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 Statistical Information 
 
 RELATING TO 
 
 he Mohawk Valley, 
 
 of Arizona. 
 
 THE CHOICEST SPOT IN THE BASIN OF THE 
 GREAT NORTH AMERICAN NILE. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 THE MOHAWK VALLEY ORANGE GROVE AND 
 
 FRUIT COMPANY, . J ^,r ,rry, 
 
 96 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY. 
 OPYRIGHTED. 
 
 '<. 
 
THE MOHAWK VALLEY 
 
 Orange Grove and Fruit Company 
 
 OF ARIZONA. 
 
 CAPITAL STOCK 
 
 6,400 SHARES OF $100 EACH, FULL PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE. 
 
 DIRECTORS : 
 
 F. S. Edminster, of Edminster & Co., 96 Broadway, New York City. 
 
 R. H. McDonald, Jr., Vice-President of the Pacific Bank, San Francisco. 
 
 F. V. McDonald, Cashier of the Pacific Bank, San Francisco. 
 
 D. S. Dorn, Attorney at Law and Capitalist, San Francisco. 
 
 A. F. Johns, President and Manager of the John Brown Colony of Madera, 
 California. 
 
 G. W. Norton, Civil Engineer, Superintendent of the Mohawk Canal and 
 
 Improvement Company, Arizona. 
 W. H. Barnes, Attorney at Law, Tucson, Arizona. 
 
 F. S. EDMINSTER, 
 
 F. V. Mcdonald, 
 
 A. F. JOHNS, 
 
 G. W. NORTON, 
 
 OFFICERS : 
 
 President. 
 
 Vice-President and Treasui^er. 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 Superintendent. 
 
 Trustees for Seven Years: ' 
 
 F. S. EDMINSTER. D. S. DORN. F. V. McDONALD. 
 
 96 Broadway, 
 306 Pine Street, 
 Texas HiJl, 
 
 COMPANY'5 OFFICES: 
 
 New York City. 
 
 San Francisco. 
 
 Yuma County, Arizona. 
 
 G. W. NORTON, Superintendent. 
 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION 
 
 RELATIN"G TO 
 
 THE MOHAWK VALLEY 
 
 OF ARIZONA. 
 
 COLLATED AND EDITED BY 
 
 FRANK V. Mcdonald. 
 
 »« 
 
 OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., 
 
 FitOM Official Reports op the United States Government, the Territory 
 OP Arizona, the Southern Pacific Railway Company ; Hon. Cameron 
 H. King, Commissioner of Immigration for Arizona Territory ; 
 Hon. George W. Norton, Civil Engineer, for Fifteen 
 Years Resident of Arizona, and Present Man- 
 ager OP the Mohawk Canal and Improve- 
 ment Company, and from numerous 
 other Official Sources. 
 
 NEW YORK : 
 
 Lehmaier & Bko. Print, 88 Fulton Street. 
 
 1893 
 

 f> 
 
THE MOHAWK VALLEY OF ARIZONA, 
 
 By GEORGE W. NORTON, C. E. 
 
 Mohawk, Akizona, ) 
 
 Sept. 3, 1892. [ 
 
 F. Y. McDoxALD. 
 
 Dear Sir : — In answer to your 
 esteemed favor of the 9th ult. I 
 take pleasure in sendin_^ you the 
 following sketch of our beautiful 
 valley : 
 
 Location. 
 
 The Mohawk Valley is a portion 
 of the Great Gila Valley and lies on 
 the north side of the Gila River, its 
 western edge being about 38 miles 
 from the town of Yuma on the Col- 
 orado Eiver. The Southern Pacific 
 Railroad runs parallel to the entire 
 length of the Mohawk Valley and 
 is at no place more than six miles 
 distant. 
 
 The Valley is irrigated by the 
 Mohawk Canal, wliich is owned 
 by the Mohawk Canal and Improve- 
 ment Company, a California cor- 
 poration. 
 
 Climate. 
 
 The climate is semi-tropical ; that 
 is, hoi for four months and pleas- 
 antly mild for eight. June, July, 
 August and September are the trojj- 
 ical months that give the country its 
 phenominal productiveness. It is the 
 heat and the water combined that 
 work the wonders of this district. 
 When the word hot is used, it should. 
 
 however, not be confused with the 
 sweltering atmosphere of the Eastern 
 dog days. The atmosphere here is 
 dry and the evaporation rapid, 
 therefore the heat is not oj^pressive. 
 The only time one hears any remark 
 at all about the heat is on some 
 rare occasion after a shower when 
 the air. becomes humid and the 
 mercury falls to 85° or 90" in the 
 shade ; but with the atmosphere 
 in its usual and normal condi- 
 tion the mercury may rise above 100° 
 in the shade and the harvesters and 
 haymakers will sing at their labor as 
 merrily as you please ; and when the 
 night comes on after one of those 
 intense summer days there is a dolce 
 far niente sensation that creeps over 
 you like a charm, and reconciles you 
 to the glare and heat of the hottest 
 spell. The nights are always pleas- 
 antly cool and bring such refresh- 
 ing sleep that fully restores the 
 wasted energy of the day and leaves 
 you in the morning bright and ready 
 for whatever fate may have in store 
 for you. And since this is all we need 
 to say in explanation of the general 
 misconception of the Arizona sum- 
 mer, we can invite you to give wings 
 to your brightest fancy in picturing 
 the delights of the peerless climate 
 of the remaining eight months of the 
 year. 
 
— 4 — 
 
 Tlic Oila River. jimong the most important being the 
 
 The Gila River, although second ^an Pedro,, a singular stream rising 
 in size to its mighty rival the Col- "ear the line between Sonora and 
 orado, is destined, for the present at Arizona, and dranung the Hna- 
 least, to figure far more prominently chuca, Mule, Calmo, Dragoon and 
 in the solution of the problem of re- Whetstone Mountams and the 
 deeming and making valuable to Eastern slope of the Santa Gatahna. 
 the husbandman the immense bodies ^^^lowing northerly for more han one 
 of hitherto arid and valueless hundred miles it enters the Gila 
 tributary land. The Gila drains River at the southern extremi y of 
 a vast ten-itory. Rising in the west- ^' il^ Canon in Pmal County. Along 
 ern part of New Mexico, it flows in its course the rainfall is perhaps 
 a nearly westerly direction through g^'eater than elsewhere m Arizona, 
 the entire Territory of Arizona. Its being estimated at 24 inches yearly 
 northern and eastern sources are in the vicinity of the Dragoon Moun- 
 among mountains covered for several tains. Certain of the ranges men- 
 montlis in the year with snows of tioned are, during the winter, fre- 
 varyingdepths,themeltingofwhich, quently covered with snow, which 
 added to the many natural springs on some does not disappear until the 
 emptying into it at different points, commencement of summer. 
 form"^a considerable river long be- Another notable tributary of the 
 fore it passes through Graham Gila is the Salt River, in itself a large 
 County. It enters the latter county stream having its head waters in the 
 in the neighborhood of the Clifton WhiteMountains.near Green's Peak. 
 Copper Mines, then courses through It rises in the eastern portion of the 
 Pueblo Viejo Valley and the San Territory, draining the mountainous 
 Carlos or AVhite Mountain Indian region in the far north, including 
 Reservation, finally entering the among others the San Francisco, 
 Gila Valley some few miles above Sierra Ancha, White, Apache and 
 Florence. Tlience, for nearly three Tonto Basin Mountains. Among 
 hundred miles, it winds through the the most important streams that 
 now famous Gila A'alley, eventually feed it may be mentioned the 
 merging into the larger stream at Verde River and Tonto, Raccoon, 
 Yuma. The entire course of the Cherry, Canon, Cibren, Carriyo, 
 river is erratic and irregular, as it Cedar, Pinal and Pinto creeks. Its 
 follows a naturally tortuous route general direction is west and south 
 caused by the diversified character until it empties into the Gila some 
 of the country traversed. The total distance below Phoenix, its entire 
 length, from its sources in New Mex- length closely approximating two 
 ico to its confluence with the Col- hundred miles. An important aid 
 orado, including its many windings, in increasing its volume is the heavy 
 is fully 650 miles. Before reaching rainfall about Prescott, amounting 
 the eastern boundary of Yuma during the past ten years, as shown 
 County it is fed by numerous rivers, by the reported observations of the 
 
United States signal service office at plains but that, if they were blessed 
 that place to an average of 15.18 with a uniform and timely rain- 
 inches annually. fall during the spring, summer and 
 
 Much of its waters are used in ir- fall, would produce an hundred 
 rigating its own valleys at Phoenix; fold. Water is the one great 
 but the Salt Eiver and the waste need; that supplied, everything 
 water of the Salt Eiver Valley irri- else follow^ like magic. The up- 
 gating canals is gradually returned, lands or mesas are uniformly a sandy 
 in part through sepage, to the Gila, or gravelly loam, deep and rich. 
 thereby augmenting the latter. The river bottoms called valley land 
 
 Other rivers like the Agua Fria, are alluvium and rich as the Nile, 
 
 Hassayampa, etc., bring down fur- which for thousands of years has 
 
 ther supplies draiued from the never tired, never failed, to respond 
 
 heavily timbered mountain regions to the touch of the husbandman. 
 
 traversed by them, finally pouring The Mohawk Valley is entirely bot- 
 
 their richly laden and precious fluids tom land and is inexhaustible. The 
 
 into the Gila. soil reaches to well-water, an aver- 
 
 „r ^ ^ . age depth of from ten to twelve feet. 
 
