of these
facts. \\T ith all 'the Northern States
waiti11g fort better quality of tropical
a.nel se1ni-tropicI fruits, waitin.g
for soinetbing better tha11 ,vi]d
frtlits gat11eted by l1ilf-,vild })Cople
and shipi:>ecl to them in a green and
half-rotte11 condition, a11d \vith snn,
soil, ,vater-wl1at n1ay we 11ot exJ>
ect ,vitJ1 tl1is van tage-gtonnd before
us from the bankcs of the North
A1nerican Xile?
I am consta11tly receiving lettrrs
fron1 peO}Jle i11 the States asking .for
advice about land. I ca11not ans,ver
these letters. I 0a,11not eve11 read
tl1e1n : for I mus(; ,vorlr for tl1e many
11ot ±01• the fe,-v, and n1y tin1e is not
my o,v11 in tl1is work. Bnt I ,vill
say th is- 1nt1ch rjg}1t }iere : Settle on,
these a·a1·1n, heciltlf1il ancl 1·esvor1,s1·ve
san,il-tlit·1u1s qf the Ool1n·aJo or Gila,,
an.cl leucZ tlte ioctte1·s over yo1,r lancl.
Th.ere is 11,0 1,ialctrirt the1·e. .1:I. s1i11.st1
·al.:f' 1oa.<1 neve1· ht·a1·cl of tlie1·e .
. Yoiir ;((n, 1uorlc all ,Zciy in· the s1i. ·n
at a te11i11era t u,re thrt,t 'lOO'lblcl !.:ill
yozi i ,•1 .t e1i 11 i:1i,1ites i-n, the St ci-tes.
}Vlz.71? 1 r7on• 't /4·1io10 / 111irity u_( the
ai1·, 1 reoko1i.
Every "'Ord of l;he foreg0ing ,tppl
ies a-s directly i11d foTcibly to tbc
1\foh,,t,vk: valley as tl1ough it l1ad been
penned specially for it, and js a,
tribttte as clisi11teresteu, as tr11tl1ful
and im1)artial. i\{r. niiller ,vhcn
in.1pelletl to cst l1is '' bracl 111,on
the \vat.ers" of etel'nal l)rog.ress, sc1,,v
,vith the J)rescienc.c 0f'. th(: l.>rOJ)het
the infinite })Oss·ibilities of this
'' ,vonder ,, ln,ncl. thn,t onl.v awaits
the vivifying toucl1 of ,v,1,ters to
1u,tke it '' ulosson1 :.is the rose') and
bring £ortJ1 of grain a11d fruits a
l1untlrecl fold.
Frc•••• tlac 'rc1nJ)C Xc,,•s.
Tl1e editor of the 'ren1 pe (Arizona)
Neu1s, under elate or June 1G1 1888> saiLl :
La,st ,veek a represe11tctive of the
J.,re1us ,vas ca11ec1 on business to visit
that .fiourisl1ing little eiLy on the
B.io Colorado, whicl1 hrLs been so
badly slande1·ed by Joe Phranix's
sto1·y of the soldier and. his olan kets.
A call at the Se1itinel office fouucl
Ron. J. \V. Dorrington, edjtor and
proprietor of that very newsy journal,
at bome. lifr. Dorringto11 at Oll(;e
took us in cl1arge, a11cl t1ncler ]1is
able guicla11ce we sa,v Yun1a a.s she
is, and ve freely co11fss .. ttpon tl1e
estimati 011 of result$ obtainecl, i 11
tl1e produ.ctiou of eaTly fruits.
Y11ma ha.s nothing to fear by con1-
parj_so11 with the most favored J)oints
of Southern Oalifor1lia or even onr
o,vn Salt River va), ley.
lV[ost of tl1e !.!'a rd-ens ,vere "isi tecl, C i11 a]l of ,vhic11 were found orange,
le111on and lime t1·ees bencljng uncler
the 1veight of frnit. 111 tl1e garden
of Di-. J. B.. Taggart ,vere to be see11
several grapevines of the Black_
Han1bnrg variety, lade11 1itl1 luscious
frujt) the fir.st of tl1e seaso11
being J)ickcd 011 Sc1turda,y, Ju11e '?cl.
\'{e veut11re the asse1·tion that no
other localit.v, i11 the Sonth,. vest can shO\Y t1i;> s11.ch a record. 1'he profits
to be reaped by tl1c 11e1·s011 ,v 110 ca,11
produce: a11d ship, i11 quantity,, ri1)e
grapes by the nJiclclle of .Ju11e, ar<:!
ttlrnost in1,Jcu1al>le, ,Lnd if there is a.
place in tl1e United 1 'bLtes 'l)ero
this can be clone, that place is Yuma.
In the gardens of l\[essrs. Nor ton, ' L)70J1s, (h-tn-clo1fo Lncl others ,l'ere
a.lso to be sce11 large bunches of ripe
ZiJ1fa11del and J'if 11scatelle gra,pes.
Judge C. 11. Brinley has, in his
gLrd.en, a larf·c bearing olive tree, the
fruit of ,vhic11 is ,vell c1e"eloped a,nd
has a healthy a,1)pc,1ra.11ce. .Lie a.lso
has cottoit s,t:1lks seven yea.rs old,
tlJa· t are no,v coveretl ,vith balls.
B,tniLUas :flo1Jrish i11 tl·.is sectio11 ncl
nrtn1erous s1)eei111c11s weTe to l,e seen.
-11-
'I'esti,110111' f'l.·0111 tlae St. Lf)11is of the'.- eat·ly ma.r ke.;t, when th. prices
Giob De111oe1·t. are h-igh. F.ot ,sj.x weeks i1:1 e·arly
A corresp911de-n t of the St. Louis s1J.mrn,e1: will Yu.ma be, able to m6-
(}lobe-D.e,1noc1·at, writing from, Y11- nQp olize the malket, fol' fresh ,g1·apes,
111a, u1 1der date of November 21, apricots, pea.en.es, plums '3.nd k:i11-
1$38l$,, says : .
dr€1cl vaTietl:es of fruits, whilEtornge.s
'1']1e rands be,t\veeti the Colorado a:nd ba11a11as will matu.re .at all s'ea
1n.a. .8a 1 1ta O i- uz riv@i·s, in Arjz0.11a, sons- of t11 e yar. Vegetab1es and
are petJ1 a1 ;:,s the i:i,e11est aq(;l m,ost aren pi:odu,ce, ancl all te small
procl 11 cti :v ,e QI 1:1,ny i 11 the U nited fxuits., oa:n be :marketed clu;r1n.g .e very
States. In t'his arid cou11try the nlo11th @f the year, and the i1,1in1er
g.reatest thi11:
g is water. A. n t 11l1.ber and orchartlist wilt enjo: r a pe1·pe;t-
0f i a·rigatiug canals are completed ual i11c:ome ,of b.arutlsome prop.orand
p1:1,yh1g .band$orn divideu(;l,s; ti0n·s. It ,vill reG{uire , 011ly a k. :n<1>1vtTli
e su P1)ly of \vater is obtt.J;in.ediro:m. edge of tl1 ese great a.d va 11tages to
the 0 1:Jloraclo a1ld (ttil 'l'ivers. Over e, teate sucl1 a demand. f01· Jarids in
100 n1ile-s of c,a.na.ls a:re now bi1 ilt, tha;t '1'icinity tl1at J >rices ,vill rnn up
a'!'.l.d as many more 11uder contract fat above tl1 o se nov 1 11,ev:ailing i11
a.11d bui'ld11 1g. F11lly a half million onthrn . Ca ,lifor11ia. . The old set
tcres of desert )a11a are filed t1'j;lon tlers of so ;:utlie:rn r-1zof1;a 11ave Jong
i1
1: tbe Salt Ri'Ver and QiJa river know11 tlTe value in ,vhi:.cl1 th.at seovalley&
,vi·ting t}1e constructj0·n of ti.o n. W@ttld eve11t1 , 1ally be helcl; al])
l'Oposed qaBals so th,a.t water Gan be th ugh t:hey have lacked lie e11t :r
obtaiJ :1.ed for agript1 ltural aucl 11orti- p11se to pt1sb, the 1reclr:nat1011, of 1ts.
cultural pu1·poses. A11 fruits of lands.. NO&\¥"' tl1e n1at .tr !Ji;J,S t:ken
Sonther11 Galifornia atJ'd Flo,rida pract1eal , sh'31:pe, "a:nd 1t 1 s· only a
grow to perfection. Small g,l'ins ·q11 esti,0n, of th.e time nee"e,s"sary t-o co 11-
a1td alr1:1,1fa, yielt1 immeiise rop.s. strt1C:t t?e gre:at eana1. The water
s:ix;pp1y 1s. ei10tm011s aJ1cl canru,t be
J\'roli'l tt1e Citjze11. exltausted, and its cJivexio.11 to the
p1-ntpqses intended was evidently a
111 .t\.}Jl·il, 1887, h.e ecritor of tl1e Jlesigll, of the g·reat Hs.11d that shaped
(J,itize11, · }Jil blished i11 Tucson, A. T., the con to11r of that m uGh abused
wrote as follows: but l1igl1ly favored po1·tio11 of the
That Y11.ma· CJot111ty is desti11ed t0 teT1,it<J• iy. We can readily al').tici-
.xprieJ1ce a gig,anti@ b0om, and a pate a time vb:en Yuma ,'i'ill .d.is.Iast1n.
g; 011e, e,very F,ers-011tl;i.at kn.o ,v,s play he:r mettopolitau frills, a.,11,d
aught Qf its wo11cle-:rfnl o,pportunities command J1e b;pn1age 'Of tl1e wh'e]e
,vill r.etdily ljelie-ve. · -,rh con- '11-erritory.
S"trneti011 of tl1e pr.@p0secl irri.gat,iug
ea11al will Gause the 1a1d to
yield retur11 s of a fabt1lous valtH
whert cul tivatetl. It is the 11 atural
l1ome of tl1e citrus :ft11-its and the
gra)e, and indeed fr'uits o.£ i:i,11
kincls fl.onrisl1 in tl1 highest state
of perfetion. The fact that its
season is fully six w.eelcs abea.d of the
1a1ost ad vancecl portion·s 0£ Califol'-
111.'s fruit belt, and the. facilities fol'
quiclr transportatic111 e1tl1eir east or
,vest give to it the speGia,l ad vant
ge& to be tleri ,•e.tl fron1 th.e cantro1
F1•01n tl1e A1·izo11a Gazette.
,r11e,-e so 111any di si11terested people
clec1are t'b.e same t11ing, the tr11tl1
fuust be 1lear· a;t l1a,ntJ. Wl1ile there
is a !3eemiug_ 1·epetitio11 i1 1 the e<;litorials
and correspond.eni2e q uot.ed,
it is more jr1teresting ·readiJ1g on tJ1e
s11bjcct tha11 could otherwise be
give11, for tl1ese prod uctio11s a1·e the
ca11clicl %l)ressio11s or 0pi11 io11s .0f
n1en petsolially u1ik11own. to eacl1
otl1e1· aT:1,J;l 11,11a"'are w l1at tl1e otbe1·s
h.ad said or mig11t sa:y. '.l'he f9llo,v-
-12-
i11g- article fron1 the Gazette pub
lisl1ed ir1 PJ10011.ix, J\fn,ricopa Cou11ty,
appeared in its d{ily lor r\ugtlst 14,
1887, long 1)rior to either or the
foregoing. lt says :
No more T>romising country exists
on the l:>aci-f1c coast tl1at the gi-eat
Gjla, Vci,lley, ,vl1ich extends front the
Oolorttt1o Ri ve1· at Yuma n1:> to
,vitl1in a few miJes of l:>hce11i:x, ,hich
is now attrLcting the attentio11 of
capitalists, botl1 eaist anc1 west. At
vatious tin1es the Gazette has ctlled
attention to its n1erits, believing
that its development ,vill ac1d
vei'y materially to tl1e prosperity
of this city and the territ@ry at
large.
The Gila, River is tl1e largest and
n1ost imI>Ortant stream i11 Arizona.
Its had is n,mong tl1e mountains
*'1,Ud l1jg}1 tablelands or New 11exieo,
,vhe1·e it is fed by copio1.1s $nmn1er
1·ains and win.ter s11ows. It. bisects
tl1e Territory from east to ,vest,
leaving the lar&e1· part on. the 11orth.
It ]1as; the San j'rancisco, Sa:n Pedro,
Sant:i Cruz, Salt l{ive:1·, Agua Fria
a11cl l{as.sayampa as tribt1taries
1vithin Arizo11:;., and numerous lesser
strea,n1 s in N c ,v :Niexico. It will be
seen by this that its ,vaters1ied is
ca11able of ke: eping up an ab11nda11t
fio,v for all the arablela,11ds along its
border. '.l'l1e: soil is; a dee1), rjch ., al-
111 vid deposit, capabl.e of rereiving
water freely w he11 applied for irrigati11g
pLtrposes. It is rete11tive of
n1oisture to a n1arked degree, t1''0 irrigatio11s
producing crops oi v}iat a1)d
barley. .'\.lfalfa l1as been1 k1)ov,n to
slin.nc1 t,vo years without irrigation,
a:ford i ng t\\10 cuttings for 11ay, a11c1
fair 1)asturage the remainder o.f the
yea1·. 1'his is o,ving to tl1e land's freedon1
frorri clay, or, as more cotn1nonly
citlled. aclobe. Its dcptl1 is from
t"rel ve to t,ve11ty :feet, thi:ireeore
practically incxh.at1stible. It is
sufficicutly liigb above the river
bed to })rotect it from overfiO\'ing
during the highest sf-,a,ges; of the
. river.
Prod11eticns.
I11 no part of sen1i-tropic A1norica
is there a \1 iclet range of productions.
At Yt1ma theoran.gc, len1on .ind lime
gro,v to a. 11erfectio11 unex.celletl a1111
-
"'licre on the )Torth .1.\.rneric,L11 co11-
ti11ent. 'rhe len1011s ,ire the equal of
the famous Sicily product, and the
limes as ln.rge, thin skinned and juicy
as th.ose of ]l[exico, tl1a11 ,vhic:h no
su1)eriors are known. The trees,
o,ving t o tl1.e dry, war111 atn:tOS])hexe
duxing the year, are exempt from
the ills that are decin1ating the
boasted groves of Southern ('Llifor-
11ia. TJ1e lower Gila, !ron1 Gila
Ber1d to Yuma, is the true citrus
belt of the United States. i.1nd ,vill . . .
becon1e so re,cogriized at no (1istant
day.
Ba11l.ttls.
The banitna is gr0\'11 and snccessfully
frt1ited a.t Yt1n1:L also. and
,vjll, it is believed, beco111e a staple
p1,oduct iv hen tlie various ea.nal ente.
rprises mote fnlly Ol)(H1 t111 the.
.cot1ntry for settleme11t. It is 11ot
the -ajn:i of tl)e 0cizette 11or the pioJleers
of that countl'y to se11d abroad
any extravagant staten1ents in reltlition
to this or a11y othe1· f1'tlit thtLt
may be su0cesfully gtO\Vll in tl1is
regi01J, and before being pre1?at:ed
to rrtake the above staten1eat 1t 1uterviewed
the Ho11. H. K. .lexander
ancl l1is estimable wife, ,vhose
honle 11rior to co111i11g to Ph<X'n ix WAS
at Yumtt, wl10 co11firmed all tha.t it
had 11re-viously heard on t}1is sn bject;
witl1 sucl1 a,uthority it feels safe ju
saying to in te11di11g· en1igrants that
tl1e banana can be profita.bly gl'o,v11
along the lower C+ila as l1igh n1 .ts
J\ztec Htation) ana e.-perience 1n,.ty
deter1ni11e as far as (fila Rend.