 Water Supply. ^ ^ 
 
 The water supplv to the Mohawk 
 
 Valley depends upon the Gila Eiver, ^ really new life is created by the 
 
 and, as will be seen from the detailed atmospheric elixir of the waning days 
 
 description of the Gila just given, ^^ ^^^« ^^^^ y^^^^'' ^^*^^ ^^'^ ^^^^^'^S 
 
 and from a special report on this ^'^'^''^ ^^ *^^^ ^^^^- ^^'^^' ^^'''''' ^^- 
 
 question hereto appended, it is more "^«^<^ perpetual sun, the few cloudy 
 
 than abundant. The lands to be ii- ^^^^ ^'^^^^ '^^^^' ^^^^^ '^'''^ ^° ^^«^^- 
 
 rigated from the Mohawk Canal em- ^""^^^ ^^'^ supremacy of the sun, 
 
 brace an area of 25,000 to 30,- "^^^'^ ^nd stars over this most hap- 
 
 000 acres, and experience ],^, V^^Y ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^- . 
 
 1 , 1 , , 1 • Even in the shortest days of wiii- 
 
 shown that three acres require -^ 
 
 T ,1 • J • 1 J? ter the sun IS bright and warm; and 
 
 less than one miner s inch of => i i t i 
 
 , .. ,1 • -, ,• mi fires, except for household work, 
 
 water tor their I'edemptiou. The > t > 
 
 n ^ ^ ■ i. ■ i. j: ^^ caii be entirely dispensed with, al- 
 
 Canal, when running at its full ca- j r ' 
 
 • , . 10AAA- 1 t i. though mornings and evenings a 
 
 pacity carries 12,000 inches 01 water, * . = *^ 
 
 T • , 1 T « o f.f.r\ few sticks in an open grate take 
 
 which leaves a surplus oi 2,000 . , ^ °. 
 • IT .on the slight chill of the air and im- 
 
 mches. In many very warm parts ° , . , . 
 
 c i.\ T, -a n " L ■ 5-1 part a warm glow that is pleasing to 
 
 of the racific Coast one miner s inch ^ ° ^ = 
 
 , , , (. T T the aged aud feeble. Frosts are so 
 
 IS apportioned to ten acres of land „ tt , , ,i , n 
 
 J- 1. -, , -, , lew and light that during years in 
 
 and lound to be ample. • ,, t , ^ -t, J^^ 
 
 ^ succession they do not even kill the 
 
 Laud— Soil. leaves on the tender cottonwood 
 
 Of good land — rich soil — Arizona trees, and the new growth forces off 
 
 has an abundance. It is desert only the old, almost changing a decidu- 
 
 in one respect, that of rainfall or ous plant to an evergreen. In Feb- 
 
 water. There are none of its broad ruary and March the oranges, lem- 
 
G — 
 
 ons, limes, apricots, peaches and 
 grapes begin to put forth their 
 bloom; and in April figsand apricots 
 ripen on the trees, and the first of 
 June sees perfect bunches of grapes 
 covered with bloom and fragrance, 
 hanging mellow and juicy on the 
 vines. AA^ith the least expenditure 
 of energy, fresh vegetables may be 
 served up with every meal for three 
 hundred and sixty-five days in the 
 year. These are but tlie mile- 
 stones marking the superlative ex- 
 cellence of the year in Mohawk 
 Valley. 
 
 AA^hat other countr}', however 
 blessed, can show a finer list or a 
 fairer record? Our climate, in short, 
 is the counterpart of that of Persia, 
 the latitude being almost identical. 
 
 ProdiietioiiK. 
 
 Being in the latitude of Persia, 
 with similar climate, it is not un- 
 reasonable to infer that there should 
 be a close relation in productions. 
 Of the cereals, all do equally well. 
 On the alluvium along the river 
 from 40 to 60 bushels of wheat per 
 acre can be raised, and jiroportion- 
 ately of oats and barley. Corn can 
 be grown whether planted very early 
 or very late. Sorghum and the true 
 cane grow luxuriantly. Cotton be- 
 comes a perennial, plants in Yuma 
 having grown from one seeding 
 twelve years in succession. The 
 lint may be gathered continually 
 from June to January. The castor 
 bean grows into miniature trees and 
 is as long lived as many of the orna- 
 mental trees of more northern lati- 
 tudes. Hemp is indigenous, its fibre 
 being of good quality. IJame will 
 do equally well as hemp, and the 
 
 time will come when its cultivation 
 will be an important industry. The 
 same may be said of fiax and tobacco. 
 But it is in the realm of Pomoiui 
 where the infinite riches of this 
 country will be specially found. All 
 the citrous fruits are at home. The 
 orange, the lemon and the lime 
 make fragrant with blossoms and 
 fruit all the days of the year, and 
 such oranges, lemons and limes as 
 grow nowhere else in the United 
 States. Mexico and the islands of 
 the sea do not produce such oranges ; 
 in size, flavor and color they are 
 simply perfect. The lemons are the 
 equals of Sicily. The lime is as 
 large, juicy and purely acid as those 
 of Acapulco, Mexico, whence Cali- 
 fornia draws its main supply. The 
 date grows as rapidly and is as 
 healthy as in Persia or Arabia, and 
 will in time become an important 
 tree, for its fruit as well as for orna- 
 mental purposes. The long-lived 
 olive is at home here and will add 
 its contingent of oil and pickles to 
 the wealth of the land. From April 
 to December the fig may be gath- 
 ered in perfection from the trees. 
 All the pitted fruits whose home is 
 Persia grow with an ahanddn. grace 
 and beauty unknown elsewhere on 
 this continent. And what shall we 
 say of the endless grape family, the 
 fruits of which ripen here more than 
 a month in advance of any other 
 locality ? Neither Morocco, Spain, 
 France nor Hungary, that have 
 sent us their finest varieties, can 
 excel the Mohawk A^alley for pro- 
 ductiveness, size and flavor of their 
 grapes ; our grapes are simply un- 
 surpassable. 
 
The list of productions already this matchless valley. All that re- 
 given, although long, might be ex- mains for the purposes of this 
 tended almost indefinitely, for every- sketch is to add the testimony of 
 thing native to the semi-tropics may disinterested observers whose ut- 
 be added. This, however, is not terances will certainly be free from 
 necessary, for in those already men- the charge of self-interest, 
 tioned are noted possibilities of lux- Very respectfully, 
 ury and wealth for those who settle GEO. W. NOETON. 
 and cultivate the wonderful soil of 
 
 THE AVATER SUPPLY OF THE IWOHA^VK VAEEEY. 
 
 BY 
 
 George W. NoRTOisr, C. E. 
 
 Mohawk, Arizona, ) rains in southeastern Arizona and 
 Sept. 3, 1892. \ northern Sonora, Mexico. 
 F. V. McDonald. rj^,}^^ appropriation or location of 
 
 Dear Sir : As per your request I water for the Mohawk Canal was 
 submit the following report on the made in May, 1883, which gives the 
 water supply of Mohawk Valley : Mohawk Canal the prior right 
 The itioliawk Canal overall canals located or constructed 
 
 has a capacity of 12,000 miner's since that date. Up to May, 1883, 
 inches of water. The grade of the there were only a few small ditches 
 canal is two feet per mile. Grade taken from the Gila Kiver. From 
 at head of the canal is level with n^J own observations, extending 
 the bottom of the river, so that any over a period of fifteen years, 
 water in the river will enter the canal, since June 1, 1877, there have 
 
 This being the case, the water been but three seasons in which 
 supply during any month of the t^ere was any shortage of water, and 
 year depends on the amount of then only for such a short time that 
 water in the river, but any water ^o damage to trees could occur ; 
 in the river yields abundance for all these short spells were in August, 
 j;^pgflg 1883, four weeks; in August, 1888, 
 
 The Gila Eiver has two seasons of ten days and in August, 1892, 
 high water each year : the first liigh ±'onr weeks ; but there is now a rise 
 water during the month of February, of the river reported from Florence, 
 which co)nes from melting snows on This shows that for fifteen years 
 the mountain ranges in northern the water supply has been abundant, 
 Arizona and New Mexico ; the sec- with the exception of the brief 
 ond high water, during the months periods mentioned above, that are of 
 of July, August or September, some "o practical moment, 
 seasons earlier and some later, lours truly, 
 
 which comes from the summer GEO. W. NORTON, C. E. 
 
DISINTERESTED TESTIIWOW OF THE HERITS OF 
 
 MOHAAVK VAEEEY AND THE BASI.V OF THE 
 
 <-REAT XORTII AMERICAN NTEE. 
 
 The first witness Ave shall put 
 ui)on the stand is Joaquin Miller, 
 " the Poet of the Sierras," than 
 whom none will be found more com- 
 petent or more impartial. 
 
 The North Aiiierioaii Nile. 
 
 By Joaquix Miller. 
 