'I'll e O li"l·e.
rl'l1is tree of trees, as son1e 1<:n 1·0-
l)e1,11 ,vriters ter111 it) is gro\1·ing
in l.11:xuriauce in. tl1is city, as also •
in Yurna. ,vl1ere the trees are laden
,vith fruit. I,ik: the citrus frnit,
it is lree front sen le bug. tl1at post
-13-
.of Calif0r11ia. Olive§ are· the long- pl;ace avetage. s the same throngl1-
est lived of any of the frtlits gr0wn out tb:e year as A.i1aJ1ejrn, Oaliby
11.1a11., an,d 1nore pro:6.table. It ii; io).·1:1ia, th.e lieai beiJ.1g n9 great.er
likewise tJ1e 1·ic11est ,as. :flood, and and tl1e cold 11ot mo.re S!ilvere. This
furnisl1es an 6i1 that h.as a market statement is made u1)on the autJJ01'in
everJ eivilized comn1unity. 'I'l1e iny @f the Sot1tl'1e1•11 Pacific Comcl.e:n1a11d
for th·B- pi.clrled frt1it a,p;d p1t,ny's pu blieati.011, than w hi®"l1 ribne
·tJie oil in.crei;J:.sec1 faster tban the S'l:tJ>- .are more reliable. This point setply
he1·et0f0:re ; there ip no imme- tle(¾ the bngab00 that 1'1as beTe.todiate
prospect of a falling of in f-01.·e r,est1'a,inecl people :i:ro.i:n settling
l)Tices. This tree, lik.e tl1e lJSS, who?e in tJ1e Gila ,Talley., gives plao.e to
origi11 is in tl1e san1e regio1r as tJ1at n1atter of fact statements tl1!:!ct mu,st
or the olive, is capah>fe of endi1ring ineviti:t<bly attract a desirable. class of
n1.01e ill 1.1sage at th hitt:Itls 0f 1nar1, settlers. Tl1·e 01·ange, lemon and
wl10.se e1 1e£.aoto1· it is, tha11 a:ny lime_ matl1res earl1et in Y un1a tban
knw11 tree 0r pl&11t. in Floricla1 an.d m:op.ths bfore they
reacl1 11erfeotio.n in Q.alifornia. Early
in Jn1 1e the g1·ape })11,ti, QXl- jts bJ@OJ;l\l
of ripeness aud by the 1niddle. of tJ:i.at
mtn1tl1 tliey n1al{e their appearance
in g:teat 11rof1sj0n. 1'he apricots
ancl. · otht\Jr pitted frt1iis a1i e cortes1)
ond i11gly early. Tl1is give's a wl10Je
long 1ri011t.h. t:Ja,e advantage o·ve1· the
mos·t fav:01:ed spots in CJalif@i:nta.
G1'.apes a11<l Pitto<l Fe11it.
It is 1.1ot generally k11own tbat 1\:rizona
is in tl1esame latitnde as Pe:rsia,
the heme @f the. grape,., tbe I>ea·eh,
tl1e apricot a11.Gl kimdted ftuft. &meh,
110w&ver, is tb:e case. The clin1ate
and territorial c .&n.ditio11s are the
co11nter1,arts of eaal1 otl1er. Per.sJ_a
is a snccession of mounvains, --anc1 '\Vl1at Tt1is 1'Jeaus.
Jilatns, fertile valleys: and steri1e
deserts. 1'he valleys have 1Htt11 made 'l'o th:e po.moJogist t:be above {-acts
l'ltodnc.ti-ve. by tl1l€ lt1bor anJft iJ1tel.li- ;eonvey a w01•ld of ni: :eaini:n,g. They
ge,..,.;i H of _ · mh,. n, ,v1 1 0 1.l .as eo11d uc :te d. fo,1;·eshadow au unli n1ited demard at a .<'
1..lpOl'. I. t}1m Warters th.at e0n1e fiowin.g time vVh,e11 the 1natkets o.f: the '\VOrl
dow1:1 :rron1 tl1 110,v-cawped n1c;u11t- t-re sure _of the ch1oer a11 d nore. clel1-
ai11s, the same a$ the b.ardy soni:i ot cat fr11Jts for wh1cJ1 thei-e 1s an <eve1,toil
are cloing. to-day in the conntry lat1n.g, ra:vint. ·.rJ.iey mean snob:
l1nder cO:nsiclra,tio11. It is an a:x:iom J)r1eeS;J as 1'V1ll make t}1;,e J:>oaJr.e.ts fa1i
as old as the l1il1s tl)at li-k cau· ses 1:t11d tlle l1e,1:rts glad. Tht m0st
aud co11ditioh ,vil1 JJrod tlce like re- oonservativ:e n1an. can. see l11uq.,reds
sults, tl1ergfoxe, jt js no ,vonder that of d.ollars a.11 acre- pi-ofit, "'bile tl1e
grapes; pe.icl:)es, pi-icots, 11e-etaTi1les, :sa11 ui't'l'e will :flgure it 011t a tl1oupon1egr,
t11 a.tes and date should be sau.c:l c1 ollar;s anli1 'l1 p,vatds. It ma11s·
a:s H1ueh at homGl in tl1e Gila cot1n- th-ttt trl;i:{ls lands ,v1ll l1av.ec a market
try as in its Asiatic co1.1nteTpart. value, at n@ i:listant day, of a tl1o·n-Tl1e
Seasoiis. sand do1la1's asn are iind up,vards, when sup.plied w.jth tl1 e necessary
ViTho is there tl)at Jias not l1eard ,vater to reclaim tl1en1 from thej-i,:
t,hat ,gtale old story about the dead d·esert nature. '.L'wo years ago a
soldier ,v 110 _ ,va.king up in 1-Iades gen:tle.ma11 by the natn.e of 11.lverad o,
e1Jt back fQl' his bla.11kt3US, th planted fifteen po11l'lds of IrisJ1 po,c
lin1lite being s-o mucl1 colcle1· th.e.i-e ta.tpes on. a piec.e of low botton1 that
than i11 Yurna, fr.om 1\1hence he had bee11 over:fl0'lvd, and harvested
hailed. It will, 110 cloub.t, su11)rise seven sa:ols1 or over seve11 hundred
most people to leaTn that 'the an11ua8,1 pou1)ds. He is aoubtitu if this
t.emperature of 'this n1ucl1 belied re"ct>rd l1as e·ver uee11 excelled.
-14-
A UNKNOlVN R:f;GION.
Yt1111a a•1d J1er Possibilities
Beats tlae lV«>1'l<l 1<•r
Earlr F1·11its.
Fron1 the Bitrbet1ik Oa-Z1;fo1·1i-ict Ti1nes, 188B:
On,r bnsiness is suc1i tl1at it cn..lls
us to aln1ost every seetion in Southern
C'alifornia, and giv.es us excellent
01,portunities to n ote t11e merits
a11cl demerits of oue section over tl1e
other. Sat11rday we went clo\vn to
Yuma-735 miles fron1 Sa,n Francisco,
on tl1e 1\.rizo11a side @f the
Colorado River, and returnecl 011
Monday. Yu.ma is on one side of the Colorado
desert but has a11other of
prett}7 good pro1:>ortiot1s on the east
of heT. The cou11try st1i'r0unding
the to,vn bts not bee11 im)Jro,r ed, although
there ,vere thonsands of
1cres of goocl Ja,nd, it ,,,as not thought
tl1at it ,vas capable of producing
a11ythi11g, a1ld the second tho11ght
,vas hardly o·iven it. Four years
ago tl1e Southern Pacific Con1pany
mide a reservoir at Yt1rr1a and introd
ucecl a system of dli very; prios
to that tjme ,vater "\'\7ttS securecl by
carrying it from tl1e Oolo1·ado Ri ve1·,
a11d the ground "ras devoid of all vegCtf1,tion
; but si11ce rater ,v1s distributed
n1any gardens l1ave been
planted, and vines and fruits have
bee11 growjng profusely and prolifically.
Through the kindness of
Brother J)orrington, we ,vere pel'mitted
to iltspect the garden of :frs.
George., or ton; the vines, trees, fi0,vers,
etc., ,vere plaJ1ted about two yea.rs
ago, ,tncl the gro,vth and n12Lturity that l1a,s been attained n1tkes one
think that they 111t1st l>e fnlly foul'
years old. Grapes ,vere picked in
this garden ,Tune 2d thf1,t ,ve1·e 1,erfectl.
Y . fille(1 and fnlly ripe-abont
five ,vef'kl5 earlier tlutn the 1,r0cluc- • tion of any other locality on the
Con,st. 'l'he gro1vth is truly xvonclerful,
and tl1e e:Ll'ly production lit1t a
little short of a, 1niracle. 'rhe fl.ivor
of the gr.tpes ,vas of a supe1:ior quality,
wholly unlike thc:1,t usually fou11d
among the early gra1)es.
. A.. l)arty of gentlen1en formed a
con1p,tny for the purpose of running
a11 irrigating oa.naJ, from the Cl ila
Rirer thro11gl-1 the l\tfoha,,vk ,r alley,
,vhic11 contains about 301000 acres of
verv ece]lent land, which ca.1-, be
Teachecl by tl1e system being intrOdtlC\'l
d; tl1e canal can be n1ade,if need
be, to carry 30,000 inches of wc1,ter,
and is as -s11bstantial as if ma.de of
granite.
Tl1e fut11re of the Mohawk Valley
is l1ard to limi,t, for it n1 ust su1·el y
become tbe leader of early and good
fruits. 'l'he soil ancJ st111shi11e are
t]1ere, and the water "'ill be in bouudless
quantities and 11otl1ing is ,vcLntj
11 g to prod 1tce t}1 e d esi reel resu 1 t. •
'l'l1e Gila Valle)'.
Thel'e is J>Tobably no compact botly
of agr.icultural la11cl 111 thfl ,vhole
,vorld that ,vi11 equal in area antl fertility
tl1e v-alley of CJila, con1me11cing
at !1'10.):euce and endiJ)g ,1,t Yu,na, including
t11e SG1,lt River -valley. It is.
n101·e than 200 miles i11 lengtl1 with
an av, eTage ,vidtl1 o-f perhaps 20 n1iles,.
and there is strfi.cieut ,ya.ter to irrigate
e,rery foot of it. Tl1e ca1)abilities
of procluction of this vast tract.
of l:111cl is $Ort1etl1ing almost incredible
to tl1ose wlio have not ,vitnessecl
tl1e J)l'Olinc g·ro,vtl1 of vegeta .tion in
Southern ArizoJJa. Everytbing the
te1npcrate zo1le produces ,vill flourisl1
11ere, and nia11y tropic ancl se1ni-tropical
fruits and 1,]a,11ts grrnv exceedi11gly
,veil. ']here is hardly a Yttriety
fro111 the decicluous fruits of tl1e
most northern states to the delicate
citrus 11rodnctions of the s0uther11
aonn tries, tliat cannot be snccessfully
gro,11 n 111 tl1is ,ralley, a11d the tro11ical
bann.11,1, an<l the date are readily cultivtttecl
,vitl1 liLtle ca.re. 'rl1is ,vide·
range 0£ J)rodnction, in addition to
the 1011g sea:sons, in 'lvhich fron1 two·
to four crops u-1atl1re <ltlring a single,
•
-15 --
g1,apes. 'Tbe ber:1ies ,vere neairly
fulT grown and the bunch w-as well
filled. A caru attached to the bunch
bo-re the words, 'Yuma _ Gt'ftpes) '
written ,ou tl1€business @ard oiJ. W.
Dorrington, pt1 blisl1er of the _4.it·zona
8e1iti1iel. The, -grapes a,,round
$elma are gro,ving rapidly, but ,ve
do not kno,v of a'n:y 'as large as tbo-se
reeeived from our :SoutheT'11 fi'iendst
-8-elema h·1·igato1·.
year, presents a ·w onderful rray o;f
ad'va11tages tl1at a1,e apparent to tJ1e
n1ost ctasual obse :rvet. In aclditi.011
to these, there is a1 1 exclu.sive st1pply
of tl1e eat1i,e,St a.Ad most profitable
! narke enj<;>y·ed by"its frt1it 1tais.rs)
1nvolv:wg rate benefits that n0 @ther
section. e,njoys. Tll 'e alim,ate i all
th,at mankind can wish fot, the -pt1re,
dry atmosp11ere beirrg espec1ally be11e
ficial to invalids al'.ld lu,iuri0t1s to tne
l'©bt1st. Tl1ere l'e absolut,ely nnne
of th,e evils tl1 at afiiet d,Ye1lers in At Y 1•·11ra.
other loe:J,litie.s, ancl al! t11e conditio11s l\f 1·. 0. F. Tl1oruton, 011:P. of the-
of l1ealth apd pr0sperity are eonce11- incorp6Tators 0£ tl1e S@u.tl1 Gila
trated in this. ma1·velot1s i-egicn1. Ganl Ot>ni15any; OL1rt '\T. 1\1:iller, OTThe
time is close at J1:and when thi£ Tempe ; Q. H. !auk ancl '\V. T.
valley will supp0rt a clense popula- \Voods, · :Ir., pr0rnirt11t business
tjon of happy a-nd p.J;!ilSp(!l.rous people, IBE!Jl o,f 1[.ar-icopai County, paid t}1is
and .it will acquire fa:m , th1,oug;hout Qfioe i.!, oeia:'1Jle visit on "\l.7 ecluesda,y
the ,voTld a,s th n.earest .awproach to eve.ping. '1'he ge11tlemen visited
an earthly :p,aradis.e.-Ftore1ice l!J1i- most of the garde11s i11 the town a.nd
terp1·,ise. were veTy 1n11cl1 P.eaifet'l ,vitl1 rn
@range, lem:011 a11!ld l1me ,tree$ ,vh1cl1
fure li,eavily Jaclen ,vith fr11it, They RECORD OF EAlL°J: '.PRO- al.s,o (ol 'Uil,d OUT gra,13es 1.J,1a μIDmegra- Dl J CTIOS. nats ai lre·ady 1·ipe : and the olive trees
Lik:e :tl1e ea1·ly bird that ca£cl:ies full 0jl spleud_id fruit. 'J'he gtn1tle
t-he worm ,. it is the eaxly f1·t1it tl1at 1nen from the alt Ri veT Valley were
catcl1es the market., a:r1d br'i1 1gs tl1e very much astonishecl to fi:ud tl1at
brigh st i:n1ice.. In :i'ts issu of Ji1ne most fr1iits mature earlier hene t)ial'1
2, 1888., the Yum.a Se1itinel eon- they do in Pl1onjx.-Yilr1na /3e,ntirnel,
taiJ1e,d tl1e foll0,wi11g record: Jt111e 9, 1888.
''" The I11dians are b.ri,ngi11g in:to
market lare q11antities of green coxn
a.il:cl ybt111g sqt1ash.
'" A sl1ipmeut of lnseious, ripe
1nus111e.lOllS ,veJ'e.1·ec'e.ived hei-e this
,veek f1:9m Ante.lope Valley.
'' Five white Aclria'tiG ;,fi'gs piekeg.
from Espi11osa's garde11 011 Tμesd
w.eigl1ed twenty-six o'unces; five ·and
0 ·11e-ftl1 ottnces pe.-r ft; is not a bad
sl10w1ng.
'' Ripe watermelo11s have been
picked on B0s.s11ng 1 s 1:ancl1 n:ear
t0,v11, :5ince May 25th. The m.e.l0ns
are fully ripe, sweet, aJtd of ordi11ary • -size.
-'' Yes ,texda,y as the u0r.th-bo1.1nd
Over}i1;11d passed tliu@ugh Selma
(Fres110 County, California) a g!intle.
n1a11 h,a1)cled out a bunch of green
TJ1e S.a11 Prani$CO Dail)' Cl1ro11i ..
c1e o1f Ju110 20, l SSS, $.a.id:
,, A bunch of 'l'okay g1·apes Tais,e.cl
nea.x Y ttma Qity, A. 'T. ,vas rece1vei;l
at this ofice yesterdJty. It
was seut by the edi'toT of tlie 8e11,ti-
17,erl, and evidently designed as a remind.
er of tl1e fact th·at for early
fruits A,rizona, , espially tha:t l'eg·io:n
near tl1e Col0'rad0 Iliver ca.11 be.t
any other section of our g1qrious
Union. Tl1e grapes ,vexe fnlly
n1at1:1red . ''
011 J t11y 21, 188, the Se1itinel
hail the following :
(( 1-Ijram W. Blaisdell sent a box of ,
' 'Niagara' aind ' Rose 0f P.e1·u '
grapes to ConQord, 1VlaS$., some tin1e
-16-
ago antl they reached their destination
j11 first-class co11dition. '.l'he
forn1cr Y,L'l:ictv ,r@re gro11•11 at Pay-
1n,tster an<1. tltc latter at Yuma.)>
.L\11d ngn,in 0n Ang-nst +, 1888 :
·' Pho..' n jx shi})])Cd l1er first car
loa,d of 11 uscat grapes July 25 ;
11earl v four weeks a.fter j\[ 11scat
grapes ,ve1·e 11erfectly ri1)e here."
'' l'apt1-ii11 Ji"recl W. So1ith) ·of 1[0-
1111,,vk: ,ra,lley, plan tetl ,vate:r roelo11s
on 11is ranrh 1\Izy ·i lth ati.d on .T nly
3 l st presented this office w i tl1 a :fi11e,
ri1>e ,yttern1elon IY<.>ighing thirtyseven
ponn<ls, just sixty-four clays
fron, t11 c day the seecl \V,ts 11la,uted.
Ca1>t,tin Srnith!s ra11el1 is one of the
best in the valley."
The follo\\'ing items ·,vere reproduced
in the {,e,itinel on Jn· ly 21,
1888:
·'l\Iiss Ella Burton) of Yun1a,
Ariz., J1as sent tl1e Oourie1· a box
contai11i11g several -vttrieties of the
excellent grapes grown in that fara\
vay lan(l. Nothing pf the l<incl ,vas
ever before seen ii1 this city. They
came tliroug11 souncl as f c1ollar aticl
,vere h igl1ly appreciated by all in
tJ1e office. It is co1nforting to be
th ns i-en1cm hered by frie,ncls ·1v ho
have gone from tl$ for otJ1er ]101nes.''