 In an article published in the 
 New York Indejienclent, on August 
 2d, 1888, he says : 
 
 In the second place, " Casa 
 drande" is an old ruin — a very 
 old ruin. Many men will calmly 
 assert and assure you over and 
 over again that this is but the 
 relic of a temporary occupation by 
 the Spaniards when tracking this 
 land in search of the ''Seven Cities 
 of Gold." The truth is, Alvar 
 Nunez de A^aca visited the ruins of 
 Casa (Irande about the year 1538. 
 A detailed account of his discovery 
 of these ruins I have myself read in 
 the library of Mexico. And the 
 anti(|uity of these and other ruins 
 in this region makes up a very im- 
 portant fact in the testimony of the 
 case, which I should like to present 
 to the world in this brief paper. 
 Let this, then, be well settled in 
 your mind ; these ruins of Arizona, 
 or '' Arizuna," as the Spaniards 
 called this region of the Gila and 
 Colorado, are old, older than his- 
 tory — as old maybe as the oldest 
 ruins on the Nile of Egypt. This 
 region then was once densely peo- 
 pled. No allurements of gold, no 
 lust of conquest, nothing at all but 
 the generous soil and the genial 
 climate built up a city here ; many 
 cities, indeed, up and down the 
 land, that must have rivaled in 
 
 splendor and extent the storied 
 cities of the Nile of old. . If, then, 
 the simple, primitive and half-civ- 
 ilized people of the dead-past made 
 a garden of this land where the world 
 lias always insisted and insists now 
 on locating a desert, can we not do 
 something Avith our plows, our 
 ditches, our dozens of improved 
 methods? Let us try and get doAvn 
 to the facts of this contradiction and 
 see who is at fault. Let us see 
 whether it is in the land, the climate, 
 or the people themselves. 
 
 The first bananas I ever saw I 
 saw here in the valley of this North 
 American Nile, near what is now 
 Fort Yuma, I think ; although the 
 place Avas then called Colorado and 
 afterAA'ard Arizona City. And 
 richer, sweeter, or better bananas I 
 never ate. I Avas with some Mexi- 
 cans who Avere engaged in driving 
 horses to Northern California, and 
 they bought large bunches from the 
 Indians. Noav it is just possible 
 that this fruit had been groAvn in 
 Mexico, or about the mouth of the 
 Colorado, and had been brougiit up 
 the river in boats ; but my recollec- 
 tion is that it was groAvn right there 
 Avhere Ave got it. I remember, at 
 least, that Ave had bananas until we 
 reached San ]5ernardino. This Avas 
 more than thirty years ago. And 
 why, you ask, has this region not 
 been converted into a garden and 
 ])re})ared so as to furiiish our peo- 
 ple with this fruit? Simply because 
 Ave have been seeking for gold, 
 listening to tales aboiit Indians, and 
 looking aAvay up at the Avonders of 
 the (J rand Canon. "We have not 
 been able in all these years to get 
 
— 9 — 
 
 our faces bent down to the soil of 
 the Colorado. 
 
 Looking back to those early days 
 I remember the banks of the Colo- 
 rado as the most green and flowery 
 and altogether delicious land I ever 
 beheld. I have spent two winters 
 in Upper Egypt, and so have thor- 
 oughly seen about all the Nile has 
 to offer ; yet I am bound to say that 
 in my recollection the first of these 
 two views takes precedence for ver- 
 dure and fertility. 
 
 Gaunt, red and dirt-brown 
 camels, a few lazy and lousy asses, 
 one-eyed Arabs in very short shirts, 
 a few lonely and leaning palms 
 swaying in the sandy wind, that is 
 the prospect as you are dragged up 
 the drowsy Nile of Egypt. I have 
 not steamed up and down the Colo- 
 rado, or the North American Nile, 
 from the Sea of Cortez or Gulf of 
 California to the Grand Canon as 
 many have, but I have traveled on 
 horseback a portion of that distance, 
 and as a traveler whose trade is the 
 study and comparison of lands, I 
 unhesitatingly testify that the air, 
 the outlook, the sense of a vital soil, 
 that spice of possibilities, which you 
 clearly feel yet but feebly express, 
 is altogether with this great tawny 
 river of the New AVorld, the Colo- 
 rado. As for the fertility of the 
 soil-sand, if you prefer to call it 
 sand, of the Colorado, let there be no 
 two opinions. This river was not 
 born in the Grand Canon by a great 
 deal. It drains many lands. The 
 sublime slopes of the Rocky Moun- 
 tains feed the Colorado with their 
 fei'tility the whole year through. 
 Perpetual snow and perpetual sun 
 contribute year in and year out 
 their riches to the nourishment of 
 the Colorado and its alluvial banks. 
 Look at your map and trace the 
 meandering tributaries that are in- 
 terlaced with the waters of the 
 Columbia and the Missouri in the 
 heart of the Rocky Mountains. The 
 
 very sands of a river so supplied 
 must be as rich as gold. And, lest 
 you may have some doul)ts about 
 the fertility of these sand-dunes that 
 lie along and a little back from the 
 river's bank, permit me to call your 
 attention to the shifting, drifting 
 and blowing banks of sand that 
 once lay between " Seal Rocks " and 
 San Erancisco. These sands had 
 been washed down in the long cen- 
 turies from the Sierras through the 
 Sacramento River. They seemed to 
 be as barren as snow-banks. They 
 were as migratory as gypsies, and 
 moved up and down the land with 
 all the exasperating irregularity of 
 the scale of figures in the reports of 
 the stock market. One pioneer, a 
 personal friend of mine, who at- 
 tempted to settle doAvn and locate a 
 homestead on these shifting dunes 
 of sand in the early days of Cali- 
 fornia, told me that he actually tried 
 to stake his land down and hold it 
 still by spreading blankets on it and 
 then driving pegs through the 
 blankets. But failing to hold his 
 real estate still even by this process 
 he abandoned it in despair and went 
 back to the mines. 
 
 And meanwhile what has become 
 of the blowy and drifting sand- 
 dunes that my friend in the early 
 days of California tried to hold down 
 with pegs and blankets back of San 
 Erancisco toward Seal Rocks ? They 
 are in the heart of the most beauti- 
 ful park in the world — a veritable 
 garden of roses. 
 
 I assert that the same thing can he 
 done tvith every sand-dune within 
 reach of the waters of the Colorado 
 River or the Gila either. A i/, more; 
 much more. For the banana, every 
 one of the six hundred varieties of 
 fig, indeed all fruits, all fioirers of 
 the semi-tropical lands, can he made 
 tofloui-isli on the haul's of this Xorth 
 American Nile. 
 
 I read, under the authority of the 
 Government surveyors, that there 
 
— 10 — 
 
 are sixteen thousand !-f|uure miles of 
 these Colorado and (Jihi sand-dunes 
 — deserts? — lying below the level of 
 the waters of these two great rivers. 
 Stick a pin here — if you have not 
 the enterprise to stick a peg in the 
 ground there and get ])ossession of 
 a little land — and watch the devel- 
 opment that must be born of these 
 facts. With all the Xorthern States 
 waiting for a better quality of trop- 
 ical and semi-tropical fruits, waiting 
 for something better than wild 
 fruits gathered by half-wild people 
 and shipped to them in a green and 
 half- rotten condition, and with sun, 
 soil, water — what may we not ex- 
 pect with this vantage-ground be- 
 fore us from the banks of the Xorth 
 American Xile? 
 
 I am constantly receiving letters 
 from peojile in the States asking for 
 advice about land. I cannot answer 
 these letters. I cannot even read 
 them : for I must work for the many 
 not for the few, and my time is not 
 my own in this work. But 1 will 
 say this much right here : Settle on 
 these warm, healthful and responsive 
 sand-dunes of the Colorado or Gila, 
 and lead the waters over your land. 
 There is no malaria there. A svn- 
 stroke was never heard of there. 
 You can ivork all day in the sun 
 at a temperature that would kill 
 you in ten minutes in the States. 
 Why? I don't know ; pnrity (f the 
 air, I reckon. 
 
 Every word of the foregoing ap- 
 plies as directly and forcibly to the 
 Mohawk valley as though it had been 
 penned specially for it, and is a 
 tribute as disinterested, as truthful 
 and impartial. Mr. Miller when 
 impelled to cast his "bread upon 
 the waters " of eternal progress, saw 
 with the prescience of the Pro])het 
 the infinite possibilities of this 
 "wonder" land, that only awaits 
 the vivifying touch of waters to 
 make it '* blossom as the rose " and 
 bring forth of grain and fruits a 
 hundred fold. 
 
 FiMtiii lilt' Toiiipc Xows. 
 
 The editor of the Tempe (Ari- 
 zona) Neivs, under date of June IG, 
 1888, said : 
 
 Last week a representative of the 
 Xews was called on business to visit 
 that flourishing little city on the 
 Kio Colorado, which has been so 
 badly slandered by Joe Pluenix's 
 story of the soldier and his blankets. 
 A call at the Sentinel otlice found 
 Hon. -T. W. Dorrington, editor and 
 proprietor of that very newsy journal, 
 at home. Mr. Dorrington at once 
 took us in charge, and under his 
 able guidance we saw Yuma as she 
 is, and we freely confess, upon the 
 estimation of results obtained, in 
 the production of early fruits, 
 Yuma has nothing to fear by com- 
 parison with the most favored points 
 of Southern California or even our 
 own Salt River valley. 
 
 Most of the gard-ens were visited, 
 in all of which were found orange, 
 lemon and lime trees bending under 
 the weight of fruit. In the garden 
 of J)r. .1. H. Taggart were to be seen 
 several grapevines of the Black 
 Hamburg variety, laden with lus- 
 cious fruit, the first of the season 
 being picked on Saturday, June '.'d. 
 AVe venture the assertion that no 
 other locality in the Southwest can 
 show up such a record. The profits 
 to be reaped by the person who can 
 produce and ship, in quantity, ripe 
 grapes by the middle of .Tune, are 
 almost incalculable, and if tliere is a 
 place in the United States where 
 this can be done, that place is Yuma. 
 In the gardens of Alessrs. Norton, 
 Lyons, (iandolfo and others were 
 also to be seen large bunches of ripe 
 Zinfaiulel and Muscatelle gra)ies. 
 
 Judge C. H. Brinley has, in his 
 garden, a large bearing olive tree, the 
 fruit of which is well developed and 
 has a healthy ap})earance. He also 
 has cotton stalks seven years old, 
 that are now covered with balls. 
 Bananas flourish in this section and 
 numerous specimens were to be seen. 
 
— 11 — 
 
 Testiiiioiiy from the St. I..oiiis of the early market, when the prices 
 
 Ciiobe Democrat. are high. For six weeks in early 
 
 A correspondent of the St. Louis summer will Yuma be able to mo- 
 
 Glohe- Democrat, writing from i^i- nopolize the market for fresh grapes, 
 
 ma, under date of Xovember 2d, apricots, peaches, plums and km- 
 
 1888, says : dred varieties of fruits, while oranges 
 
 The 'lands between the Colorado ''^^^^'^ bananas will mature at all sea- 
 and Santa Cruz rivers, in Arizona, sons of the year. Vegetables and 
 are perhaps the richest and most garden produce, and all the small 
 productive of any in the United fnnts, can be marketed during every 
 {States. In this arid country the month of the year, and the farmer 
 greatest thing is water. A number and orchardist will enjoy a perpet- 
 of irrigating canals are completed "^^ income of handsome propor- 
 and paying handsome dividends, tio^^s. It will require only a knowl- 
 The supply of water is obtained from edge of these great advantages to 
 the Colorado and Gila rivers. Over create such a demand for lands in 
 100 miles of canals are now built, that vicinity that prices will run up 
 and as many more under contract far above those now prevailing m 
 and Iniilding. Fully a half million Southern California. The old set- 
 acres of desert land are filed upon tiers of southern Arizona have long 
 in the Salt River and (iila river known the value m which that sec- 
 valleys waiting the construction of tion would eventually be held, al- 
 ])roposed canals so that water can be though they have lacked the enter- 
 obtained for agricultural and horti- P^ise to push the reclamation of its 
 cultural purposes. All fruits of lands. Now the matter has taken 
 Southern California and Florida practical shape, and it is only a 
 grow to perfection. Small grains qnestion of the time necessary to con- 
 and alfalfa yield immense crops. struct the great canal. The water 
 
 supply is enormous and cannot be 
 
 n *i ^-#- .. exhausted, and its diversion to the 
 
 From tlie Citizen. ' j. i j • i ii 
 
 purposes intended was evidently a 
 
 In April, 1887, the editor of the design of the great Hand that shaped 
 
 Citizen, published in Tucson, A. T., the contour of that much abused 
 
 wrote as follows: but highly favored portion of the 
 
 That Yuma County is destined to territory. We can readily antici- 
 experience a gigantic boom, and a pate a time when Yuma will dis- 
 lasting one, every person that knows play her metropolitan frills, and 
 aught of its wonderful opportunities command the homage of the whole 
 will readily believe. The con- Territory, 
 struction of the proposed irrigat- 
 ing canal will cause the laiu! to *"'•«'" «»**' Arizona Gazette. 
 yield returns of a fabulous value Where so many disinterested peo- 
 when cultivated. It is the natural pie declare the same thing, the truth 
 home of the citrus fruits and the must be near at hand. While there 
 grape, and indeed fruits of all is a seeming repetition in the edi- 
 kinds flourish in the highest state torials and correspondence quoted, 
 of perfection. The fact that its it is more interesting reading on the 
 season is fully six weeks ahead of the subject than could otherwise be 
 most advanced portions of Califor- given, for these productions are the 
 nia's fruit belt, and the facilities for candid expressions or opinions of 
 quick transportation either east or men personally unknown to each 
 west give to it the special advan- other and unaware what the others 
 tages to be derived from the control had said or might say. The follow- 
 
— 12 — 
 
 ing article from the Gazette, pub- 
 lished in Pho'iiix, Maricopa County, 
 appeared in its daily for August 14, 
 ISSI, long prior to either of the 
 foregoing. It says : 
 
 No more promising country exists 
 on the Pacific coast that the great 
 (iila Valley, which extends from the 
 Colorado River at Yuma up to 
 within a few miles of Phcenix, which 
 is now attracting the attention of 
 cai)italists, both east and west. At 
 various times the Gazette has called 
 attention to its merits, believing 
 that its development will add 
 very materially to the prosperity 
 of this city and the territory at 
 large. 
 
 The (iila Piver is the largest and 
 most important stream in Arizona. 
 Its head is among the mountains 
 and high tablelands of New Mexico, 
 where it is fed by copious summer 
 rains and winter snows. It bisects 
 the Territory from east to west, 
 leaving the larger part on the north. 
 It has the San Francisco, San Pedro, 
 Santa Cruz, Salt Kiver, Agua Fria 
 and Hassayam])a as tributaries 
 within Arizona, and numerous lesser 
 streams in New Mexico. It will be 
 seen by this that its watershed is 
 capable of keeping up an abundant 
 flow for all the arable lands along its 
 borders. The soil is a deep, rich, al- 
 luvial deposit, capable of receiving 
 water freely when applied for irri- 
 gating purposes. It is retentive of 
 moisture to a marked degi'ee, two irri- 
 gations producing crops of wheat and 
 barley. Alfalfa has been known to 
 stand two years without irrigation, 
 affording two cuttings for hay, and 
 fair pasturage the renuiinder of the 
 year. This is owing to the land's free- 
 dom from clay, or, as more commonly 
 called, adobe. Its depth is from 
 twelve to twenty feet, therefore 
 practically inexhaustible. It is 
 sufficiently high above the river 
 bed to protect it from overflow- 
 ing during the highest stages of the 
 river. 
 
 I'rodiiclitiiiM. 
 
 In lU) part of semi-ti'opie America 
 is there a wider range of productions. 
 At Yuma the orange, lemon and lime 
 grow to a perfection unexcelled any- 
 where on the North American con- 
 tinent. The lemons are the e(pial of 
 the famous Sicily product, and the 
 limes as large, thin skinned and juicy 
 as those of Mexico, than which no 
 superiors are known. The trees, 
 owing to the dry, warm atmosphere 
 during the year, are exempt from 
 the ills that are decimating the 
 boasted groves of Southern Califor- 
 nia. The lower Gila, from Gila 
 Bend to Yuma, is the true citrus 
 belt of the United States, and will 
 become so recognized at no distant 
 day. 
 
 Baiiaiia!». 
 
 The banana is grown and suc- 
 cessfully fruited a.t Yuma also, and 
 will, it is believed, become a staple 
 product when the various canal en- 
 terprises more fully open up the 
 country for settlement. It is not 
 the aim of the Gazette nor the ])io- 
 neers of that country to send abroad 
 any extravagant statements in rela- 
 tion to this or any other fruit that 
 may be successfully grown in this 
 region, and before being prei)ared 
 to make the above statement it in- 
 terviewed the Hon. H. N. Alex- 
 ander and his estimable wife, whose 
 home prior to coming to Pluenix Avas 
 at ^'uma, who confirmed all that it 
 had previously heard on this subject; 
 with such authority it feels safe in 
 saying to intending emigrants that 
 the banana can be profitably grown 
 along the lower Gila as high up as 
 Aztec Station, and (experience may 
 determine as far as (iila Pend. 
 
 The Olivo. 
 
 This tree of trees, as some Euro- 
 pean writers term it, is growing 
 in luxuriance in this city, as also 
 in Yuma, where the trees are laden 
 with fruit. Like the citrus fruit, 
 it is free from scale bug. that pest 
 
— 13 — 
 
 of California. Olives are the long- 
 est lived of any of the fruits grown 
 by man, and more profitahle. It is 
 likewise the richest as food, and 
 furnishes an oil that has a market 
 in every civilized community. Tlie 
 demand for the pickled fruit and 
 the oil increased faster than the suj)- 
 ply heretofore ; there is no imme- 
 diate prospect of a falling off in 
 prices. This tree, like the ass, whose 
 origin is in the same region as that 
 of the olive, is capable of enduring 
 more ill usage at the hands of man, 
 whose benefactor it is, than any 
 known tree or plant. 
 
 Grapes and Pitted Fruit. 
 