--Oharlesto1b (ill.) Ooiirie1·.
:, lV[a,ny thanks a,re due J)r. 'raggart,
of Arizona, by the l1and
of bjs sister) Irs. J\. :B}. Ro,vley, for
a cou11le of 11iee bnnclles of ri1)e
gra1)es gro,v11 this season. They
l>ega11 to ripe11 a.bout the first of
.June, ancl altl.to11gh ,1, little too rj1)e
for long sl1i1J1nent ne,·et1theless ,vere
i ne: loolting oind of excellent flavor.
Wisconsin ordi"s have only fa,irly
do)111<>d tl1e'ir summer hue wl1en
Arizona gr:;i.pes are in f-t1ll fr11itage.
-.Ei•a nsv,:zze ( lVis.) i?e1Ji&1v.''
]'ron1. the 8e1iti1lel, October 6tl1,
1888:
'' ,,r1,tera1e-lo11s of the largest a11d
luscious varieties are still com1non . •
<<l\Ir. \\Tills, of Aztec) I"un1a
Ooui1 ty, dug a, s"·Clet l)ota,to hist
,veek ,vejgbing t"1ent}r -fiye poullds.n
From the ,'-i'er1,ti1iel) N o\'eJ'nber '7tl1.
1888:
'' Ot1r sp1enclid ora.nge"S ancl
len1011s are the first to ripen on tl1e
Pa.cifi.e Co.1st.
'' Th' c finest oranges ,tnc1 l-eruous
011 the P:iciftc l 'oast are grov;ru right
here i11 )r uma.
'' For frftgrant fto,vers) d.Lily
st1nshiue and the best climate in the
\vorld, conJe to Y1.11l1a County.·,
From tl1c ;::,'e1iti1iel,, TJccem l.>er
15, 1888:
'' Senator [ieland Sta ,nford i:-nd
wife arrived herti, in their private car,
011 last SatLtrdt1ry 111orning. lir. 0.
F. 'fhorntou })rese11tetl the Sena.tor
,vitb. some Y l1ma oranges, lemo11s,
figs and olivts, "'hich "1ere accepted
With great pleasure U,)' ]iE. 1
1taJ1IQl'd,
,v ho "'as ,tstonis bed to learn tl1at ,ve
ra,i-secl sucl1 fruit l1ere. }le sa.id
t11at Yutua Oot1ut:v was bou11cl to l)e- J c0n1e L great iigrieult11ral a11cl frnit-raisi-ng
section. Before bis clep211ttnre
l1e told 1Ir. 'l"hornton, tltat he
,voulil ta.k.e goocl care of the fruit) as
he inte11c1E}<l exhibiting tl1e same 011
the floor 6£ the Uni te<l 1 ''t.1.te/il Senate
to sho\v ,vltat ca11 be done by irrigation
iit a eot1ntry tbat "'.ts formerly
believed to be a desert.
• < Olj yes Lre ripening fast.
'' ,vhite 1\.driatic figs) ripe ancl
delicious, are ,dJt111dant in the garC'l
ens hero.
'' Watermelons and cantaloupes
are still J>len tifnl.
<< TJ1e displa.y of our citrus
frni t on t11e floor of t11e (T. S. , 'en ate
by Governor Sta1nford ,vill be ,t
grctt -anvertisement for 1u111a
county, tbe ga,rdc11-spot of Arizoo:ct.''
The foregoing closes the recorcl
foT 18 . 8, a11cl tl1e rnost slceptical ,vill
l1ave to ad,nit that it is a1-1 enviable
011e. 'l'hat for 1889 up to date of Ju11e
15th is 110 less re.marl<-ai.Jle.
-1,., (-
Fe'brThnea !r"Ye co16rd'tl uf,o rq 11889 0-gins with 1oti11g fro.m., tlie
Se11,tinel: lem"'' Tl1e apriqo. t, orapge, line and ©n ttees ,are ii1 blossom.,
'' 'l'J1e fig trees an,cl gr,ape vines are
g1a1 rldeaef.1is asnodrn in ofm tal1Y1aey of tbe v· illage i·eaicly n1ade v,jues baV'e al a new g:rowth ot sev:eral
jnchcis. ''
-froAm:;r Y"'u1]n I 1ab-e Qs0eue1R1t yfr, ofimg st lw1ee r: ree eraipr- de oahn!il ,.ea;d:p roifl 1o4:h.teh ,() ah ,.mro.1oin.ictlh!(, a111,01dti oteen. ,1aOy.as1 Ju"n'e R 1ispte tgl1ie-a p!Sefts1i,t :iVl1Iiaely s2a7i.dth: ; how are you'', R,irpaee a,:vvialtle? 1ou;:>tes ar :e1·n1e1on. ,s and citnta- '' Th,e l1, w1,Jee nletjmftotln a aJ1L1.l{d coha-aei1a1pg. er<llp ·t]1is seai_son, will be i111usi1ally large. SattlTQl\l.Y, April '20th, 1889, same r-, If-you ,vant quick retur11s· and Pa1;)e r : ssa·t l fi pi'ou, s, p ant g, s, grai;,es, litnes 1l11d
. '' Pl nt m.011e ,stra,verrie_s 3:1 ld. J.J?- piuea pp1es .
1·tu.t plt1n1s ; the:re. s m1111ons ln '' Y11 ma; C.oi1nt1's ely ftuits will
'' 'l'he g1ape· .vj11:es ha. ve she.d t1'1e11 anl1na1koes to faarb uJlo1111dss v, -<,1<:rlnu. ,,a fe,v ye.a.rs, of blossQ'm and are now full 9f large e. ." eluste:rs of fruit. On J q11e $.th. th€l Se,n,t·ne p1h-
'' Plant pe rsjmmons, pecfl-11s and lish.ed the following, which js ,self pineapples ; they 1vill 'do welln1"the e-xplatrat.o ry:
Gilt a11d Colorado valleys. '' It is published that tlie firsu figs
'' Ripe figs, n1ulbei·ries aI,1 ·d a.pri- of the , se,a, sot:i. received i11 Sa11 Francots
i11 Y i1n1a garc1e·ns A·pT.il l 4tl1 . Qi1$eo br@uirrt O cents pe.1: t501.1 t1d, Row is tl1e a.bo·v·e rec9rd neigh}}ors, an.d ,vere gr.Q1vn e>n the , Colora,do
f©r eaT-ly fruits? .des,rt at Plm V'alle-y, near Indio
'r Ripe .figs pic.kd i 11 J m dge C. H. Sta .ti on. rl:.1;·apes a re expe, oted {ron1
B1'1Iiley's .garde':ll Aprill4'th." tt1l•10e1>reic asl of·orn11.i t cTullt1ue 1,ee xbpe,egr11i'Jni:i ean't tt b:oaft 'FrOat1•1 c:lliiseaoy 3O.1llsrt,o 111i8ct:8e9 ,. lttal1tel StJ.a1lel p,Looisn .At ?p't!,Jreolmesi ses to· 'be :a. snce,ess.Tinies.
tollo,vi11.g abottt t 11 e 111 o st ,r The :first fig of the seaso11 wexe CtaavJoif1o:e1d·n ilao:e ality 1· i1 tile State of fletyo.m YGurampae,s 'fthnedr eu oatr .ef roJimJJ eP :aal:nmd Wt'hale''
Tl1e, fivst ,ripe figs of this se.a- 1i1·st wer, pickecl May 27th. Tl1e se;n's growth ,v·,-i·e Tertei ved in this ' Yutla figs ' bro.ng1'1t $1. 00 :per city Nla,y ;a4.th., ·nd ame fro-1n Palm pouu, d in th'e San Frat1cisc0 maTket,
Valley a11 Diego CotlJl ty, !i>U. tlie n0tice, of w1:1ich w-as n1a.de in last
1iJ1e of the Soi1tbe1n PacificBailroad. Saturday's Se1iti1iiZ. If the Times
A box of the- f.rt1it was i-ec·ive<ll at WOt1ld Teceive tl1is pape1' regt'ilai-ly it
tl 01 • ,
• • \.V611ld 1>.' 1e 1t?'01,1,ic1:e Ou1ce, CO:In]?i':JS'JUg spe- e pijs,tecl 011 early :fu·uits, as •Cirhens .o.f tlfe Iseliia, g 111 y 1in and Y,uma Dotinty 'le.a.ds them all.'"
Genoa fig. l'hey were well ripened, Tl1e.Recorcl- Unio1i, of Saerament0, large a11 of 111,se;ous ftav@r. Fruit in tl1 early days of J u11e, 1s·s9, tlea,ler say that any-qu>l}ntity CQnld li.shed .the fo110,vin&: pubre-adjly
be sold in this city at irorn '' The:ue is on e:0Cl1ibitio11 at the ,c.2a5l ittyo f5r0o mce nwtsb ipcel11 · tp}o1eu nfidg. s Teal11ne el ois- sotfrfieceet ,o fb .Aot:Jhh erbtl aLicQko naianrdd , wonl1 iFteo ufirgts],1 _ tl1e ear:.iest fruit reg:io11 in. the State. fully ripe. '11Grapes a :J1.ey ha,ve been placecl weeks andr ea l,el xoptelicetre fdr uti<lt sb me arjtp111· et fla1i1s· teleiievieed 'tbyh emDr .f. rSo.0mut . hD,vorl1, who rer.
Taggart, of
fjop,r nadiav.a"1 1ce of anJ'otlier par-tpf Cali- Ytl1i1ant 1pa,l aμcpeo n whpse garde11 land at tl1ey grev,r.· 'l'bey are fine
-18-
specin1cns) anJ are fully a 1no11th i11
advance of the figs of California. .1\.
great 1nany , 'acramentans arc intereste<
l i11 agriculture in the vicinity
of 1' u ma a11cl not very fa,r fron1
there i11 ,vbat is k:11.0,11 11 as :01obawk
"\'a\lev." ,)
'l'he J>on1ona (Ot'lil.) Reg'iste1· of
J uue 6 tl1, says
'' rl'he YuLna Sentin,el reports ri1)e
wateTn1elons, cn.ntalou1)0s, greencarn,
g1·.'lipes, figs a11d a1>rioots, all
fresh, lusciot1s a11d l1ome-gro,v.11,
a,bnncla11t aac1 cl1ctlip. Yu in.a Oounty,
A. '1'., is n p an) co1ni11\ a11d ,l'lill get
there by and uy, solidly ,vith b.oth
feet."
With tbe two follo,,,ing itcmsfron1
th,e Se11,ti11el of Jn11e 15t11, ,ve close
the re9.01•d for tl1is year:
'' Crepe n1yrtle, ho11eysucJcle1 cape
jasn1ine a-ncl myriads of otl1e1: 1oveJy
and fragra.11t flo,vers fill our village
gardens lvitl1 tl1e beat1teous gifts of
natt1re.''
'' The mear11 temperatt1re for the
n1011th of lviay, according to the
U11i.ted States Sign.al Ofice reports,
in Arizo11a, was as follows: Bo,vie,
76; Globe, 78; NicDo:.vell, '74; Phoonix,
'79 ; and Yu111a, 77 degrees.n
A11 Agric111a;11ral 1'Ja1·vcl.
The attentioJl of readers of tl1e
Se?itinel is called to tl1e sn bjoi 11ecl
letter from tb,e Gltrys.toval correspondent
of tl1is paper. '' n1oha,vk"
is a thoroughly reliable gentleman,
a11d e,rery staten1ent made by him is
deserving of the most i m1Jlicit belief. 1The ivoncleTful growth of alfalfa <le-scribe1.l
l)y hirn is, "'e believe, 1111-
parallele<:l jn tl1e a11nals of agriculturitl
J>roductiveness. Y'nmaC'ounty
and its sn1)erb valley, the i\foha,vk,
stands above any portion of tho much
vau11ted So·ntl1ern California:
OIIRYSTov.,\.L, TD:MA Co., A Rri.,
.July 1, lc-89.
Eclito1· Ar1:zoiia ,<-:entinel:
Why l1ave yon not told your readers
about (1eorge \'{. Norto11·s "'011-
derful field of alfalfa on l1is '·)I otu1t
of Oli-ves" ra11cho, in the 1oha,vk
Valley? Last No·em ber be HH%tst1red
off eigl1t aocl'es and plo,ved
a1ld seedecl it witl1 t,venty pou11cls
of seed to the a,cre. Jn April he cut
it the first time a11d had t,venty toJ1s
of cured h,ty. larly in ,Jnne he Cltt
jt the seco1Jc1 tim; and had t,reutyfour
tons of cured hay. '!'his is 110
gness'ivork, bt1t the an1onu t b.a,s
Leen arrived at. b,. v C- ni ted States Governme11t 1neast1rerrun1t rules for
buying foi·age for t11e a,rmy, t11e
measu,reme11t haiving bee11 mittle 'by
L . .A. flicks, civil engineer, and eno
·ineer for the Ioha,vk Canal. On
§aturclay last, June 29tl1, the gro,ving
alfalfa was measured a11d stood
B2 jnches higl1, having grown \\1 itl1in
a fraction of 1-½ incl1es per day since
tlie last n1owing. Tl1is is a statement
of cold, naked facts) that can
be verified by the oatl1 of a doze11 as
good men as live i11 .Arizona.
Now,. Mr. Editor, ,vill you tell
your retders ,vhat such ln,ncl ,vitb
J)erpetna,1 water rights js worh per
acre? MORA. ,,·1.
-Yun1a Se1itinel, July G, 1889.
DOES J'R:Ul'l' GR;OWI,\G P_.\.Yl
,Vill it pay? is th,e firs question erally believe SllCh yields ar&fe.,v and
ask,ed by a11 Arnerici,1,11, lt tL1e sub- 0Tutai1ied from @nly fiv to t\venty
ject be ,v l1at tt my. It is a pe11ti- acres acatteeed. @ver 'a large ee11t Qf
nent q.uesti.on t00.i i11 tl1is bustli11 g1 CQl111:tr y. Botl:1 :m:ay bti acce1)t:cl s
foilfng ljfe in the nin :eteen th c·en- facts;. and yet l;!iO.Qth.er fa-ct may b.e
tury. Oomwetition is too a:c :tive,. t00 insisted t11jon .1 viz.: That wha,fi one
st1'.@ng I01' 11; man : to w.as.te h-rs ene,'l'gy or a few ca11: do may be don by
fot 'fi(;lre. g1oTy. Th only way to otl1e.rs under tl1e sa111e .011dit1ons.
solve the problem of wl1etl1er fTuji; The Sa11 Bernardino Tinies-l1iclex
gro,viJ1g 1ay:s 9r 110t1 is. to ap;peal ieerrtly pu b1isheil aceount _s. of veTy
to the recorc1&, of ,vl1at ha,s bn la-rge i1 1con1<es rr@m ee,rtain orcl1ards
d0ne by tho$e engaged itr tlie in- and followed ll}J by th _is i11terestin;g
dttstry. Oaliforniaia.,s l1ave: entt>ted -statement in a g_eneral way:
n10l'e e;1:tesive'1y a-rtd_ systeu1 atiel'li]ly Riverside has 3;000 a<;rfis pla11ted
int® te bu&ines t1_an auy othr to grang e, nl'e!:)s aa_d these tJ;,ees ax(¾l
people Jll t'he Un.1ted States, and -1 t in pa.rtial be_a 1·ing, so,me of the-m
is to _tllro. we_ rot1 st appeal f,?T te- being i11 pretty full beari11g. The
so11 t101l or this }Jl'?blem. _ -- al1:froxnJa 3,00.0 ac:res wi11 -yield 900 'ca,r loads
f·u1t lands aTe . h!gher_ pr 1: than -of otan.ges-, o.r 270,0QQ boxes, an
e1sewhere, and it 1s upo.11 tll.e 111ves.t- avera.O'e of !:JO boes t0 tlre atre tlrat
me11t in tfieh1 that we. r.l'rustJook for wi'11 nt the o·μers an aivera.ge' of $2
rsults.. Ra,v . 1'.hds a-nd ,va;tei· a po 01 1 the trees. as t he Seedlings
rights 1n the .e. 1tr11s belt, .of t l\la sell for ftom $1.50 to $1.75 p.er box
.State oomma.nd 11:0-m $100 to $500 011 the tree, a-nd the Navels sell for
per aci-e. 'l'0 _g·et a ora .11ge orhard $3 a 150.x on· t he t'ree. This gives an
1nto full bear1n:g ,v1ll cost a.nothe1· annual av ,e,rage i1l<Iome of $,1.80 an
$2.60 an aere. 'rakiu 'g t, he maximum aore, while the: tre(;s are not yet in
J:>i"iee of Jandl and water, $500 an full bearing, and the er-o'P is inereas.ae1'
e, and ad., he $2SQ, an.cl we have j11g eve1·y _yea,r . . Ths in.come of
a tolial of $1n.10 .. Ten pr cent_. on $540000 will p1y 1nterest wt the rat(}
that mean - :r:1e'. t income o .$75 per of tr per cent . on a capital of $5,acre.
This 1s the theo:ret1cal state- 100,000. The: a;ctual value oi 3,000
m:ent of tl1e oase. ow, vvl1at are · aetes. o:f la.-J1d js a.n a.vetao-e :valuati011
tl1e praG'.tioa-1 resu1 ts? of .$1,800 au _acTeJ with growing
T ,h. S -m
• · mh · z · o_ rehard_s tb-a·t n1a_ ke t_he pl _a_ces more ·e ali .DJ:a111seo 1;,. r·onto e, 1n - .
its is.sue of J a11uary 31, 1889, sa,id · valuable, each yea.a·.
'' Lewis Gram, 0f San Be.rnardinQ, '.Dhink of 3,000 aere.s in alrnost .a
will sell $1,500 worth of 0ra nges s :olid body yielding an average $185
from a jngle acre 0£ o.1:c1hn.rlil this p.er acre, or a:bot1t $150 11e_t _pT@fit.
year of grace." Is there .a paJ·allel to tb·is in any
Income f1•oin OJ'aJlg-e.
From the OJi ,ieo .Ohrt1tipi011,, Mary,
1,889
'' rI'llat from $20, 0 l:co $1,000 p.!}r
acre ha,ve bee 1 l realized from orange
orchards in t his and Los .Angelei,
Ool'tJ)ties is an undisptlte€1. fac t ; it
is a,ls·o a fact that, the -petJple gen-otl1er
oo,:1Btry 0r State? '!h ,ese
3,000 a-cres a reprobably c1'i1tiva ted by
two hundred @r 1nore pTopa·ietors in
tracts oI two au .d one -ha-1:r to t1venty
ot 1n0re ac-1:es. Thrs suggests that
,vhile many tracts bad th best of
car.e, perhaps sonJe did not. Th.e11
the fruit was 11ot all the highest , pri"c'ed vai·iety, but of se.vera1 kinds.
..
-20-
Sa1,>pose thjs income is i-educed
one-half, tl1e land still yields a
revcn1ne \Vith n1oney at teu per cent.
per annum that makes the orchards
wortl1 almost $1,000 per acre.
i1ig its i· n, othe1· Jl'- ·iiits as 1oell. But
we shall 11ot con11>lain. California
l1as enough to be 1,roud of ,vithout
being jealous or euv:ious if a neigl1-
bor hn.-s a little warmeT s11ns)1ine
tha11 she has O): a little drier atmosphere.
We can rejQice sincerely i11
t11e prospe1·ity of Arizona, , from
whatever source it 1nay proceed."
Orchards of J>ruues, apricots1
peaches, grapes, cherries alld a1)ples
in Sa,11 Bernarcli110 County 11ave, in
n11merot1s instances, proved themselYes
,vort]1 at least $1,000 an aere.
Of course tin1e, good j1.1dgment and Val11e of Or111e La11<l.
much labor are required to give land San Ber11ardino Times, J auu.ary,
this value, but tbt it can be ac- 1889:
corn plished by the thousands of '' Two yea1·s ago J. Fiewi ttson
acres is a well-settled fact-and a bought of A. J. 'rwogood, at l{iverfact
,vorth thinking about i n n1ak- side, his old home place of t,ventyiug
an estimate of the future of this sev-e11 acres for $28,000, a11d at tl1at
fa-v0red land.'' tin1e mtny tl1oug}1t it was a large
Eai·li" Fralit,. price. for t!1e place. That year he
. . . soll from fonrteen acres the ora11gfl
_ Tt,e Sa11_ F1·11c1sco Claro111cle,_ crop C>ll tl1e tr\3.es for $91 000. This
1n :01-11 C(lito1·111,l
_ lti1,le1· date of year from the same, ,vitl1 the addi.
J1111e 2, 1SS9, said: tio11 of a fe,v from fo11r acres of you11g
''It is tl1e early orchardist tbat trees, he sold the crop foT $JO,OOO
catches tl1e cream of the i:>rofits i11 cash. He 11as th11s in t,vo years
the. fruit gro,vingbnsi11ess, and tliis, tak:n1 in $19,000 t>ll bis $28,000 l)urnot
alone because -people ai-e fruit chase, at1d with 011e more year he
hungry, l>11t beca11se of the natural ,vill l1ave cleared the entire })urcbase·
feeling of rivalry and emulatio1 price a11d son1etl1ing o-ver, \\1itl1 an
among purchasers. There are a,11nual income fron1 $15,000 to
})len ty of people ,vl10 ,vo11ld really $20,000 w lien the nine acres of young
prefer to pay extravagant prices foi· trees come into bearing.
tl1e fi.rst strawberries or the first This is the result of car·e a11d vork
peael1es, sin11,ly because they are the i11 looking after the o, rchard. His
first, ratl1er than to ,vait a ,vl1ile expe11ses are abont ,'1,200 a year on
u.ntil they get chen.peT a11d better, the ,vhole twenty-seven acres, for
and this is the class for whon1 the he believes in thorough cultivation
gro,ver of e\.r]y fruit woTks. It ancl the 1,-lentiful use of fertilizers.
n:iay be a fael or a foible, but it WJ1at has bee11 done in tl1is case
serves , -useful pnrpose, ancl \Ve may Gan be duplicatetl by nearly every
lJe sure that tbf3 prod11cer of early orchard in the valley. What has
fruit does not inquire too cnriously been do11e at :Riverside can be done
into the motives ,vhich anin1ate the at l-Tigh1ands, Itedlands or Ontario.
1rnrol1aser of his pTod ucts. fJ01ne 'l'he soil is all rigbt, and witl1 }:>roper
tlay Cal ff'u1· nici 101ill have u .f'or1nl,cl- care and attent101:i other orchards
able rival in th,e- 1n·orliictio'li <!f early can make as good a yield a,s that .oi
.f1·uit i1i A1·izona. Al1·ectcly in, niau,y Mr. He"rittson.
lJlar;t;,.s in thctt T1Yrrito1·1.1 they raise 'll1e trees on. the fourteen acres of
gra7)e:s 10J1,iol1, n1atu1,e a' fu,ll rno1itli bearing orchard frorn ,v hieh tl1e
ea1·1,i:er thu1i (}ali/01•11,ia g1·apes, and above income was derived itre Sl'lfb.
lJ a1id by, 1ohe1"1, the uai'e1· proble1n seedlings, 11i11eteen years old, apd
is 3ulved tlie1·e, 'lUe 1teecl 1iot at all be ha1f-ua;vels, eight years of age, tl1e
s1ii7Jrisect to fi11,cl A1·izo1ic1t u1ticipat- 1ncome f):om the former beiog t11e
-21-
greatest) O\ving to the large size and
age of the t1·ees..
N0w the qnesti011 a,ri!:,cs,. ''¥'!1:at
is gooa 01'a11ge laud WOrtl1 ?' ,itl1-
0lit cultivatio11 it is worth notl1ing,
but witJ1 cai'e a11cl go6d. ctUtj"\T,ati©n
it is "'otrt.h more. tJl'a-11 is aisk:ed fo';!:
aa1y traet :i1J. So.u th.r Dlifor111ia. ''
Other l<'rttits.
throt1gb. winter. 'rhis aceo11nt is
£1·om cash reaei pts :
One acre straw1)exries,
3,050 bores, ti,t 12½ ets-_
Rasp)Je1·ries, 2 acres _____ Blac.kberrie"S, 2 acres ___ _
6ne'tl10-usand 0rau.ge trees
at 50 cts . ____________ 01i.,e bu1;dtea lem011 tres,
at ;:1:0 c·ts _____________ Roses, r@oted--_________ wiil k sold - -- - - - -.- - - -- - - -
Eggs aJJ.d broilers sold ___ _
$456 2@
820 00
733 50
500 00
40 00
22 QO
P5 ob
46 00
-- --
But, says the rea,1er yot1r evidence
is all about 'ti1e 01•a11ge ; now wh-a't -of
other :f:ru its? J will let a GQ·rresp-c511dent
bf tl1e, Alhaiinbr.l6,. publ1slied in
tl1e little to,vn or that -n9,111e, seve11
mi)es East. of Los An.gel@$, Cal., tell Net -------- - - - - - --- $'2, 712 75
lu,s exp.e1,ieuce. He .said 11:1 A11g·ust, My 11et income was $2,'712. 75. I
1££: had 11elp part of tlie tim during the
'' 1\1:y tn acres were a delight to picking aeas.on, which I paid with
all ,vlfo' sa,v thetn, so beaut:iful was l5ereie$ 11ot i.1telt1de<tlit1 t.ne a,li>Qv<e. Of
tl:ie gro,vth bf tree$ n-u1·se1·y, berxie.s, oJqrs:e I dd not co11mt my o,vn laboi:,
vi11e ioses itn<:l sl'irul:is:. ,Ve ,vere nor that af. my go.od ,v-ife anrl two
very pr11cl of 011r -plaee a:nd enjoyed boys, nQT of Bab:y Rose. W all
it for its bea11ty s ,velJ as·. !qr th..e, worked-worked 11,1rd-b1;tt not to
profit. tbe detriment of our strength:. Not
From the b6lrries we used all we 0, lio,k was strll@li ·exce11>t to e0uut.
wan I ed fot 0.11r fa:n1iJy })utting tlp; Oi1r plans we,re mature:1:l an.tl faith
1nak:i11g ja111s and j.ae11is to la$t ft1lly w0· rlted ont."
'l 'he :r0regoing extracts }1<'!,ve beei:1,, general stwte1ne11ts, th.erefou-e, for the
benefit 0f th0se liki11g de:tails, the :foll0wing on small farnting in L0s
ArtgttJes Co1:1nty iis introduo.ed tg slio,v "'hat may be dor1e o.n b.igh-prjced
Jiind by otber thar1 orange gro1'1ing. 'l'he article is given in full just as
it appeared in the T-irne.s 011 Dec.e1nber 6,. 18B8. T11e reader should bear
in 111ind tl1at w1J:atever tl1ey !ia11 dQ in L0s Ang·eJ.es or i1:1 any otl1:eT c@nnty
in California, ,ve ca11 do rig.ht l1ere in Yn·ma County a little better,
Because of our abnndanc(:) of wat,et, rich land and, eaTlier season.s.
S1'1ALL FARlJING.
Esti1na1cs of ,vi,at Ca11 Be Do11e in Los A11gcles Cou11t3·.
'' Los J\.NG'EL:11;s, Deceml>er 2Gtl1. modestlv, a,s follows: a 11ouse of four
< < To the Editor of" the 1'inies: roon1s1 oach tlVl'lve feet sq11re, ;S-350;
'' 'l'l1e single' glaring 11niverstil bar11 for t\vo horses, ,vagon and reed.
eomplai11t that is 1nade of this Soi1th- $75 ; chicken houses and ya,rcls, $'?5 ;
ern Calif0rnia, and 1sed especially as corra]s for co,v a:nd hogs, 25 ; ,vel I,
capital stock for 1>eopli11g the middle -·25. -'500 ,yi}l stock and seed the
and npper portions of this Ooast, is place, tl1us: One spa11 of horses,
tJ1at this is no conn.try f0r ll1e poor $200; Olle wago11, $100; bar11esR,
man OT 111an of small rueans. The $25 ; cow, $50 ; eight do:.1en hens,
fact i& geueraJly conceded that the $60 ; t\\'O sbo1its, $10; seed Irisl1 1,ocon11try
has 11nrivaled attr1ctions for ta.toes- for fo11r acres, 4,000 pounds,
tl1e ,vealt11y. $40 i. seed co. r11, S\veet potatoes, plants
I wish to state a, fe,v })lain; potent for oue acre, pumpki11 seed, ·vegetafacts-
facts easily veTjtieGl by a11y one ble seed, et. o., $15. $2>fO will feed a
-to sl1ow ·that this is emphatically a family of four 1,etsons one year, a,s
good couDtry for tl1e small far1ner, be- follows: 1 ,200 pounds of flo1.1r, tao ;
c1rse he c.an enjoy all tbe delights of 1,000 poμnds of meiit, $120; 24
tl)is climate as well as the .rich, all.d pounds of co:fi;ee, $12; 24 pounds of
at tbe sa1i1e tin1e aecum1.11ate more tea, $12; 240 })OUnds of sugar, $2-! :
,vea,ltl1 i11 te11 yeaTs than in a 1ifetin1e dried fruit, spjces, baki11g })O"IYder,
of unre1nittil:ig t0jl in any cou11try soap, etc., $27; 1'eg.etab1es, six:
.of lon.g win.ters and its acc0mpanying months, $25 ; $120 \vill feed team,
11eeds. 'l'he various prices of laocl are chickens and J)igs six: months. .1\.s
rehear&etl else-where in tl1is papex, al]owance l1as 110w be.en. 1nade for
so I i\1il1 confb1e my cal cu latio11s to feeding nJan aucl team, no cost should
011e price ancl class of la11d, ,v l1icl1 will he esti 1nated for pl ovin g t11 e la11d
jl]nstrte all of its class. · an.cl cultivati1r the trees H,11d crOJJS.
Let me giY a11 illust1·atiou: 'I'ake $285 ,ill set t11e ,vl1ole 20 ac1·es ont
land at i150 per acre; 20 ac..res wot1ld to trees in orcl1arcl form in this 1vay:
C0!lt $3,000, to be paid for i11 fo11r A mixed lot of lngljsl1 iY,tlnnts, apequa1
a1mual pay1nents at 7 per cent. ples, peaches, J)ears, figs a11d pTt1nes
i11terest. First payn1ent, $1750 casl1; will cost $225; planting the trees,
seco11d 1:iay1T1en t, $750, interest t,veu ty-four fe.et a.pl't1·t, '75 trees to t11e
$157.50-$V07.50 at tl1e e11d of acre, n1al-:ing 1,500 trees, $60 "'ill set
tl1e sec0nd yeal'; third payment, then1 01.1t, at 4 cents apiece.
$750, interest $105-855 :it t]1e end v\Te ha,ve now reachecl the tota,l exo:f
tl1e first year; iourtl1 payn1e11t, r>ense of the ,vhole year ,vith t,vo ex$
750, interest /!552.50-$802.50 at ce1)tions, wl1ich ,voulcl be covered by
the entl of tho third year. vVhete u11estimated produce of the plaice ;,fneed
ap]Jears the payn1ents 1ni.gl1t be tel' that time. After 11lving n1ade
exteJ1cled ove1· a .space of five years, new estimates that, in Lbe cases of
enabli11g a n1u,n to make from the many poor mor1., \\'ill ex:eeed the
1ancl itself ftll but the fi1,st payrnent amo11J1t an.nnally s11cnt by one-htlf,
and cost of starting, as ,rill be seen ,ve reac11 a total of $2,405.
by tho foJ10\\ri.11g estitnates: $500 ,11i11 We ,vill 110,v figure the product of
mal{e all tl1e llecess,iry in11:)J·ove1ne11ts the land for one year. J?our acres
for it man ,vho is ,villing to s.tart; of 11otatoes "'ill )'ieJd ',5 sacks to a.11
-23-
a:cr (th.is amount is often d.011bled)
w h icl1 ,vo11ld give 300 sacks, "'ortli
$300. (}11e aci·e sweet potatos, 75
sacks, $150. Five acrs of th.e land
devotcl to corn, pumpkjns, 11ege-table
, t,:tC ., -,ve ,vill store foi' tis-e the
Jast '5ix n1011th§. of tl1e year (;tnd tl1e
nex.t season. Ten a9-res of p-aTley or
ooru will l.>1:ing from $10 to $2.5 pe1'
a,cre., say $1©0. We will allow uhe
co,v nerthing for fa,n1.i.ly 1;\se, al th:011gl1
butter is 4Q ce.uts 1el' 1'!Qt111d, 01;1:t
lfr-o:m the l1ens \Ve i\1ill se1l 200 b,;1oilers
for $'100. We ,vill sell an av:erage
of 25 eggs eael1 day,. at '35 cents
pet dozen, !2G3.20. 'rotal product
@f th:e place, fir: st y.@.ar, $914. 20. '.J.'he.
secorid l)ftjrmnt, du at t.his time, is
a little in.ote tl1·an met. ' . - .
'rJ1es.,e fl.gqres, a,11y eeo11omical
farmr ,vill see, are Iibe1,a,l jn several
,vays ;. besjdes -a good sized fa1nily is
fed "'l1i1e the labor of one ma1J. is a1-
lo:wecl for ; wHile rnany items like
onion}l, <rablraige·s; t0mat0es. pt1rnp-
1-:ins- , etc., acre nQt @' stinr:tte.cl at all,
nor a11Jtbim:g fr th_ e l1:0gs, fr, o,rn
,vl1i0h $200 9r S300 a111111a;lly ca.n 'be
realiz;ecl at very little expens·e.