 It is not generally known that Ari- 
 zona is in the same hititude as Persia, 
 the home of the grape, the peach, 
 the apricot and kindred fruit. Such, 
 however, is the case. The climate 
 and territorial conditions are the 
 counterparts of each other. Persia 
 is a succession of mountains and 
 plains, fertile valleys and sterile 
 deserts. The valleys have been made 
 productive by the labor and intelli- 
 gence of man, who has conducted 
 upon them waters that come flowing- 
 down from the snow-capped mount- 
 ains the same as the hardy sons of 
 toil are doing to-day in the country 
 under consideration. It is an axiom 
 as old as the hills that like causes 
 and conditions will produce like re- 
 sults, therefore, it is no wonder that 
 grapes, peaches, apricots, nectarines, 
 pomegranates and dates, should be 
 as much at home in the Gila coun- 
 try as in its Asiatic counterpart. 
 
 The Seasons. 
 
 Who is there that has not heard 
 that stale old story about the dead 
 soldier who waking up in Hades 
 sent back for his blankets, the 
 climate being so much colder there 
 than in Yuma, from whence he 
 hailed. It will, no doubt, surprise 
 most people to learn that the annual 
 temperature of this much belied 
 
 place averages the same thi-ongh- 
 out the year as Anaheim, Cali- 
 fornia, the heat being no greater 
 and the cold not more severe. This 
 statement is made upon the author- 
 ity of the Southern Pacific Com- 
 pany's publication, than which none 
 are more reliable. This point set- 
 tled, the bugaboo that has hereto- 
 fore restrained people from settling 
 in the Gila Valley, gives place to 
 matter of fact statements that must 
 inevitably attract a desirable class of 
 settlers. The orange, lemon and 
 lime matures earlier in Yuma than 
 in Florida, and months before they 
 reach perfection in California. Early 
 in June the grape puts on its bloom 
 of ripeness and by the middle of that 
 month they make their appearance 
 in great profusion. The apricots 
 and other pitted fruits are corre- 
 spondingly early. This gives a whole 
 long month the advantage over the 
 most favored spots in California. 
 
 What This Heans. 
 
 To the pomologist the above facts 
 convey a world of meaning. They 
 foreshadow an unlimited demand at a 
 time when the markets of the world 
 are sure of the choicer and more deli- 
 cate fruits for which there is an ever- 
 lasting craving. They mean such 
 jn-ices as will make the pockets fat 
 and the hearts glad. The most 
 conservative man can see hundreds 
 of dollars an acre profit, while the 
 sanguine will figure it out a thou- 
 sand dollars and upwards. It means 
 that those lands will have a market 
 value, at no distant day, of a thou- 
 sand dollars an acre and upwards, 
 when supplied with the necessary 
 water to reclaim them from their 
 desert nature. Two years ago a 
 gentleman by the name of Alverado, 
 planted fifteen pounds of Irish po- 
 tatoes on a piece of low bottom that 
 had been overflowed, and harvested 
 seven sacks, or over seven hundred 
 pounds. He is doubtful if this 
 record has ever been excelled. 
 
— 14 — 
 
 AM UXKXOWX REGIOX. little short of a miracle. The flavor 
 
 of the grai^es was of a superior qual- 
 
 Yiiiiia and her l»o««««ibi lilies ity, wholly unlike that usually found 
 
 Beals tlie World for among the early grapes. 
 
 Early Fruits. A ]iarty of gentlemen formed a 
 
 T, i.\ T> 7 1 /-I T4- • n-'- company for the purpose of running 
 ):^YornthQ I >u roan ktalif or nia limes, .i . - . i j; l\ ^^■^ 
 
 ^QQQ ■ an irrigating canal irom the (rila 
 
 ^^^^ • lliver through the Mohawk Valley, 
 
 Our business is such that it calls which contains about 30,000 acres of 
 
 us to almost every section in South- very excellent land, which can be 
 
 ern California, and gives us excel- reached by tJie system being intro- 
 
 lent opportunities to note the merits duced; the canal can be made.if need 
 
 and demerits of one section over the be, to carry 30,000 inches of water, 
 
 other. Saturday we went down to and is as substantial as if made of 
 
 Yuma — 735 miles from San Fran- granite. 
 
 Cisco, on the Arizona side of the The future of the Mohawk Valley 
 Colorado River, and returned on is hard to limit, for it must surely 
 Monday. become the leader of early and good 
 Yuma is on one side of the Col- fruits. The soil and sunshine are 
 orado desert, but has another of there, and the water will be in bound- 
 pretty good proportions on the east less quantities, and nothing is want- 
 of her. The country surrounding ing to produce the desired result, 
 the town has not been improved, al- 
 though there were thousands of The Oila Valley. 
 acres of good land, it was not thought There is ])robably no compact body 
 that it was capable of producing of agricultural land in the whole 
 anything, and the second thought world that will e(|ual in area and fer- 
 was hardly given it. Four years tility the valley of (iila, commencing 
 ago the Southern Pacific Company at Florence and ending at Vuma. in- 
 made a reservoir at Yuma and in- eluding the Salt Iliver valley. It is 
 troduced a system of delivery ; prior more than 200 miles in length with 
 to that time water was secured by an average width of perhaj)s 20 miles, 
 carrying it from the Colorado River, and there is sufficient Avater to irri- 
 and theground wasdevoidof all veg- gate every foot of it. The capabili- 
 etation ; but since water was dis- ties of production of this vast tract 
 tributed many gardens have been of land is something almost incredi- 
 planted, and vines and fruits have ble to those wlio have not witnessed 
 been growing profusely and prolific- the prolific growth of vegetation in 
 ally. 'J'hrough the kindness of Southern Arizona. Fverything the 
 Brother I )orrington, we were permit- temperate zoiuf produces will flourish 
 ted to inspect the garden of Mrs. here, and many tropic and semi-trop- 
 GeorgeXorton: the vines, trees, flow- ical fruits and plants grow exceed- 
 ers, etc. , were planted about two years ingly well. There is hardly a variety 
 ago, and the growth and maturity from the deciduous fruits of the 
 that has been attained makes one most northern states to the delicate 
 think that they must be fully four citrus productions of the soutliern 
 years old. TJ rapes were picked in countries, tliat cannot be successfully 
 this garden June 2d that were per- grown in this valley, and the tropical 
 fectly filled and fully ripe — about banana and the date are readily cul- 
 five weeks earlier than the nroduc- tivated with little care. This wide 
 tion of any other locality on the range of j)roduction, in addition to 
 Coast. The growth is truly wonder- the long seasons, in which from two 
 ful, ajid the early production but a to four croj)s mature during a single 
 
— 15 
 
 year, presents a wonderful array of 
 advantages that are apparent to the 
 most casual observer. In addition 
 to these, there is an exclusive supply 
 of the earliest and most profitable 
 market enjoyed by its fruit raisers, 
 involving rare benefits that no other 
 section enjoys. The climate is all 
 that mankind can wish for, the pure, 
 dry atmosphere being especially bene- 
 ficial to invalids and luxurious to the 
 robust. There are absolutely none 
 of the evils that afflict dwellers in 
 other localities, and all the conditions 
 of health and prosperity are concen- 
 trated in this marvelous region. 
 The time is close at hand when this 
 valley will support a dense popula- 
 tion of happy and prosperous people, 
 and it will acquire fame throughout 
 the world as the nearest approach to 
 an earthly paradise. — Florence En- 
 tei'jjrise. 
 
 RECORD OF EARLY PRO- 
 DUCTIONS. 
 
 Like the early bird that catches 
 the worm, it is the early fruit that 
 catches the market, and brings the 
 highest price. In its issue of June 
 2, 1888, the Yuma Sentinel con- 
 tained the following record : 
 
 " The Indians are bringing into 
 market large quantities of green corn 
 and young squash. 
 
 "A shipment of luscious, ripe 
 muskmelons were received here this 
 week from Antelope Valley. 
 
 " Five white Adriatic figs picked 
 from Espinosa's garden on Tuesday 
 Aveighed twenty-six ounces ; five and 
 one-fifth ounces per fig is not a bad 
 showing. 
 
 " Ripe watermelons have been 
 picked on Bossung's ranch near 
 town, since May 25th. The melons 
 are fully ripe, sweet and of ordinary 
 size. 
 
 " Yesterday as the north-bound 
 Overland passed through Selma 
 (Fresno County, California) a gen- 
 tleman handed out a bunch of green 
 
 grapes. The berries were nearly 
 full grown and the bunch was well 
 filled. A card attached to the bunch 
 bore the words, 'Yuma Grapes,' 
 written on the business card of J. W. 
 Dorrington, publisher of the Ari- 
 zona Sentinel. The grapes around 
 Selma are growing rapidly, but we 
 do not know of any as large as those 
 received from our Southern friends. 
 — Selema Irrigator." 
 
 At Yuma. 
 
 Mr. 0. F. Thornton, one of the 
 incorporators of the South Gila 
 Canal Company ; Curt W. Miller, of 
 Tempe; C. H. Mauk and W. T. 
 Woods, Jr., prominent business 
 men of Maricopa County, paid this 
 office a sociable visit on Wednesday 
 evening. The gentlemen visited 
 most of the gardeiis in the town and 
 were very much pleased with the 
 orange, lemon and lime trees which 
 are heavily laden with fruit. They 
 also found our grapes and pomegra- 
 nates already ripe and the olive trees 
 full of splendid fruit. The gentle- 
 men from the Salt River Valley were 
 very much astonished to find that 
 most fruits mature earlier here than 
 they do in Phoenix. — Yuma Sentinel, 
 June 9, 1888. 
 
 The San Fraiieisco Daily Chroni- 
 cle of June 20, 18S8, said : 
 
 " A bunch of Tokay grapes raised 
 near Yuma City, A. T., was re- 
 ceived at this office yesterday. It 
 was sent by the editor of the Senti- 
 nel, and evidently designed as a re- 
 minder of the fact that for early 
 fruits Arizona, especially that region 
 near the Colorado River, can beat 
 any other section of our glorious 
 Union. The grapes were fully 
 matured." 
 
 On July 21, 1888, the Sentinel 
 had the following : 
 
 " Hiram W\ Blaisdell sent a box of 
 'Niagara' and 'Rose of Peru' 
 grapes to Concord, Mass., some time 
 
— 16 — 
 
 ago and they reached their destina- 
 tion in first-class condition. The 
 former variety Avere grown at Pay- 
 master and the latter at Yuma.'' 
 
 And again on Angust 4, 1S88 : 
 " Phu'iiix shipped her first car 
 load of Muscat grapes July 25 ; 
 nearly four weeks after Muscat 
 grapes were perfectly ripe here.'' 
 
 " Captain Fred W. Smith, of Mo- 
 hawk Valley, planted watermelons 
 on his ranch May "iTth, and on July 
 31st presented this oflice with a fine, 
 ripe watermelon weighing thirty- 
 seven pounds, just sixty-four days 
 from the day the seed was planted. 
 Captain Smith's ranch is one of the 
 best in the valley." 
 
 Ttie following items were repro- 
 duced in the Sentinel on July 21, 
 1888: 
 
 '' Miss Ella l^urton, of Yuma, 
 Ariz., has sent the Courier a box 
 containing several varieties of the 
 excellent grapes grown in that far- 
 away land. Nothing of the kind was 
 ever before seen in this city. They 
 came through sound as a dollar and 
 were highly appreciated by all in 
 the office. It is comforting to be 
 thus remembered by friends who 
 have gone from us for other homes." 
 — CliarlestoH {111.) Courier. 
 
 " Many thanks are due ])r. Tag- 
 gart, of Arizona, by the hand 
 of his sister, Mrs. A. E, Rowley, for 
 a couple of nice bunches of ripe 
 grapes grown this season. They 
 began to ripen about the first of 
 June, and although a little too ripe 
 for long shi2)ment nevertheless were 
 fine looking and of excellent flavor. 
 Wisconsin oaks have only fairly 
 donned their summer hue when 
 Arizona grapes are in full fruitage. 
 — Evansville {Wis.) Review.''' 
 
 From the Sentinel, October Gtli, 
 1888: 
 
 ''Watermelons of the largest and 
 luscious varieties are still common. 
 
 ''Mr. Wills, of Aztec, Yuma 
 County, dug a sweet potato last 
 week weighing twenty-five pounds."' 
 
 From the Sentinel, November 7th. 
 1888: 
 
 " Our splendid oranges and 
 lemons are the first to ripen on the 
 Pacific Coast. 
 
 " I'he finest oranges and lemons 
 on the Pacific Coast are grown right 
 here in ^'uma. 
 
 " For fragrant flowers, daily 
 sunshine and the best climate in the 
 world, come to Yuma County."' 
 
 From the Sentinel, December 
 15, 1888: 
 
 " Senator Leland Stanford and 
 wife arrived here, in their private car, 
 on last Saturday morning. Mr. O. 
 F. Thornton presented the Senator 
 with some Yuma oranges, lemons, 
 figs and olives, which were accepted 
 with great j)leasnre by Mr. Stanford, 
 who was astonished to learn that we 
 raised oUch fruit here. He said 
 that Y'unia County was bound to be- 
 come a great agricultural and fruit- 
 raising section. Before his depart- 
 ure he told Mr. Thornton that he 
 would take good care of the fruit, as 
 he intended exhibiting the same on 
 the floor of the United States Senate 
 to show what can be done by irriga- 
 tion in a country that was formerly 
 believed to be a desert. 
 
 " Olives are ripening fast. 
 
 'MVhite Adriatic figs, ripe and 
 delicious, are abundant in the gar- 
 dens here. 
 
 '•'Watermelons and cantaloupes 
 are still plentiful. 
 
 '' The display of our citrus 
 fruit on the floor of the U. S. Senate 
 by Governor Stanford will be a 
 great anvertisement for Yuma 
 county, the garden-spot of Arizona." 
 
 The foregoing closes the record 
 for 1888, and the most skeptical will 
 have to admit that it is an enviable 
 one. That for 1 889 up to date of June 
 15th is no less remarkable. 
 
— 17 
 
 The record for 1889 begins with 
 February 16th, quoting from the 
 Sentinel: 
 
 " The apricot, orange, lime and 
 lemon trees are in blossom. 
 
 '•' The fig trees and grape vines are 
 in leaf, and in many of the village 
 gardens some of the vines have al- 
 ready made a new growth of several 
 inches." 
 
 Saturday, April 20th, 1889, same 
 paper : 
 
 ^' Plant more stiawberriesand Lo- 
 qiiat plums ; ' there's millions in 
 it.' 
 
 " The grape vines have shed their 
 blossoms and are now full of large 
 clusters of fruit. 
 
 " Plant persimmons, pecans and 
 pineapples ; they will do well in the 
 Gila and Colorado valleys. 
 
 " Ripe figs, mulberries and apri- 
 cots in Yuma gardens April 14th. 
 How is the above record, neighbors, 
 for early fruits ? 
 
 " Ripe figs picked in Judge C. H. 
 Brinley's garden April 14th." 
 
 On Hay 31sl, 1889, llie San 
 Franci§co Chronicle had the 
 lolloAving- about the most 
 favored locality in the State of 
 California : 
 
 " The first ripe figs of this sea- 
 son's growth w. re received in this 
 city May 34th, and came from Palm 
 Valley, San Diego County, on the 
 line of the .Southern Pacific Railroad. 
 A box of the fruit was received at 
 the C/iro/?ic/e office, comprising spe- 
 cimens of the Iscliia, Smyrna and 
 Genoa fig. They were well ripened, 
 large and of luscious flavor. Fruit 
 dealers say that any quantity could 
 readily be sold in this city at from 
 25 to 50 cents per pound. The lo- 
 cality from which the figs came is 
 tlie earliest fruit region in the State. 
 Grapes are expected to be ripe this 
 week and all other fruits mature far 
 in advance of any other part of Cali- 
 fornia." 
 
 As will be seen from the record 
 from Yuma County, figs were ripe 
 on April 14th, a month and ten days 
 ahead of the Chronicle notice. On 
 June 1st the Sentinel said: 
 
 " Ripe grapes, May 2?th; how are 
 you, \'acaville? 
 
 " Ripe watermelons and canta- 
 loupes are plentiful and cheap. 
 
 " The lime, lemon and orange crop 
 this season will be unusually large. 
 
 '' If you want quick returns and 
 profits, plant figs, grapes, limes and 
 pineapples. 
 
 " Yuma County's early fruits will 
 make our lands, in a few years, of 
 almost fabulous value." 
 
 On June 8th the Sentinel pub- 
 lished the following, which is self 
 explanatory: 
 
 "It is published that the first figs 
 of the season received in San Fran- 
 cisco brought 50 cents per pound, 
 and were grown on the Colorado 
 desert at Palm Valley, near Indio 
 Station. Grapes are expected from 
 there soon. The experiment of 
 tropical fruit culture begun at that 
 point promises to be a success. — 
 Los Angeles Times. 
 
 " The first figs of the season were 
 from Yuma, and not from Palm Val- 
 ley. Grapes here are ripe and the 
 first were picked May 27th. The 
 ' Yuma figs ' brought 11.00 per 
 pound in the San Francisco market, 
 notice of which was made in last 
 Saturday's Sentinel. If the Times 
 would receive this paper regularly it 
 would be 230sted on early fruits, as 
 Yuma County ' leads them all.' " 
 
 The Becord- Union, of Sacramento, 
 in the early days of June, 1889, pub- 
 lished the following: 
 
 " There is on exhibition at the 
 office of Albert Ijoonard, on Fourth 
 street, both black and white figs, 
 fully ripe. They have been placed 
 there by Dr. Southworth, who re- 
 ceived them from Dr. Taggart, of 
 Yuma, upon whose garden land at 
 that place they grew. They are fine 
 
— 18 — 
 
 specimens, and are fully a month in 
 advance of the figs of California. A 
 great, ma)iy Sacramentans are inter- 
 ested in agriculture in the vicinity 
 of Yuma, and not very far from 
 there in what is known as Mohawk 
 Valley."' 
 
 The Pomona (Cal.) Register of 
 June (ith, says : 
 
 " The Yuma Sentinel reports ripe 
 watermelons, cantalou])es, green- 
 corn, grapes, figs and apricots, all 
 fresh, luscious and home-grown, 
 abundant and cheap. Yuma County, 
 A. T., is up an' comin', and will get 
 there by and by, solidly with both 
 feet." 
 