The second yea,, the feea and vget
bh.'s,tlatrjecl over, toget}1er ,v·itl1 tl1e
additlo.nal ·p1:od 11e,ti:ve11ess of the po11lt1
·J and l1ogs, and a small crf.tp of
peacl1es, -will mee,t the second year's
e4 pe:nses and r>ay the ne:xt 1;n:vyn1ent
of $8:55 easiiy.
But 110,v, when fi11ally tlie t11ird
yea.T ·s harvest is reach eel, the favb1er's
joy blossorns out into a 1l!iee. little.
b.a11lr; aeccl'URt tl;at- will grp,v rapidly
ft-om tl1is tin1e. as the y·ears- fsO oti.
Apples th.is year will produce fi;om
100 to ()0 pounds to the tree;
peacl1es from 150 t'o 300 p·o1111ds,
wortl1 fton1 $1. 00 to $2. 00 1:>e.r 100
pounds ; ,,,itlnts rund peltrs will come
i11 -well on the fourth anc;!, fiftl1 yea.r.s.
But uow, at, tl\e en<il oi the t,hird
year, "'e l1ave the last payment of
-$802.50, macla as before, and a11 additional
amo111'l.t at ·t]ae mil1imurn estin1ate
from 10 acre.s i n 8.J,Jp}es ancl
peacltes of $75-0. .At four yaars Jd,
peaehes i;n·o<;luce as },,j,gh as $300 per
ac1·e, an:d a1:>.ples nearly as we11.
If af!y one is skeptical regardi11g
the foTegoing :figuTes, I will gi re hiii1
n.a,1mes @f r;ep1:esentative, re.liable
farmers 1iere wl10 axe d0i11cg these
very t}ings, a11d much bette:r, ,vi tl1,
1\'l1om lie cn correspond.
,Vere tbe1·e time-and space, I ,vonld
like to tl.emon-striite t}1e capa'city of
many localities for profitable farming
with g:ra,i;i1 an cl stotμ'-, and shov -w l1at
is 'being done. B. i1. 'l'owN
44 N0 . S p ri11g St.''
LClltOJlS fO'l' PJ•4)fit.
Tht1s fa,1· n·(§thiug 11.ts, bee11 sai'd for
tJ1e lemon, a,ntl Oalifortrians do 110-t;
sa:y nrul1,f0r1t 1'iecause..0f tl1eir grea,t
di,fioulty (climatic) i11 prodt1ci11g
ti,nd e,urjng m:e:rchantablefrtLit. Their
fi.11est fr1:1tt 1:ias to g0 thro11gh a cur-
111g 1'.)rocSs t11at takes fron1 'I(i)11T to
six ,veeks, with enules.s ea1·e. Then,
again1 th;ey ea11n0t gro,v a. Sicily
lem.:p;n that i's at a,11 compaTa.ble. ,vith
t:he i.mp.ortd aTticle ; therefore th.e
sa, les are du11 and, eompared witp.
oral'1ges, discouragi11g. The loi1g, dry
-seasorn.s of Yitn1a County work a
n1a-rve:t01xs cl1wnge i11 the len1on as
dbmpai·ea. wi'th California. The fruit
is flue in si:oe, c.0lo,r a:nd fltVOT, and
the skiJ1 c'on1.i:>arable to a fine fitting
ki.cl gf.QVe 11pon. tbe h,and of the
,yea1'er. It oa;n be plu,cked from tJ1e
trees like tb:e orange an.d packa d.i
reetly i11to boxes, for sb.ipmen.t ai1d
,vill,arrive at its Gl.estinittion, l;ie jt far
pt JJea:x, in splendid condition. It
will kep for months ,vitl1 n o perceptible
Joss of j-uice, a,ncl wi'tl1out
absorption by the n'l.1it 01 tbe bitter
lerro11 oil of tl1e rind) to prevent
,vl1i0J1 early pi0kiug, swee'tel1ii1g ai1d
011ring a.Te 1,1ecs&try in other 1,laces.
The ,vri te1: sa ,v a tree in the gatc1en of
John G-01\d oJf 0, Esq., Y 11 n1ai, last Deccm
ber, ,vitJ1 t,v:o li;trge lin1bs broke11
to the.ground witb its ,veigl1'b of fruit.
IJat'e-r ,ve leatriecl that ){r. Go11,d0]f0
bad soltl a portion of tl1e cro11 for
$25, a11d1 estimated \vhat, his family
•
•
-24-
hail tLscd n.nd those OH the tree at $15
1nore, i:nal,ing for this one tree a value
of $4-0. 'l'he tree hr.d lJee11 }Jlauted
where jt stood only four years and
,vas l)robably t,vo )rears old, possibly
three,. "'hen l)la11ted. 'l'a,kh1g an
acre of snch trees-100 .o.f then1 to
the aore-a,nd wlvJ.t would be the
gross incon1e? Fo11,1· tlio1tsancl clollars
taki11g the n1a;ximun1, or $2,500
only counting tl1e actual a.sh sales
,v hen re1:>01·ted. I repeat ,v1th 1.11 the
foTce of t:ruth that s11cJ1 a resltlt 1n-a1y
be atta.inecl ,vith the len1on in Yuma
COl1nty. B.ut to do tl1is jt wjll ta.ke
energy guicle<l by practical com111011
sense. :0-fr. <+011dolfo sa.ys he wonld
l'aher J1ave five acr-es of len1ous-tha11
te11 of ortinges, for p1:ofi t. He speaks
from experie11ce. IJimes grow and
bear ec1nally ,vell in Yum, and will
J>ay eq nally ,vell.
WH,ys scos the l31ack Harnburg anc1
Oolden Clia.sselas, clel iciotisl.,- ripe,
loading tl1e vines. '1.'hese are s1tcceeded
by 'l'okn,y, 11,osc of l)ert1,
Purple Emperor, J3lacl" )Io·occo,
Fil1r?1ali gos a1J d )I u sca,te-l.s0 all the
choicest of tri.l.lle or raisin gra1)es.
They come at a season ,yl1e11 we
haYe the ,vhole Unite.cl 8tates for a
market. Can a11y one donbl the
prtce they will lJr·iug cltiring .June
A,Jld July, before there is any active
CO'rnl)ctition? Ten cents 11et to
the gro\ver is a reasona,ble estirnate.
'11hrceto11s to tl1e acre in the fot1rth
year is the estimate l)nt 11pon tl1e
yield by l)ractical (Jalifornia gro,vers.
1'11at 1neans jl1st -Yi.c /11 ndrerl
clullars ati ac'l·e. In tl1e light of
stu.,}1 facts as t11ese, ivl1at \Vilt land
,vith perpetual "'ateT be "'Orth.?
W i11 one thousa11d dollars a11 acre
l;,ig!i fc>r flie ltlillioiis. be exti•avaga.nt? Let us see "'bat snc]1 property is w@rth iu ('alifor11ia.
In_ a I itlilral se11-se figs n1ay be J11 the "'intei- of 1888 a jyir. Buclr,
r,tised here for the n1illions of oue o .f tlie greatest fruit gro'tveTs in
1)eople in the United States . No- Califo1'nia., uongbt 150 acTes of bearwhere
have \Ve ever see11 them st11·- ing apricot a11cl l)eacli orcli ,ircl in
passec1. Afour-year-oldtree i11D r.J. \Taca ,ralle-, pa ,ying therefor $90,J:
l. 'l'a,ggart's garden, in Yu ma, ,vas 000, or ;j11st $GOO a11 acre, an cl he
1neasured bv the ,vriter in Decen1- va,luecl it at $1 ,000. I-Jere is a tclober,
1888, a11d it hacl a spreacl of gram cnt fron1 the San Francisco
top 24 feet in diameteT. It ,va.s of Oh1-01iiole of .Tune 25th that
tlte large }1UJ'})le variety, an<l J1ad records the sale of orange ]and at
J.nfttured_ i s ti1i-d cro . tl}at -ea?n·_ l'otuOl)a, Ol-,. at over_ $1, ioo a,n
A yon11ge1 '' bite d11a1c_gr,, 1ng acre. We give Jts headlines a11d all
nea,r ,vas lo,tcled ,v1th :fruit in all to sho,v- the l'(a1ler ho,v it looled i 11
stages of _gro'rvth, Jrom the set _to t}ie columns of the Olt1·oi?'icle:
the d>1d-rt1)e. It bad bornesitead1ly
all tl1e seson._ Fig sl1i11r>ec l to ''JIIGH PRICE FOR OR:\.XGE
Sart .Francisco 1r1 AJ. >ril, 1889, solcl I AND for one tlollar _7Jer JJ011,tJ1.,(l. Tl1e r •
grower can sa,fely count 011 realizing "It _Is Bougl11. at o,,cr 'l',,•clvc
ten c1:n1 ts a 1101111d net for c1.ll tl1e H11ud·red J)olla.1·s a.n A<·re.''
e..ir])· figs he can put i11 tile market. l'ol\roA. June 2Jt11 . 'I'1vo J1u ndred n,nd fifty dollars to "To-cla.,y the sale. of; fi.ttj,.f1ve a.cl'es of
five hnndreil dollars per a,cre wo11ld u11ilDpt·o,•ed lnt1d in Potnona Valley
11ot be :i.n overcstin1,ate after the \vJs n1a..de to \\:,. illia,n, J. Flore11ce, tile
trees arc fonr vears old. cotnediiin, l'or $68,000. :i\1r. Flore11ce
. J1as abou1 ;:-;20,000 1nore in,·esteLl in this
Gr.,1,cs, 1t.tisi11s, '\Vi11c. loc.1.lit.V, al'Hl ht\S 11,a.ue la11g-e p1·oflts on
All tl · t · f 1 his in\restn,ent; i 1Yo )'"CrLt'S ag·o. His · 1e varie ies o· gi·apes rnowll n,gent has been 1nnking ove1·tures for Lo 1nn.11 cau. b succei:;sJ'.ully grO\Vll in the ne,,· plu·cllase fo,· o,·e1· six 111onths.
t]1is cl i n1a,te. 'J' lie first of J n 11e al- 'l'he land ,,·ill be clered U1is !iason and
-¼5-
:,va:ter w!ll b_l!ip ecl to th_e 1JrolJ.:·ty. It HeTe, in .t\ri00na, ,vi:)are just begiu-
1s the inten.ton tQ plant fi·ut trees n:i11e- t0 reali-ze tJ1at emero·y will bui]d
tberenextsprino·." 0 . o •.. -? up a decayed em.1:>li;e, egual 1D wealtl1
En0ugh bas been sai,d lo set any aud influence to that of OltT ne ·igh.reasonable
ma11 't('.l tllinlting. TO' bo1: on t11e west. Vol11ri'1es 111i·g.hi
the d,ve1lers 011 the, Pa.cifio Coast be wl'itte11 and not ex,h,a11st t]1e s1'lbtl1i;f
fcts -set foTth will all < ;ppear jeci, bts1t it is not our object t@ tire,
like t1e faces £ .old ft.ie,ncls,, so bu si.mi:>ly t(;) simulate 11Yv.estigtifai11iliar
are th.ey ,:vitl1 them. Tltey -tion ,vh.jQh "rill lead to }Jractica1 .r eha:v
e l>ee11 d11plicate(l iu almos ,t :ults; tl1erefoi:e ,ve pas$ to other
every to,v-11 a11cl bap1let in the ;State. 1natter.
IRRIGATION lJIA'l'TEltS.
'I'l1 'e Olde.!lit ys-te111 of Irrigatio11
K110°',,-11 to 1'Ia-. •.
Irtigati0J1 11ais bee11 intimately, CQ.r1--
11ected wi tl1 tlie h.iptOJ'Y of a,gric1,1lt-ure
fron1 th.e earliest hjst,9ry of tbe
h11man race. Egypt, 111dia, Morocco,
Spain) Itaily and FriW1ce all
i11rnish evidettc of th.i's fa,ct. Ameritl'a
is not many eeni:1 .1. riei in the ba0;k..
gr0.tinc1, if 11ot cqe,g1,1l ,vith the rept1ted
lan ,cl whe.re erigi11atea ©J1r
rae.e. Rig.ht here, in ,A.rizon,a. are the
ren1ains of a systen1 of ca1J aJ s-and
reservoirs that it will take: years ancl
mil1ion.s of dollars to dl1plitui.te 1vitl1
all the facilities 0f il'ie 11 ihete@'Ut}1
ce11,tury. 'I'he Sa;lt River a11d tl:ie
Gila va,lleys have :remains of canals,
th,e waters- from ,vl1ioh fructifiecl a11ct
made fextile their valley lands and
adjoinin .g plai11s; a11(l th r11ins o-f
nun1e-rotls c-jtjes g'iv evi'den@e of a
})Opl1lation as. aeAse as that 0f :Et1-
l'Q})e 0r Asia. Wh0 tli,ese anGie11t
1>eople we1·e tl\,.e1·e is nei tbel' re00r'1
(0tl1er tl1a11 t11'e ruins of cjties a,nd
canals) nor traditio11, nor do we
k110,v by what calan1it:v tl1ey we1,e
S'IVe.ptof i:be ffuce of tlie eal'th. • So11tb
Arr1eTica, ,v }-.En1 first ta'k0 ei1 pos&essi
on of by t1'1Ji'Ina.'S, l1ad the l.;mains
of public worki, sqcl1 as will never
be a.gai11 d111)licated. 'l'h.at those
ncient people -practic€rc1 irrigatio11
1s pate11t from tl1e fact that the,re js
110 rain fall west of tl1e. Andes, and
everything grow11 tlJ,er ·tq-dii_;y is by
irrigation. The 1:leople of th,e Western
States ancl the Terri.to1•ies :i,re but
reh.ab,li tat1ug tn,at which ha:<I fallen·
int0 deca,y 111a11y th0T1saud years a.g0
-so fr as .t-\.rizo11a is: eonoeTnd.
Tl1ttt t11ey will rnale a suc,cess of it
-malte ft pl\y-t}Yere ilil 110 £1ou bt.
'rhey l1ave al1ieady done that ,vitl1
their inf1J,ntile li>egi11niu.gs .
It \yi]l be i.ntetesting her(t to note
w faat the Ga'vr11-mel'lt .of India, hag,
cl.oJJe up t ,o lB',3. It hd spent up, to
th,a.t tjme $175,000,000 in i1·rigation
,v0rks ,vl1ere commo11 labor only
costs 12½ cents :per day. 'l 1be net
r·e:Veb ue on tl1is vast sl-ini l1a.d. bee1).
eig11t per ce1it. per a11H.11n1. !ts
grea,tes.t ct11al, th Gange.s, wl11e.h
Qost ,855,QOO,OOO., :is 170 fe,et wije a11cl.
carries 10 feet cleptl1 of ,vater a1,,d
ser¥es 1,000.000 a.cl'es. The mean
ann ua;1 ren'\.l was the11 Sl.,;Zl peiacre;
sugar ca11,e paying 82.20 aa1d
,vheat 60 Qe:nts p<t1-' acre.
The :O:Ioors i11trod1,lced tl1eir snperb
systen1 of irrigatio11 into S1')a.in, and
duri11g their occu1Jancy tf>f the eountry
developed its agriecult1.1re to the
l1ighest possible degree. $j11c.e their
e.xJ)ll.lsi.01i, many of tbei1· 1vo3·ls hav:e
:fa11eJ.1 i11t0 decay, but enoug4 r.emains
to ma)e tl1e country ricli in
those clen1e11ts that go to su111)ort
11un1an life. \\Tater t}1ere 1s valued
,vith ]and a$ .five to @nd. Irrigated
-26-
lands sell for fron1 $ 00 to $900 J)er
acre, and dry la11d for $80. 'l'he
rental of ,Yater its m i1ch higl1er in
, 'pain tha11 India, O\vi1.:1g to its sca,rcit•\
'. In 18ul eleven, thonsanrl ttollars
,va paid for tlie nse oi one cubic
foot, or 50 mi11ers' inches, for the
season. 'fhe governn1e11t then regulated
the })rice by lu,, v, fixing $1,875
J>er cubic foot as the n1a'*itnttm.
'.rJ1e t1 nty that ,viter is macle to c1o
is regulated by tl1e- 11ature of t11e
soil, ,iud its abundance and scarcity.
In Inc1ia. one ct1bio foot J>er se-cond
serves 300 acres; in ,. aler1cia, and
G1e11acla, .Spain, 240 acres; in Elel1e1
81)ain, 1,000 acres, 1''ater bei11g very
scarce. In Arizona from 200 to 500
acres, accordin.g to the sttpply. On
this s11bject the Bosto11 'I'rrt?isc:?"1;zJt
says:
'' Irrigation, is tl1e @lclest system
oJ: f1tgriculture lrrto,vn. It ,1as 111:idersto<i>
d in th.e infi.u1t days of the
race, on tl10 l)laius of I>ersicii, Bab, ylon
and Assvria, ,v l1ere it is i11 prctice
no,T. A"dan1, ·probably, after being
driven Ottt of Eden an:.d cot:npellecl
to earn his living by the
s,vat of l1is bro"', must ha,)e learned
to raise crops by irrigation;, 011 the
b1:esopotamin,. 1'he richest ancl most
1,rod 11cti ve tegio11s on the etrth l1ave
been ct1lti vated in this n1au11er for
tbousa11ds @-f years. Tl1e valleJ of
tl1e Nil¢, the greate1' portion of India,.,
the green plai11s o:f Lon1bardy,
the beautiful :fielcls of Castile, bi:Lve
a,l,va.ys clepellded 011 irrigation for
crops.
(( 'll1011gh subject to sueh a systern
for thoi1sands of yen,Ts, tl1e_y ba'e tod1iy
the n1ost productive spots on
the eartl1 and sn pport a dcn.se uopnlation-
in India 200 to GOO souls to
the square n1ilc.· in I.>iedrno11t, Italy,
270; and 399 persons for Loh11),\r<ly.
Irrigated pol'tions ol' Spai11 bave
}Jopulations fron1 200 to .J.00 souls
to the sq tltre rnile. Egypt1
'' the
gra11ar.v of the \vorld," has ,L population
of 484 t;o tl10 square n1ile. In
the luited States irrigation is
prcticed i11 Southern California.
"e,v 1Iexico, 1\.rizona, OoloTad o ancl
Utah.
0 ne cubic toot l)er second ,vill flood
300 acres of loarny soil, bnt by cai·efnl
economy, distributio11 of pipes,
1,200 to 1,500 acres arc cultivated
by one cubic foot per secoud. l':3eventee11
tl1ousaJ1d acres of land in Los
A1igeles County are irrigated by thi$
means. The judjciot1s application
of ,vater l,1.as made Los A11gcles the
garden of Oalifornia. 'fh.e imn1ense
valleys of tl1e Gila,, Salt R.iveT, San
Pedro, St1lph11r Spri11g n,n.d Sa.n
Sin1011, 0£ Arizona, 11ave an au11ndant
sn pply 9i ,va.tel' foJ· irrjgation.
'rhese ,·alleys. clrain a v;ist exte11t of
country, ancl the ,va.ters ,vhich_ .flo\V
thro11gh tl1em h,Lve their source in
t,be lofty :mo11ntains thonsand; of
feet above, and c0ntai11 i11e:xl1aust-ible
qua).itities of ,vater.
Oongres,s could nevei- put. a s1ual]
l)Ortion oi tl1e st1rpl11spu blic money to
better use tha11 to f nrr1isb flowing
water for these dry l)lail)s a11d valleys,
'l'J1e benefits to stock raising
a11d fa.rmir1g industries ,1,ou}cl be incalc
·ulable, as the area of gricnlttu
·al and grazitlg la11d ,vo11ld be ii1-
creased a thousand fold.s. Congress
or ca1)it,tlists ha,ve only to observe
,vhat has been done i11 Califor11ia
,vitl1 a lin1itecl water su1)ply, aud
there are ·valleys in Arizona superior
to any in the Golden State.''
'\VJ1,t tl1e Cl1icag<• Eco11<>1ni!lt.
a1·s.
lTn<1e,i- d}ite o:E l\fay 11, 1889, the
able jo11rnal the C'11icago Econu1nist
StLi d :
'' '1'}1e at-ticle on is.i:igation in this
iss11e is quite 1''0rtlly o.f careful peric1-
sal, 11ot only ori. ac.count 0.f its relatio11
to :?.gricnltnre and the do'V@lopment
of the co1-1ntry, but from tl1e
st;:l;ud point of persons seelring nc\V
opportunities for investment. It is
,vritteit by a n1a11 thoro11gbly co11-
versant. ,vith tl1e subject, a,nd bril,gs
out clearly poi11ts of vl1ich 1na11y
people ba, ve }:Jut a,1 i111€e.finite know1- t.b.an a single it1te:rest, a few neigh.edge.
'l'he jn1p1Drtance of this i nte11- b@rs j@i1lled i:u ta]ci=n.g out tl1e main
est is not g(',)11e:rally appreciated. ditcb? and all of them sl1a;r-ed in tl1e
{1reat areas of l,tnd w11ich otl1erwise expexience gained and in the pronts
would 11ever have·been of an.y 11.se to aecrrt'ing. Farmers do 11ot, as art1le,
man, ha:,e been macla prod11cti"Ve. have laa·ge s'ums of surpl11s casJ1 i11
Irrigatea lands even have an adv.i,n- h1tn<:l; and .still larger u:i;clertakiJ:1gs
tage ov'e;r thpse ,vat\ilted by nature-, th.a11 tlrose i·{}ferred to, ,vhere the
in, the £a.et tl1at tke q11antit.y i - ,\rater supply to e c9.nt,rolled was
n1q:islinre, C1;111 be 1,eglf}atd accaTding ,too large ior tli'E:lin bandlin,g alon(},
to tl1' e needs of ul1e crop. 'l'be sue- secured tl1e co-operation of the mercel£,
tht 11a:s attend'ed iri'igat'ion will clia;11ts· ancl moti:ey@d meii of the lo
i11etn.bly sittnnlate ente1::i!l·i,se. lb. ?ality, t1niting t]U,e, reso:11rees of capthat
line hTeafter, and m.ll1.1,011s of rta1 and labor t0 th\l eomm@n ad-acrea
of la11d he.vetofai:e counted @u,t :vatage,
in tl1e efetirn,ates of this eot1ntry's The11 0ame the next natural step.
wealt11 will. i11 futur yea.11s, l1el;p to E11terI!l'ies ,vbicl1 w.ould rclim
s,v.ell the grand tota:1." and make productive a iew hundred
01· a few th·ousa11d ac1,es l1a;d t@ hie
IRRlGA'l'ION. i1ndei-takei1 by partne1·sl1ips. ol' by
eorpDIrations ,vhich wo11ld domma: pd
An, ln:te1·estin.g A1't'iele by an, E« ; pe;i·t, &snywllere from $5.000 tQ $00., 000
Sllo1£'i1ig its }!dva1biages, the Method,s eapjtal, a1ld thes in _turn demop-
0.f 01,e1·ation, «1iu theRsults in, s orne strated the p ,raeticabi1ity of su9h
'J'e,st Oases-The Fina1i'Gial Ele,1nie1i'ts l k d f 1, 1. oj the J1ict,nsfxl'y-E1·o.fi,ts 01 i,Cfapitei l In- unc e1:ta. in.gs., an· the , act t;i;at suou.
ve$t-etl-4 Glea1· Ew:pl a,na -ti 0 1i Q.f .a i11.vest .mecnts aire nroi'e tl1a.n oa:dina&
1t7,;iect Jnfpe·rjegtly Unde1,stooa i1i rily' ptofitable.
this Fa1·t o/ the Gou1itry. The industry has pas.s.ed all these
Bclito1· of the Eeo10?1ri.s.t: sevei,al sti:l.ge$, and ow l1as come to
In view ,of the gx0wi,ug in,text tb.e utilization of tl1e larg:e,r stream.s.,
in irrigati<:>n, some d·ata may be the reclaiJUing of th.e la).'ger tracts
timely which ,vill give «a,n idea of of lnd. It }1as developed tl1at the
the en terp1·ise at va1·ious stages, l1jgl1 OT mesa la11cls, ,vhen watered,,
which ba;ve det101:1strate<l an€!. are. are moi·e desirable than s:tlG}l J"ivet
den1on,stl·_atiI1.g :the aclv: a11taes 1o be bott:<>m. s ,a. s n1ecl n ii'rigatioJ1. The
d'er1ved from a wter sti,pply, a1;:1d uplands .©T R1verstde a.nd ot11er Calthe
re1na..rkab:le i,oti,ts ,vhiol1 a.re ifornia coloRies a:re planted to fi,ne
being. realized from 1511ch invest- fruits, ,vhieh: yield m.ore than. ·$100
me11ts. A brief review of the s11c- an ac,re aU11ual. ly; the wet bottom
cessiv s·teJ>s· by wh'i.Qh tlae present lt1nds are })lan"ted to gr'ain a11d liay,
gr.o,vth of the irl'igatin.g i1'idustry bas- ,vl1icl1 ,vill yield from $25 to $50 an
bee,1 attaiped will enab]e a bettex acre. Ftuits ·grown on suc.h '.ho1iftom
n,nder.st1Jdi1Jg o'f tlie lat. er ph.ases lands are '11ot as go0cl for the tab19-
o1 tli;e su b:ject. The trees prpdt1ce nrore ,vo<:><l, but
Tbe, single farmr beg11 by usi:ng less and poqrer fr.uit.
the water from a little rivulet t1 pon '.Co get the wg,te.r on these h1gh
bis farm, and proved the silceess lands requi1·es exp·e11sive dams, large
of irrigating. to that exten t-l:i.e and long canals, ofte11 t.<:> be cut
get taste of the additional pro'f- througl1 the roc.k, tt11111eliug to save
its ,vhieh Tesult fTon1 havjng pei·- !iis·tanee or to suTmo1,1nt s0me obstaieot
controJ or tJ1e water s11pply c1e in the way; it req1.1ires engineerto
the growing e1:ops. When it be- ing slril] ot a hig}1 oraer and large
can1e 11ecessary to conrbi11e moTe s11.ms of money. Such ente1'pTises
-28-
are out of the reac]1 of local ca1)ital.
'l\hey arc like the, railroads. a
class of se1ni-1)nblic '\Vorks, for the
p1.1blic bc11efit. 'l'hey have been
fon111 to yield large i:n·ofl.ts to the
ii1 ,esto rs i 11 th en1.
Jxperience Jlroves that there is
de1nand for irrigated lands) wluch
keeps pace ,vith the captcity of the
undertakings to reclaim then1) and
that den:uvncl is becoming more ancl
rnore p1·011 ou 11ced.
A far1ner who ,vill scratel1 a11d
grub all his life to get a n1er& living
fron1 a Jrnndred and sixty aere farrn
,vill acquire a con1petency fro111
t,ven ty acres i n a very fe1v years
,v hel'e he has control of tlie water
Sll})ply. lie need not ,vork l1alf so
l1ard a1d may en.joy some of the
lt1xuries and comforts oi lile as h.e
g·oes a,long. Or, stated in wnother
"',tY, one l1i1ndred nncl sixty acres of
irrigate.d Janel ,vill yield a competency
for eigJit families) enjoying
tl1e co1nfo1·ts of life) "'hile one family
clJ)ending o n the r:,iinfalJ ean
ba,rely get an existence from t11P
samc area.
Not 0nly are the larger streams
being utilized, but very larg s11ms
of mo11ey ha Ye been ex1:J.en.cled ,vl1ere
only tl1e surplus ,vater of the i-ainy
season cot1ld be stored and some of
these are yicldiug large ret11r1ts.
'l'hese . several classes of sirnila1·
entorprises ha,re va1·jed as muc1'l in
tl1eir n1ethods of rot11a.gome11t a.s
tl1ey l1ave in tl1eir forms of: organization.
1'bey ha.ve not been regulated
by est,iblished lJrinciples, but
have represontcd the 01rinio1s, judgn1e11t,
skill an<l experience (or Jack
of it) of ech individnal originator,
1Jron1ot(}.l' 01· mitnager.
EFFlCT ON TJ-lh; V.A.LUE OG' LAND.
-'1\dting the field as .t ,vl1ole, tl10
n.rid regio11 of the lT11itod. , 'tates,
vhicl1 covers two-fifths of its entire
arefL-a11d the grot1nd coverecl is
but ,L n1ere tri fie ot the ,vhole; yet
it is sa,fe to s,ty that, ot' a.ll the ltnd
tl1at can be n1adc useful by the
fto,ving "'ater oc the 1,nnaller natllral
streams, 1Jnt little is nn,v t111occupied.
1rhe length of n1ai11 ca11a1s
in oach of t11e l)acific States and
Colorado, antl ir1 the sPveral territories,
amounts to tliousa,nt1s of miles
in each, rl1ile the later,ils ancl distribntiug
ditch.es are already 1neasured
by tens, probably by hundreds)
of tlxonsancls of 111iles.
It ls also demonstrated, beyoncl
pos$ible q11estio11, that, irbei·ever
fio,ving "'ater ca,n he cartied and
distributed over considerable bodies
of land, the expenditure \Yill be justified,
even to the ex.te11t of $15 to
$20 per acre. In fact, scores 0f e11-
terprises in California a11d Ut:al1
have prove1t that e.x pensive reservoirs
may be bnilt; that n1eager supplies
of ,vater, accum. nlatecl tluri11g
tl1a rainy season, every drop sa.ved
by cen1e11tin.g the ditch botton1s 01·
t1sjng jr0n a,nd cen1ent f>ipes. hotl1
for t]1e ·acc11ru Lllation a11cl distri l>ution
of th.e pi-ecjo11s watei- ; that exa
pe11sive concl11its, tun11els. tin1ber
flumes and n1ammoth strnctures of
n1asonry, are .justified frotn the financial
point o.f view. In t11ese latter
eases $100 an acre expendeQ ,vill
retutu .a high rate of interest;
while many undertakings, as I will
sl10,v further 011. J1a,·e ,Yarrante.1 a11 '
investme11t of t,vice that an1ount
,v hen n1eas11red as .,ill sucl1 u oclertakings
ur: nst be finally measured: by
tl1eir earn i11g capacity in the way of
divit1ends or profits to tl1e investor.
'l'he relative va,lue oJ water and
land is stated. by one ,vi-iter, speaking
of the conditions in Sonther11
('alifornia 1,articularly, ,ts three to
one; tl1nt is, if lantl ,vitl10,t "'ater
is worth $75 a,11 acre, it is easfly \,·ortl1
8235 more to get a, snfficient su pp1y
of water to irrigat('\ ii;. This rule
,vill not itJJply in ,Lll, 11or in 111ost
cases. There are tho11saint1s of
places ,vhere the lan<l is ,tbsolntely
,vott11less vitbont "vate1·, or ,vhere
the go,·ernrne11t price of it is only
81.26 a.n acre, vhicli, put under
29-
,vater beeotnes "'i)rth a hundtred There j;j;re a.l,vays days @1· weefus durti1nes
tl1.at amount, 11:aj0r P0,ve1l, i11:g the growing seas:©ll wh,e1:1 a little
of th·e United States Geo1<:rgica1 Sur- water wotld add materially 'to tl1e
very, es,tin1ate:s f1,om liis lru;rgt expe- proEluc.t. There' :is the ft1rtl1er adrie,noe:
tl1at any Jau,d wl1en irrigated vantage @f fertilizing the soil, wliieh
beco.,mes \Vorth :fro,111 S:30 to $200 a11 ne"Ver wel,xs o\1t jf irtigated. '.rhe
acre, aT1d plces t}1e -averl:!;ge valu.!'J warter which runs ovei- the grou.nd
f irrigoated la11€l th.rougliout the is an a.ecuJil'.lua.tot :f fertiliz;ing eleUnited
States a.t at lea.st $50 per ments, ftom th, e tin1e jt to11cc]1:e§ the
acre. This value 'i.s put upo11 it, not surface. until it deposits its pricious
by its capacity to pro&uce special bur€le11 ,vhe, re it is abso1·bed into tlie
rrop.s, out tor· tlie ordi11aty fh.tm earth. Fields ct11ti vu.tea for ge11erapr@
dul;ts for wl1iel1 there is a11 u11- ti@i:is and etr1rtu1•ies. g110w constantly
,
limited rp.arket. WJ;iexe fruits pr n1ore pr0due, tive. ,
11igl1 prie,ed prod.uts a-re -c11ltiva- , Another adva11targe most app11,.ried,
the l1igher range, of prices is e11t in the aultivatio,,u of orc, harc1s
justified by the returns to fh·e cu:1- and :vineyards, is the aestT1:1ction of
tivator. dep11edath1g insects, anl1 the· con-
Tl1e vilue atta.ch.e$ not 0nly bJ seq11. ent impi·ove.nre:nt of tl1e qt1ality
reason of the h.il1 :fe:rtility of the of the. f1·uit. 'l'h,ere· are 1.10-worm
soil, but because of t}1e cer·tai11ty eate11 a pp Jes fro;rn an irrigated 0twl
i1icl1atbe1:idsculti vation. WJ:ientl1e chard ;, t11e:re are no C'
nl,'c1tJio to deseason
fo,r pll}nttn,g arxives there is st.roy the plums.-
n o ,vaiting fot l'ains to pt1t tlie Rel', then, is tbe foundatio11
ir01;rnd i1i eonditi0n to plo,,1• Th.e tpot1 wl1iclfir1'igati6n_is built as a!1
.ta:imet turns g11 the watt to st1ch' 1n.cl ustry .. It pays. II0·,v much 1t
land ii he d:.esi1,es to Cl1ltivate, and w,iJl pay, h.0,v: .rouoJ1, expenditui'e,, it
gets:>it in j-ust the 11ro}ier starge to ,v·ill jt1sti1y, ,vtll deJilnd upo the
work well and to ge1:mil,'late t11e seed loo.al conc.liti@'lll. The J;iette11 t.he Jan d,
promp.tly. Re does not lose his t'be better tbe ,crops and the laTgei:
seed by rotti11,g from too. ri1t1cli rain, tl1e ;pr0'fits. A climate ,v hicli 11eror
by drying. u11 because uf t· o@ lit- mits two or thre croJ>S in the seatle.