 With the two following items from 
 the Sentinel of June 15th, we close 
 the record for this year: 
 
 " Crepe myrtle, honeysuckle, cape 
 jasmine and myriads of other lovely 
 and fragrant flowers fill our village 
 gardens with the beauteous gifts of 
 nature." 
 
 "The mean temperature for the 
 month of May, according to the 
 United States Signal Office reports, 
 in Arizona, was as follows: Bowie, 
 76; Globe, 78; McDowell, 74; Pho'- 
 nix, 79 ; and Yuma, 77 degrees." 
 
 An A^fricultiiral ]?Iarvcl. 
 
 The attention of readers of the 
 Sentinel is called to the subjoined 
 letter from the Chrystoval corre- 
 spondent of this paper. " Mohawk " 
 is a thoroughly reliable gentleman, 
 and every statement made by him is 
 deserving of the most implicib belief. 
 The wonderful erowth of alfalfa de- 
 
 scribed by him is, we believe, i;n- 
 paralleled in the annals of agricul- 
 tural productiveness. Yuma County 
 and its superb valley, the Mohawk, 
 stands above any portion of the much 
 vaunted Southern Califoi'iiia: 
 
 ClIKYSTOVAL, Y'UMA Co.. AlUZ., 
 
 July 1, 1S89. 
 Editor Arizona Sentinel: 
 
 Why have you not told your i-ead- 
 ers about (ieorge W. Norton's won- 
 derful field of alfalfa on his '"^louut 
 of Olives" rancho, in the Mohawk 
 Valley? Last November he meas- 
 ured off eight acres and plowed 
 and seeded it with twenty })ounds 
 of seed to the acre. In April he cut 
 it the first time and had twenty tons 
 of cured hay. Early in June he cut 
 it the second time ; and had twenty- 
 four tons of cured hay. This is no 
 guesswork, but the amount has 
 been arrived at by rnited States 
 Government measurement rules for 
 buying forage for the army, the 
 measurement having been made by 
 L. A. Ilicks, civil engineer, and en- 
 gineer for the ]\[ohawk Canal. On 
 Saturday last, June '21)th, the grow- 
 ing alfalfa was measured aiul stood 
 32 inches high, having grown witliin 
 a fraction of 14 inches per day since 
 the last mowing. This is a state- 
 ment of cold, naked facts, that can 
 be verified by the oath of a dozen as 
 good men as live in Arizona. 
 
 Now. Mr. Editor, will you tell 
 
 your readers what such land with 
 
 perpetual water rights is worth ])er 
 
 acre? Mohawk. 
 
 — Yuma Sentinel, Julv (i, 1889. 
 
 W^ 
 
 ^=^:— 
 
 WM 
 
 
 - — 
 
DOES FRLTIT CiROWI.VO PAY? 
 
 Will it pay ? is the first question 
 asked by an American, let the sub- 
 ject be what it may. It is a perti- 
 nent question, too, in this bustling, 
 toiling life in the nineteenth cen- 
 tury. Competition is too active, too 
 strong for a man to waste his energy 
 for mere glory. The only wa}'' to 
 solve the problem of whether fruiL 
 growing pays or not, is to appeal 
 to the records of what has been 
 done by those engaged in the in- 
 dustry. Californians have entered 
 more extensively and systematically 
 into the business than any other 
 people in the United States, and it 
 i.s to them we must appeal for the 
 solution of this problem. California 
 fruit lands are higher priced than 
 elsewhere, and it is upon the iiivest- 
 nient in them that we must look for 
 results. Kaw lands and water 
 rights in the citrus belts of that 
 State command from 1100 to 1500 
 per acre. To get an orange orchard 
 into full bearing will cost another 
 $250 an acre. Taking the maximum 
 price of land and water, $500 an 
 acre, and add the $250, and we have 
 a total of $750. Ten per cent, on 
 that means a net income of $75 per 
 acre. This is tlie theoretical state- 
 ment of the case. Now, what are 
 the practical results ? 
 
 The San Francisco Chronicle, in 
 its issue of January 31, 1889, said • 
 
 " Lewis Cram, of San Bernardino, 
 will sell $1,500 worth of oranges 
 from a single acre of orchard this 
 year of grace." 
 
 Iiieonie from Oraiige§. 
 
 From the Cliico Cliampion, May, 
 1889 : 
 
 '■'That from $200 to $1,000 per 
 acre have been realized from orange 
 orchards in this and Los Angeles 
 Counties is an undisputed fact ; it 
 is also a fact that the people gen- 
 
 erally believe such yields are few and 
 obtained from only five to twenty 
 acres scattered over a large extent of 
 country. Both may be accepted as 
 facts, and yet another fact may be 
 insisted upon, viz.: That what one 
 or a few can do may be done by 
 others under the same conditions. 
 The San Bernardino Times-Index 
 recently published accounts of very 
 large incomes from certain orchards 
 and followed up by this interesting 
 statement in a general way : 
 
 Riverside has 3,000 acres planted 
 to orange trees and these trees are 
 in partial bearing, some of them 
 being in pretty full bearing. The 
 3,000 acres will yield 900 car loads 
 of oranges, or 270,000 boxes, an 
 average of 90 boxes to the acre, that 
 will net the owners an average of $2 
 a box on the trees, as the Seedlings 
 sell for from $1.50 to $1.75 per box 
 on the tree, and the Navels sell for 
 $3 a box on the tree. This gives an 
 annual average income of $180 an 
 acre, while the trees are not yet in 
 full bearing, and the crop is increas- 
 ing every year. This income of 
 $540,000 will pay interest at the rate 
 of ten per cent, on a capital of $5,- 
 400,000. The actual value of 3,000 
 acres of land is an average valuation 
 of $1,800 an acre, with growing 
 orchards that make the places more 
 valuable each year. 
 
 Think of 3,000 acres in almost a 
 solid body yielding an average $185 
 per acre, or about $150 net profit. 
 Is there a parallel to this in any 
 other country or State ? These 
 3,000 acres are probably cultivated by 
 two hundred or more proprietors in 
 tracts of two and one-half to twenty 
 or more acres. This suggests that 
 while many tracts had the best of 
 care, perhaps some did not. Then 
 the fruit was not all the highest 
 priced variety, but of several kinds. 
 
— 20 — 
 
 Suppose this income is reduced 
 oue-lialf, the hxnd still yields a 
 revenue with money at ten per cent, 
 per annum that makes the orchards 
 worth almost ^1,000 per acre. 
 
 Orchiirds of prunes, apricots, 
 peaches, grapes, cherries and apples 
 in San Bernardino County have, in 
 numerous instances, proved them- 
 selves worth at least |(1,000 an acre. 
 Of course time, good judgment and 
 much labor are required to give land 
 this value, but that it can be ac- 
 complished by the thousands of 
 acres is a well-settled fact — and a 
 fact worth thinking about in mak- 
 ing an estimate of the future of this 
 favored land," 
 
 Early Fruit. 
 The San Francisco Chronicle, 
 111 an c<lit4»rial under date of 
 June 2, 1Ǥ9, said : 
 
 '•It is the early orchardist that 
 catches the cream of the profits in 
 the fruit growingbusiness, and this, 
 not alone because people are fruit 
 hungry, but because of the natural 
 feeling of rivalry and emulation 
 among purchasers. There are 
 plenty of people who would really 
 })refei- to pay extravagant prices for 
 the first strawberries or the first 
 peaches, simply because they are the 
 first, rather than to wait a while 
 until they get cheaper and better, 
 and this is the class for whom the 
 grower of early fruit works. It 
 may be a fad or a foible, but it 
 serves a useful purpose, and we may 
 be sure that the producer of early 
 fruit does not inquire too curiously 
 into the motives which animate the 
 purchaser of his products, Sotne 
 day CaUfiirnia will have a formid- 
 able rival in the j^roduclion of earl)/ 
 fruit in Arizona. Already in ma)i.y 
 places in that Territory they raise 
 grapes which mature a full month 
 earlier than California grapes, and 
 by and by, when the tvafer problem 
 is solved there, we need not at all be 
 su7'prised to find Arizona aiiticipat- 
 
 ing us in other fruits as well. But 
 we shall not complain, California 
 has enough to be proud of without 
 being jealous or envious if a neigh- 
 bor has a little warmer sunshine 
 than she has or a little drier atmos- 
 phere. We can rejoice sincerely in 
 the prosperity of Arizona, from 
 whatever source it may proceed." 
 
 Value of Oraiig;e T^aiid. 
 
 San Bernardino Times, Januarv, 
 1889 : 
 
 ''Two years ago J, Hewittson 
 bought of A. J, Twogood, at Kiver- 
 side, his old home place of twenty- 
 seven acres for ^28,000, and at that 
 time many thought it was a large 
 price for the place. That year he 
 sold from fourteen acres the orange 
 crop on the trees for $9,000. This 
 year from the same, with the addi- 
 tion of a few from four acres of young 
 trees, he sold the crop for 810,000 
 cash. He has thus in two years 
 taken in !i;19,000 on his 128,000 pur- 
 chase, and with one more year he 
 will have cleared the entire purchase 
 price and something over, with an 
 annual income from $15,000 to 
 $20,000 when the nine acres of young 
 trees come into bearing. 
 