He gives it water agai11 at any son gives bette.r results, an.d wi11
stage of .gro\vth is 1t1ay be required'. c0n:.seqt1sently jqstify lal'ger outlay.
WJie;11 .the erop is mtl1re9, l1e: 11- The feilities for n1a·ketJllg prod:woves
1t fp0,m the groi1:ncl, and 1t 1s uet.s ,v1ll be a out1:pll11;ig 1aflq,ence.
ready to ,va,te1· aigai:n and p1ant with Where OTa1ig,es wilJ grow a,n ae1;e ,of
.another crop. He can calculate for, land is worth mo1:e tha11 ,vhe. re it is
l1is l)usiness witl1· less conti'ng'eneies; on.ly ava;ilab1e tb raise c0r11 and poin
a 1'1otd, }1e beeomes i1J;l·depende!lt taboes. 'I'he crop fr0m a bearing
of he 11atural elemei:1ts. orcl1ard of o:ra,.nges will sell fot
Under t}1ese irc11n1stancf:ls, he ab.ave $500 an acre ti9ul1y, often
nei.the;r 11eeds nor wants rain during for :more tl1an $1,.,009, on the tree,
th @ult.ivaing season.. Eery show- the ptrchse, x o gat, her t11em and
,er 1s a detriment, as 1t d1sa1·1'a11ges fi11d his o-wn ma1·ket. It rnay cost.
lisis pla11s. If the loeati011 is i n tl'.l'e; $200 an a@,re to get tli orcha;rd i.11
-Sbt1thern belt, ,vl1e,i:e th,e seasons are bearing, bt1t a si11gle Cl'Ol) makes
long and th su11shine bright and full return for tlie investn1ent. 'r11e
warm, he gts the gr. eater advan- time r,eq11ird is so long that it detage;
but. sen:ith. or 11ort}1., tl1ere is no ters many fr0m planting suc11 orlocality
,vhere irrigation will not be o11ards; consequently it is Jlot overfound
be11eficial, even thongl1 the done, an€1 is n@t lilcely t0 be.
'.ilatural ,vate1· supply n1a.y be a1n1)le. 0:011sidering all tlre poi1:tts hei'ein
-30-
snggested, it follows that w]1erever
a '\'i1,ter supJ)ly ca11 be provided to
reclai1n lands of avertige ql1alit),,
taki11g tbe arid region as n, ,vhole, at
a cost ])er irfigatecl acre o.f less than
$10 per ac, re, it only neecls fai1· n1an.. -
agemen t to be largely profitable.
'\\rhcre it is })ossible to rec]aim latge
bodies of 1:-tncl, with an invest1nent
of n@t n1ore than $5 an acre, tl1e i11-
vestrne11 t ,vill l)l'Ove exaepttonally
}ll'ofttable, regardltiss o.:f the locality,
,vh,ether north or south. Every adVcl.
ntage of climate, of adaptation to
specia,l products, of co11 ve11ie11ce for
n1arkcting, ancl of comm t1nicati011
aclds propoi-tion.ate]y to th:e clesiral>
ility o:f the in'V'"estme11t.
So111e Fig111·es Sl10,vi11 A111111ll
Res11lts.
.An1ong the insta11ces that have
come to my personal k1101vLeclge as
ill nstrating the chara,ctei:- f\nd J)QSs1
bi.lities or s1Qc}1 i11ve$tment I cite
tl1e follo,ving :
1'be Nortl.i .Platte Ir1·igatio11 and
Lar1d Gompa11y, of Nebraska, has a
capita,l of $160,000 i11 $100 sh.ares:
l1as bee11 in operation six years; has
bought 13,400 i1.cres <Df land for $40,-
000·' e:xpcncloc.l )/Ii-50 ,0.0 0 for irri-o,:a tin,::-o
plant ; has. ,vate,1· to cover 25,00.0
acres, with 8,000 in cnltivatio11;
lancl is How worth $10 a11 acre; the
charge for ,vater right is f1·otn $6.00
to $1.50. The i:>rodt1cts from the
lo Gali t,y are tl1e or9.1i1ayy farm crops,
yet tile il·rigatin_g plant has increased
i11 valt1e to n1ore than
double its cost.
1fhe A.rizoua Canal Oon1pan:)' represents
a11bther locality, and a
different cl ass of i n te1·cs ts. It l1a.s a
warn1 climate, \Vi tl1 lon,g seasons, ancl
is adapted to sexni-troi:>ieal fruits as
,vell as to frnits of the temperate
zone. It \Vt1S incorpora,t,ed in ]882
,vith a, cap· it,il of $000,000 11nd \Vith
b11t a srn,tll amonnt paid in by
the sto.ekbolders. Gn:istrt1ction ,vas
by eontribCt $500,000, oc bonds being
issuet1 as l)a1·t })ayrnent of the total
cost of $600,000. It ,ras co111plet1;d
a litLle 1norc tha11 t,vo years ago, and
had no r,tilroac1 con111111nication
until a year ago. \'\'a,tcr rigbts ,vere
firs!; sold at $500 for SO acres) and
are no,v selling at l,Zt">O. 'l'he interests
bare since been conolidated
,vitl1 smaller coinpn.nies that had
preceded ·it i11 the san1e vrdle:,-the
Salt lj ver of 1\.ri zona.. l t covers
96,000 u.cres of ln.11d : of th,is al)ont
20,000 acres is 11nder cultivation)
a.ncl a I ittle n1ore tb:1u that l1as been
irrigated once. I.Janel ,vhicl.i before
irrigating was . worth nothing, no,v
:finds te-acly sale at $25 and t1J)'"•t1·ct
an acre. Of tbe uo11ds, 100,000
has already been retired. Its incon1e
for tl1e first year of 011eratiou
\Vas $112., 698. 'l'he expenditure
for c11rre11t ex1:ie11ses wa.s $18'.:i ,3 ,
tl1e a,1111 ual interest charge is
832,000; the balance, of about
$62,000, ,vo11ld e<tnal more tl1au 12
per cent. n1)on the ca.p·ital stock.
Tl1e u1nual rents of water a,nd
,vaterpower ,vill soo11 reach· -.·175,-
000 ann11a]ly. The com1)a11y ],as
waterpower equal to l.5UO h<:>rsepo,
ver.
Tlre Bear ,r alley reservoir, of San
Ber11ardino C@nnty, Caliior11ia, has
a capital of $360,000 in $J 00 sha,res.
It ,vas organized in 1883; has been
in operation six years. 'l'he total
cost of the J:>lan.t }1as been ;tbout
$150,000, of ,vhic}1 $22,500 ,ra$ })aid
for the land. 'l\vo ,vater rights?
each f.or oneseven.th of a n1i· ner's
inch, go with eae11 share, 1l'l1e
cost per :ilia1·e. ,vas above $41.50.
1he present selling 1,rice, after six:
yeaTs @f ope-ration. is al>o,e 8225,
,vith its acco1npc1nying ,vater rights_
'fJ1e value of land lDefore irrigation
,vas $25; its present v,tlue is from
$"200 to $500. It hits no bonded
debt; it has been the means of
building up a tl1ri,•ing co'lony, and
ha$ given 1,rosperi ty to all coming
v.1itbi11 its in£luence, as ,·ell as to
promoters alld stock· holders oi tl1.
con11,any,
-31-
The QJ11tari0 Land and Irnpr-0ve- \vais orgau:iiecl lVIay 1th, 1886, wit11
111e.nt Company of Outairi0, C,a1tf0r- a capital stoek o'.f $1,.,000,000, of
:nia, ha$ a eaJ>ital of $fi00;000 in whic11 only il00,000 ,vas. called. AR
$100 sh.ares. It 'Was oTganized i11 assue of $600,000 of bonds v,as
Septembet, 1887, al1id has 1Jee11 1·n autlioTized.. ,Vl1en tl1e· first state@}'.>
Cl'ath:>n nineteei) m0ntJ1s. lt sup- ment was re:nderea, April 28, 188'7,
ply @f wter ,vas Qbtained froo, tlire lrad b.ee11 285. b.onds sold at
vari@u&' so11xees, inlud, i11g a tl11111el 95 ee)lts. T11e asst.s at, tl1at tin1e
3,000 feet long d1·iveJ1 int@. a were $Sg7,l9. T11e liabi}ities 11mountai11,
three fe-et six incl1es by eluded bills 1,ayable, ;S42,,000; overlive
feet eight ii'l'dl1es, all li11ecl with draft at bank $1,000 ; and $6,000 of
ceme11t. It h,1s '715 miJe-s 0f cement pttst cl.,e interest. 'rhe assets a e th:an
p.i1)e i.1'1 . use. The :otal cost 1 as ti.me ,ei'e in e:xeess of liauilit.ies
,$300, 000. It eo;yer,s 12,000 ac:res, 0f $&Q0,000. At tl1a:t c;1fite the ;Jles f
,11:iieli i500. · are in rnltivatiou. '1'1Je ,vater rights ,vere 1·epr!:BIe-nte,l iri
value of land ,vfl.s $25 to $50 beJ011e bill i-eceiva"g,le, $54,20'7 ; and in
i1·rigati011, ancl s no,v from t200 to water right co11t1,act.s dt1e w11e11
.$500. 'l'll'e 011tlay i11 this tase iep- water sb·crultl be -f1i1r11isJ1ed, $3'7,200.
resents Si60 te the snare. 'l'lie1:e is 'l'be :next stal emn-t1 ma,de 011 th.e
n 0 .st@ck for sa1, but its es.timated 28tl1 of Deeember, 18£'1, o:r eight
val1:1e is $3"35, p,r $hai·e. 'l'he pl·os- montli.s later, sho,v:s tbat 26.5 b0ntls
peTity whicl1 l1asattende9-thc wl).oJe had been old at 95 eeuts. 'j.' h,e
euterp.Tjse indicates sl1perio.r ma-n: ,vater xigbts s01d u1der oo-ntra,et
agement as utilizing all tl1e ad- an1ounteu to $3.J-4, 000. Tho total
va11tag1is at hand. amount expe11ded · foi· oonstructiou
Th.e gre:at Sweetwate:r R.esetvoir, to that tin1e ,vas $329,000. 'rl1eir
built to st1pply Na1ti@1:i.al Oity, iu San retl state, at a ld,v valua.tion, ,vas
Die.go Oouritv, Palifo1·niai, wi,th 2,000 ctes, ,vortb $240,000. 'l'hey
,va:ter, at a ost of .$275,000 for the ha,d ill l;>wnk $161,673, .ash; bills
dam and land :for t11e reserv9ir, a11d rcei,,able $1153.SO, a11GI. co.i1tracts
$502,000 for tJ1e pipe li11e, illus- for $567,,000. 1'h.ey estim.ted the
trates a1, :ioil1er feature of th, e ir;rig, a ,v_ate:T rights _l1nsold1 {;l;t :prices preting
industry, as to its· i11di:reQt v1ol:1sly reali zed, as 3/{§"50 ac.res
effe.c:ts. AJlotti·n:g· iner's inch a tni1ier's inel1es a;t $1,200 per inch,
duty oi ten acres, thjs ,vol1ld on1y w0tt:'h $4,260,00Q, m.aki,n ,g the tetal
irrigate 20,000 acres in aditioti to assets $15,991,{>.9§. Their liai'bilities
sn11plyipg National Oity ,vith 700,- inclu,decl the $100,000 Q, 0nds) of
000,000 g,al1oNs. .At the rate w,i.1,ter which 335 had 11:ot beeJ:i sold, bills
tigJ1ts giving to the purchaser payable $62/000, and estimated for
simply the ptivileg.e oi beeofili ng a ,the comp1et1011 of the line 45,000.
e.u.stomei· fcir the ,-vat.er, h.ave. been 'l'he e:xeess of assets over liabilities
s0ldby the Sa11 Diego. ]flume Com- was t4,844,595.8r!l. Thtt.s, at the
pany ($200 per acre)" the v-alue ,o/ th.e, e..nd ot t,venty m,01l tlls £ro·n1 the date
jrrigatlon su1:>ply amounts to$4,000,- of o:rganiza,tj011,. the ,vater rights l-
000. At tl1e date of t1:ie report, co11- ready s,old had realized l.n cash,
.stl'tt'i,tion of the works had added notes 'aud eontrac'ts abont $f@45,000,
$1,500,000 to the value of. 5,000 as aga;inst a total cost of constr1l6-
a,cres, ,vJ1jc}1 bad the11 been-supplied tion of $329,.395. Only$100,000had
witl1 a comple,te system pf ,vater beet1 reaJzea. from as&.essme1.1ts a.nd
pipes, a.nd $'1,00. 0000 to tl1e V'alμe sales of stock.
of t:he town pro11erty in National 'rl:ie probable gross income was
City and lands adjacent. stated at $60 per incl1 per at1num ($6
'l'he Sa11 Diego Fltime Clompany peT acre) tincTer the contracts for
-32-
,vater r1,lready sold at $300,000; and
from the city snpply uncler their franchise
at $100,000, or a, total a,n,una,l
i11con1e of 400,000, against a total
expeuditnre of $800,000.
_\, co111 pany recently orga11ized i11
Ol1icago, tl1e Pecos Irrigatio11 and
Investn1ent Company, has seo11red
val11able fritncl1ises in the Rio Pecos
, alley, in , 'ot1ther11 N e,v .Thiex:ico.
S'i11ce October 1st, up,vard of 125,-
000 a,cres of la11d has l,een e11tered,
fron1 ·w·bic]1 tl1e corn pa11y ,vill rci:tlize
$15 an acre for ,vater rights, besides
the a111111al rentds. '.rbese
lands rnust ue '' 11roved up,» under
the la1v, vith.in tl1ree years from
date of entry. The totRl cost ,vill
be co,erecl by $400,000 of cap-ital
stock, sold at 50 cents on tJ1e dollar,
and $200,000 of bonds. Both stock:
al'l(l bonds have been sold and the
contracts are let for the cornpletion
of 95 tniles of 111ain ca11a,ls tbis year.
It r.eq-uires l)ut a little c1,lculatio11
to see that its stockholclcrs }1ave
made a very fortunate investment,
and they so appreciate it.
'.l'hese instances rnigl1t be continued
indefinitely, all to the same
effect. '!'bey se1- ,•e to illustrate,
,v hat I have before stated, that
tl1ere is 110 class of jnvestments i11
,vhich n1oney can be used that ai-e
so sttbstn.ntial iu their foundations,
a11d that have such capacity for
de.velopme.nt, that yield so large a11d
so sure retnT11s, ,vhose va]11es al,\1ays
adv auce an. c1 11ever d, epreciate,, and
wl1ere the natural elen1ents contribute
to tl1e constant growth in value.
Th.ese investments ha,e- 11ot bee1i.
offel'ecl until rece11tly to eastern
capital. 'l'bey llaYe bee'tl pop111ar
at liotne, and altho11gl1 n,oney in
that locti,lity comma11ds an exceptionally
11 ig11 rate of in tercst, the
stock. i11 an irrigation con1paJ1y
yields better rctu.rns than fro1n any
otl1er 11se in ,vl1icl1 it may be
employed.
0IIA.RLE$ 'iV. GJ:t.EEN.E.
GILA V AJ;LEl'.
The soil througl1ou.t tlte valley is
a rich bro:1-v11ish yello"', sandy lor111,
&enerous, n1ellow and porous, with a
depth ranging from six to t,venty
feet, the ,vhole resting 11pon underlying
stratas of gravel a.ncl san,cl tlutt
readily carry frqm the s11rfaoe sucl1
excess of "'ater as 1nigl1t otl1er1vise
l)rove- injurious to seeds and gro,ving
plants.
The.re is u11n1istakable geologic
evidence that tl1e e11 tire lower Gj]a
valley ,va,s, during some pr-ehistoric
period, co:vered witl1 watex, co11stit11ting,
in fact, an enorn1ou.s lalce,
the surface rising in places to tl1e
111)per porti6r1 of the ou tsl(irtiug
mesas. The soil lying at the bottom
was made by the 'lvashing and
erosion o.f tl1e surrou11ding mountains.
Tbe soda fron.1 tJ1e decomposed
vegetation, the magnesia ancl
li1ne fron1 the mag11esiun1-lirne formations,
and t}1e pota;sl1 from the
decomposi11g gran.i te Tocks were
cairried with nuceasing regularity,
year by year, until deposited in tl1e
botton1. E-veutttally t1pon tbe disa
,
ppearance of tJ1e Ji1,ke1 the rich,
fertil t11 n viu n1, than "·h ie}1 there
is 11on,e bette1', ,vas left to re,vbrd
t}1e efforts of the mo.der11 busbtndma11.
l1ut Nature)- not yet sa.tisfied
witb l1er hancli,vork, cliTected tl1e .
,1,ccnn1u]ation of the (letritu.s ,vrisbe.d
from tl1c distn.nt 111onntainot-rs region.
As a result, tho soil i's extremely
rieh in the elements best adtp.ted
to tl1oroug11 fert.iliza.tio11 ; for it contai,
us a certain amount or orga11ic
matter which, 011 decon1posing,
furtl1er e11 bances its agricu 1 tural
value. Dy co11stant overflow and
change of channel, the cleposits are
-33-
v:e:nly clistrionted o,re:r eoi:isi'del'aule tl1e operatign 0.f t'he e1emi1ts, a114
areas, the lJl'OQ,ess continning while the detrjtus t11us elimin-ated
throqgl1 cen.tu ries. Tl1ese soils are eontinnes t111der the Jaws of gravita:f
urthe1: enriched by decomposed in- tiou to des0e11d and ,voi·k its w·ay
organic contributiorrs, including tb.e over tire. p1ai:ns, s long ,vill tl1ete
sandstones, marls, limestot1.es, :slfales, be pereri-ni1,l aclditi@11s to tl1e amo11nt.
e.t,c. BesiJ.e.s tl\ ingre'cl:ie1\ts m;en- 0£ pr@clu!,)i11g elen1ent i1i a state of
ti: @ned, a (:;hemieal !<iltllysis sl1:0,vs l'.'\l1inE1111ent ,a1,1d. assimi1ati,GlJ. A1;i;cl
th;ah iron, :i.mmGnia and pbospl1oric sp long as tl1e writer flowing from
acid euter in.to its composition .in th.ese mo1c1ntai11s, J1olclt11g i11 soluthe_
1)roportio11.s bet !ilapted to adcl tlo1'l the- debris1 ,vhic·li al\\rays:, in
to its fect111d1c qt1allt1es. 1'he exs- sorne clegree, :is spi·eaGl UJ'lOJl tl1e
tren}es-of tem1,etatnre are ome,vhat lancl in iTrigation, s6 long will tJ:i.e
greater tl1an, 011 th..e highlands; btt f.ertilizing prope1·tie. of the: sil eon.th.
ere is al§o more rooist1re. . tinue to receiv-e ,:;idd.:ition· s, '1:,nd its
'Jibe l)(j)ttom lauds- ave s0 easy 0f fecn1nl1e 1ower co11tinue to be in-
0ultivatio11 that i t is not nncommou, crea.§ecl. Aud so 1011g a:s the water
after clearing the surface fl'oro co11taini1g n1or<1l or less of salts a1Yd
:Orus1:i. ·and stubble, to pass over t.he an:i.moniac c0n1pot11n.ds, as all ,v:ater
g1·ound with .\illl 0r; di11a-t'y .o.it1tiv-ator iltoes, is used :fror irri-g- a-ti:i1gP,11rposes,
- sigle time, at:tetwatds sovvi11g to, and sr; long as. 'tl1e p1'ocess oi cu1tig:
ra111 'ot· grass. l,u tl1ree 1' four va.t.i0n- eont}nues to tl1r0\I' t-rp, th,e
mo:11tl1, lrge erl:>$ ar h.arveted,, -s.0il exp,os_in:g i
:
t t? tle indispe11sable
t11e so1l meanw1-1le be111g eninrely and ever fru.ct1fy1ng influence of the
innocent of the J)lo,v. All :plants atmosphe1"e, so long will th€!caoi1 c0nse
n1 to gi'o,v ra1jidly, n1aturi11g ti1111e to be ieireshecl and. juvig0rren1-a,
i'k;ab1y early. l1'ldicat1011.s of ated ancl :pa:e;pa1ed to rte )ar;ge re.
a11cient'ditchesare.apai.renfJthrou.:gl'l- wal'ds to tl1,e laibo:r of tl-ie ht1.sbind-
011t the valley, sho\viug plai·111y tl:1:e man. 'J
·e$.iste:nee of ir1:igatioJ1 works by-tl1. Climate .
. a1:1cient Aztecs. 'Curiou.sly enough, It is r,ither without the intents of
i n certai11 instances, tl1e identical tl1is 1·e-port to dwell i11 detail 11pon
ro11tes off these long extinct peo1)le tl1e sa1li€ary aclvantages ·offered by
'ha'1e been :followed for eonsi:clerable ou:r almost perlect elin1ate; an.d ye,t,
-distan·ees b'y their n1oae:r11 sucees- fe,v w@tds 1tp0p t.his s1:1bject may
s0rs. ,
n0t_ 1,>e jn,11JprQpriate.
The ,von.d.riul ferti1ity 0.f tl:i. Fpr nine o'ut ,oi every, twelve
ootton;i.s a11d otlie.r valley. la11d1:?, 3iS, mo11tl1s tl1e clin)ate is.sin1ply Slt perb.
,vel1 a,s the mesa and plains, is es- Three rnori.ths are wai·m, but not extablished
btiy·ond denial by actui:£1 cessively so, altl:1.ough tl1e therexperin1enta.tion.
:Neithe1: is t:he:soi1 mineter ranges far ltig11er tl1a11
likely to dege11eTate j11 tn.e, future; ,vou· lcl be c0uduGive, t0: l1ealtl1 .or
for i11 ans·"1er to the qμe1itiou, '' v\Till c,qrnfott i11 a11y seetior1 0£ the Eas.t.
it last?-" 0. L. Whe.ele1', D. D., 'l'he c.o:nditiGns, 110,vevEtr, are 1nost
LI-1. D., a recogn1z.ed e;\';pe,i·t iu st1.ch dissi1.nilar, ,as n1ay l>e seen by the folrnatte1
·s n pon tl1e Pacific 09ast, saJs : lo,ving, taken from the official con1-
(' 'ro !>this qt1En·y the a11swe.r in rri'nn:ication of Lie11te11ant W. A.
general is, th.e, longer land is JJl"Qp- Gtas£f0rcl, 0f th United Sta.teis
pr1y cultjratecl and properly Signal Gor1,s, to tl1e Gov.erno,r qf tbe
fe1·tilizec1, th.e stro11ger ii11d 1ndre Trritory :
l
).rodt1.ctiYtl it bec0mes. 1\Tl;).ile the '' 11 fe,v ,v0r.cls UJ)Oll tl1e beat. It
1nou11tin·s spyr9.11nding tlre val- is recordecl as extreme, yet n:o one
ley co11tinue to disintegrate under suffers) and sunstrokes are nnk11own.
-3-!-
'l'his is usually accoun to<:l for from the
puritv a.nd dryness of tl1e air. Botl1
are t1·ul:'.\ ; but the dryness is, perha})
S, the correct reas01. I l1ave calcu]
a.teu the difference bet,vee11 t11e shade a11cl sensible tem-petature at
Yn.n1l'l; d11ring the heated hour of the
day, an<l.it 'is a.bout tl1irt, degrees . .1\,.t
e,v York or \Vashi11gto11 it is only
a, fe,v degrees, a,n cl often jde11ticrLl.
'l'he liigl1est sl1a.de tE:}mpeTature ever
rcotded a.t Y11ma is 118 degrees.
Wl1en the heat is at this point, the
se11sible temperature is about 88 degrees.
'L'l10 sl1ac1e temp. erature of
:N'e,v Yorlt being 105 degrees, the
sens-ible tem1)orat11re is certai11ly nea'r
100 dgr-ees. 'rhe di:fierence bet,veen
tl1e n1ea11 ten.1-perature and the mea11
se11sible tem1)erature for July is over
1· degrees at Yuma.
'' 'l'hese co11siderations of the sensible
and shade tempera.tore will account
for tl1e absence of any cletrimen
t1l effect llJ>o11 tl1e extreme l1eat
of Arizona.
'' 'l'he air is dry. The moistul'e in
the atn1ospl1ere is from t\venty-nve
to tl1irty per ce11t., as against -seventy-
five to eigl1ty-five pet e;ent. in other loc.tlities. Every "tfteTnoo11 in
summer tl1ere is a refresh.i11g breeze
from th.e Gnlf o.f California that relieves
tJ1e day of undesirable 11eat.
It 1)asses over -a clesert, 111ucl1 of
v;r lticl1 is helo,y sea leve], tht acts as
a desicottJ1t ; so that -..v}1en tl1,e 11lai11s
of Central Arizona ar reached, the
air is dry to the last 110ssible degree.
a 'fhere are neither s11nst1·okes i11
sun1mer nor 11neumo11ia, in ,vi11ter;
neither fevet n,:,r ma.laria live.or ge11-
erae in this section. 1 J'l1e air is pure
-absolutely free :fron1. tbose co.m})
OL11ids tl1at poison the system anc1
!.>ring 011 disease. In no co11ntJ·y
is the-re a greater n un1 l:,er of bright
nights and sn11ny days. I-Iun0lreds
afflicted ,vi th. 1 ung trot.1 ble, after
visiti1ig Florida and Sol1tltor11 Oa1iforn
ia0 have :found i-elief i11. this i11-
vjgoratiug climuto, wbere the }'.>Ore
air is a tonic to shattered constitu-tions,
a heali11g balsam to the cons-
u m1)ti ve."
The n1eteorologic:1l conc1itio11s are
iltdeed ac1mi1'nble for the cnre of all
rhenrnat.ic, bronchialancl puln1onary
tr0nbles, as bas been proven time
a11cl ti111e again. 111 sun1mer. t)1e
rn,i)icl eva1)oratio11 ]o-..vers the te111-
})e.ratl1re a11cl 11ro111otes comfort ;
,vbile i11 winter th n1llc1. equable
and })leasant "'eather is clelig·ht.ful
to tl1e 111v}1licl.
Jle.re,vit]1 js give11a tal>le ofaYerag.e
tem1)eratnre, compiled fro111 offici,ll
reports, extending over te11 Jears:
Jan. Feb. 11\:far. April. 1',Ja:'· June.
>fS. 6 )i-. . 6'5:. 0
July. I Aur Sept. I
9.2-. 0 90.!l 83,9
69.4
Oct.
72.4
,.,,., , , . --•) I s-.,.')
]'.x ov. Dec.
61.2 r-:- 9 •)0.
'rl1e stateme11ts of the Con1mjssio1J.
er can l>e tl1.orougbly substantiated,
as 1naJ be see11 by the an-
11exed table showing tl1e time of
matl1rity for certain products :
Stl'a,,vberries _____________ Ja;nt1arr 15th.
Apticots ___ . ____ _____ April 1st to 21st.
l\!lttlberries ___________ .1,-\.pril 14lh io 20th.
Fi-gs_ ________________________ pril 10th.
Grapes _________________ J·nne 1st to '7th.
Wate1·rnelous, etc ______ . ____ j\'Iay 20th.
Pea,ches _____________________ June l5th.
Po1negTanatl. 's_ _____________,J .\ngust 1st. J.,i1nes __________ Septen1be1' :5th io 10th.
J.,ernons _______ Septen1bet· 15tl1 lo 2tb.
Dates ___________________ SeptQml),,1· 1st.
0\'a,nges __________ N@\·. 25tl1 to Dec. 1st ..
'l'lle st1gttr beet })ro1nises l>etter
res11lts for the futnro tha,n n1;\11y of
the })rod ucts it! ready 111entio1,ecl ,ts
J:>ron1ine.nt i11 the srtn"Je c1ir-Pction.
Samples not full)' maLntecl polarized
seve11teen per ceu t. "\V j th l)rOJ)er
c;iultivation, the percentage ca.11 be
raisecl to fron1 t,venty to t,venty-fi.ve,
and, besides, ,vill har,est t,vo Gl'O})S en.ch vear.
-35-
,Vheat does splendidly. Iu: 011e inS'tamee,
483 pounds, se-eded to t11•e11 ty
a01,·es, a!Jout J11n'e:a:i1les east of Yuma,
cyn tl1e Gila Rivet, returned 52,750
J>011: 11ds, alter h,aving b.een irrigated
:fivE) ti n1es. 'fhts v;,:as sold in Sl:!rn
Franeiseo, bringing fifty cents per
CEil'rt}tl over evel'y othe1' ki11d tl1e11 jn
the: market. T11e gTaiu i,c; ren1aTkalfi:
le for its p1 lhvp, berry-1-ike,appea,rauce.
'fh ,e ,vii1ter and sp, i·ip g are
,varm e11ou,gl1 to insure a vigor0t1-s
groswtl1, 1J11cl aool en,ougla. in. .A .p:ril
a11d 1\[: ay to al]o\v the l1eads to fill
out ,vitbo,nt sl1rivelil'lg. It is: so
pe1:fect as- to sell for seed,. and, so
far as_ lrno,vn, is proof agai1\st rust.
T,v-o crops- a1:e ra:eu ae1ri'it1a-lly.
Barley also daes weil, and will
J)rod11ce t\vo crops-tl1e first yielding
from tl1irty-five to forty bushels
bf barley, ancl the second a la,rge
amount of hay.
Corn _is produaed ju great quantrty
> yields enorn1ously, a1,d c.an be
g1·own tl1e year ro11: nd.. T.he '' Pocopah"
co1:i1 is, 1ioted fo1· s,v,eetness,
plt1rnp11ess, earliness, a11d. for its
firm and solid grains. Ji'ive weeks
aft:er planting) i-oasting ears are
plentift1l. This vaTie'ty e0n:imands
&- r.eady tallil: at. hjgl1e,r, pi-ices than
any other kind.
i\lfalfa will cut from five to se.v:en
times. at an ave1·age of two an.d onehalf
tons to the· aere. Eigl1t acres,
bt1t ·011e year olcl, have this year
yildE:ll seventy-four tons, wit1
mo,te c11tt.in gs yet t<!l be made. The
h.ay bi:i11gs fi.ftee,p d011ars pey tor1.
So. rgl1u.1n, raised for fead, is botl1
v:a]uable.a.11d prolific. It freqi1ently
reael1es fifteen feet in height, yielas
from fifteen to t\ven tJ to11s p, er acre.
and is ,vortl1 fiftee11 dollars per: ton.
Several GiJO-}'.>S en be harvested annually.
,T egetables-, ]{i tcl1e11 and gard!;l11.
stuf., melons? etc., grow all the year
ro1111cl in unlimited q11antity and excellent
qu,ality. Sorua time s:ince, a
Gila '\- rally farmer J>lanted fifteen.
pot1nds 9£ Iri.sh potatoes on a pieee
of bottom land tl1a,t Blad bee-1:i overflo,
ved, fron1 ,vhicl1 iie liarvestecl
ovet seven hundre,Gl pounds; aa:1d
tll: iS re. co-td, it is belieived , l1a,s ra1·ely ,
if ever, bee11 etceile€1. '£l1e sweet
potat0 produ.ees eilQtn1ously, a:na
eqqals tlie c1aoicest b,r.Q1.1ght from
So.i:1.tl1 Oarolin:a.
Pean11 ts mature ra picllya11d ab1,11ili!antly
, yielcli1:1g a nut botlJ pl nn11:>
ancl toQ ths0 me.
W11ereer tl1ere is su fieieTI.t
n1Qisture, the n.atu..ral flora al)ound
in prof usio11 anc: l vari,ety. Thy are
of rare heaatv and <leliciou.s fragrance,
thi. bul'bous plants partieuJarly.
The lily s1.1r1,as-ses th:e
fa.nro 1.1 s :im1 ro1·tec1 '' Japan.'' It h:a;s
been claimed by ex.perts that at n0
distant period opi·u1n will be m_-an11-
fructurecl fro.rn. ibe p.0ppy, and attar
fi·on1 'the-.rose, both £10,ver,s th16 vrng
vigo-ro11sly. ':l'here a.re but :few trees
and s·hruos eapable of ador:niug the
surroundings 'Of a lovely modern
hon'J.e that 0an11ot be satisfaotori1y
g:vowr:i.
Every plant, vine or tree mc011-
L1onetl in tlie foregoing list ha,s been
actually ptove-11 acla;pial>le to our
s0ils and cJimate. l£any ot·he'i's
haYe. been omitted th,rougl1 la0Jr of
spaee; but th.ere seems no rlouht
tl1t time will den°)J;>,11strate our
ability to :profitably rajse l't11 the
semi-tropio and most of the tropical
and te11rperate
Arizona Historical Books and Periodicals Collection