 This is the result of care and work 
 in looking after the orchard. His 
 expenses are about $1,200 a year on 
 the whole twenty-seven aci'es, for 
 he believes in thorough cultivation 
 and the plentiful use of fertilizers, 
 
 What has been done in this case 
 can be duplicated by nearly every 
 orchard in the valley. What has 
 been done at Eiverside can be done 
 at Highlands, Kedlands or Ontario, 
 The soil is all right, and with proper 
 care and attention other orchards 
 can make as good a yield as that of 
 Mr, Hewittson, 
 
 The trees on the fourteen acres of 
 bearing orchard from which the 
 above income was derived are solf- 
 seedlings, nineteen years old, and 
 half-navels, eight years of age, the 
 income from the former being the 
 
01 
 
 greatest, owing to the large size and 
 age of the trees. 
 
 Now the question arises, ' What 
 is good orange laud worth ?' With- 
 out cultivation it is worth nothing, 
 but with care and good cultivation 
 it is worth more than is asked for 
 any tract in Southern California." 
 
 Other Fruiti. 
 
 But, says the reader, your evidence 
 is all about the orange ; now what of 
 other fruits? I will let a correspond- 
 ent of the Alliambra, published in 
 the little town of that name, seven 
 miles East of Los Angeles, Cal., tell 
 his experience. He said in August, 
 1888 : 
 
 " My ten acres were a delight to 
 all who saw them, so beautiful was 
 the growth of trees, nursery, berries, 
 vines, roses and shrubs. We were 
 very proud of our place and enjoyed 
 it for its beauty as well as for the 
 profit. 
 
 From the berries we used all we 
 warned for our family putting up, 
 making jams and jellies to last 
 
 through winter. This account is 
 from cash receipts : 
 
 One acre strawberries, 
 
 3,050 boxes, at 12^ cts.. UbQ 25 
 
 Rasi)berries, 3 acres 820 00 
 
 Blackberries, 2 acres 733 50 
 
 One thousand orange trees. 
 
 at 50 cts . 500 00 
 
 One hundred lemon trees, 
 
 at 40 cts 40 00 
 
 Eoses, rooted 23 00 
 
 Milk sold 95 00 
 
 Eggs and broilers sold 46 00 
 
 Net $2,712 75 
 
 My net income was $2,712.75. I 
 had help part of the time during the 
 picking season, which I paid with 
 berries not included in the above. Of 
 course I do not count my own labor, 
 nor that of my good wife and two 
 boys, nor of Baby Rose. We all 
 worked — worked hard — but not to 
 the detriment of our strength. Not 
 a lick was struck except to count. 
 Our plans were matured and faith- 
 fully worked out." 
 
 The foregoing extracts have been general statements, therefore, for the 
 benefit of those liking details, the following on small farming in Los 
 Angeles County is introduced to show what may be done on high-priced 
 land by other than orange growing. The article is given in full just as 
 it appeared in the Times on December 26, 1888. The reader should bear 
 in mind that whatever they can do in Los Angeles or in any other county 
 in California, we can do right here in Yuma County a little better, 
 because of our abundance of water, rich land and earlier seasons. 
 
SMALL FARIfllBfO. 
 
 Esliiiiatoi of Wliat Can Be Done in L.om An;;ele!<i Connty. 
 
 "Los Angp:les, December "'(itli. modestly, as follows : si liouse of four 
 
 *' To the Edit or of the Times: rooms, each twelve feet square, §350 ; 
 
 " The single glaring universal barn for two horses, wagon and feed, 
 
 complaint that is made of this .South- $75 ; chicken houses and yards, §25 ; 
 
 ern California, and used especially as corrals for cow and hogs, §25 ; well, 
 
 capital stock for peopling the middle §25. §500 will stock and seed the 
 
 and upper portions of this Coast, is place, thus : One span of horses, 
 
 that this is no country for the poor §200 ; one wagon, §100 ; harness, 
 
 man or man of small means. The §25 ; cow, §50 ; eiglit dozen hens, 
 
 fact is generally conceded that the §60 ; two shoats, §10 ; seed Irish po- 
 
 country has unrivaled attractions for tatoes for four acres, 4,000 pounds, 
 
 the Avealthy. §40 ; seed corn, sweet potatoes, plants 
 
 I wish to state a few plain, potent for one acre, pumpkin seed, vegeta- 
 
 facts — facts easily verified by anyone ble seed, etc., §15. §250 will feed a 
 
 — to show that this is empluitically a family of four persons one year, as 
 
 good country for the small farmer, be- follows : 1,200 pounds of flour, §30 ; 
 
 cause he can enjoy all the delights of 1,000 pounds of meat, §120 ; 24 
 
 this climate as Avell as the rich, and pounds of coffee, §12 ; 24 pounds of 
 
 at the same time accumulate more tea, §12 ; 240 pounds of sugar, §24 : 
 
 wealth in ten years than in a lifetime dried fruit, spices, baking powder, 
 
 of unremitting toil in any country soap, etc., §27 ; vegetables, six 
 
 of long Avinters and its accompanying months, §25; §120 will feed team, 
 
 needs. The various prices of land are chickens and pigs six months. As 
 
 rehearsed elsewhere in this paper, allowance has now been made for 
 
 sol will confine my calculations to feeding man and team, no cost should 
 
 one price and class of land, which will be estimated for plowing the land 
 
 illustrate all of its class. and cultivating the trees and crops. 
 
 Let me give an illustration : Take $285 will set the whole 20 acres out 
 
 land at §150 per acre ; 20 acres would to trees in orchard form in tliis way : 
 
 cost §3,000, to be paid for in four A mixed lot of English walnuts, ap- 
 
 equal annual payments at 7 per cent, pies, peaches, pears, figs and prunes 
 
 interest. First payment, §750 cash ; will cost §225 ; planting the trees, 
 
 second payment, $750, interest twenty-four feet apart, 75 trees to the 
 
 $157.50— §907.50 at the end of acre, making 1,500 trees, §00 will set 
 
 the second year ; third payment, them out, at 4 cents apiece. 
 
 $750, interest $105 — §855 at the end We have now reached the total ex- 
 
 of the first year ; fourth payment, pense of the whole year, with two ex- 
 
 $750, interest §52.50 — §802.50 at ceptions, which would be covered by 
 
 the end of the third year. Where unestimated produce of the place af- 
 
 need appears the payments might be ter that time. After liaving made 
 
 extended over a space of five years, new estimates that, in the cases of 
 
 enabling a man to make from the many poor men, will exceed the 
 
 land itself all but the first payment amount annually spent by one-lialf, 
 
 and cost of starting, as will be seen we reach a total of §2,405. 
 
 by the following estimates : $500 will We will now figure the ])roduct of 
 
 make all the necessary improvements the land for one year. Four acres 
 
 for a man who is willing to start of potatoes will yield 75 sacks to an 
 
— 23 — 
 
 acre (this amount is often doubled), 
 which would give 300 sacks, worth 
 1300. One acre sweet potatoes, 75 
 sacks, 8150. Five acres of the land 
 devoted to corn, pumpkins, vegeta- 
 bles, etc., we will store for use the 
 last six months of the year and the 
 next season. Ten acres of barley or 
 corn will bring from 110 to 125 per 
 acre, say 1100. We will allow the 
 cow nothing for family use, although 
 butter is 40 cents per pound, but 
 from the hens we will sell 200 broil- 
 ers for 8100. We will sell an aver- 
 age of 25 eggs each day, at 35 cents 
 per dozen, 11263.20. Total product 
 of the place, first year, |9U. 20._ The 
 second payment, due at this time, is 
 a little more than met. 
 
 These figures, any economical 
 farmer will see, are liberal in several 
 ways ; besides a good sized family is 
 fed while the labor of one man is al- 
 lowed for ; while many items like 
 onions, cabbages, tomatoes, pump- 
 kins, etc., are not estimated at all, 
 nor anything for the hogs, from 
 which 1200 or $300 annually can be 
 realized at very little expense. 
 
 The second year the feed and veg- 
 etables carried over, together with the 
 additional productiveness of the poul- 
 try and hogs, and a small crop of 
 peaches, will meet the second year's 
 expenses and pay the next payment 
 of 8855 easily. 
 
 But now, when finally the third 
 year's harvestis reached, the farmer's 
 joy blossoms out into a nice little 
 l^ank account that will grow rapidly 
 from this time as the years go on. 
 
 Apples this year will produce from 
 100 to 200 pounds to the tree ; 
 peaches from 150 to 300 pounds. 
 Avorth from 81.00 to 82.00 per 100 
 pounds ; walnuts and pears will come 
 in well on the fourth and fifth years. 
 
 But now, at the end of the third 
 year, we have the last payment of 
 8802.50, made as before, and an ad- 
 ditional amount at the minimum es- 
 timate from 10 acres in apples and 
 peaches of 8750. At four years old, 
 
 peaches produce as high as 8300 per 
 acre, and apples nearly as well. 
 
 If any one is skeptical regarding 
 the foregoing figures, I will give him 
 names of representative, reliable 
 farmers here who are doing these 
 very things, and much better, with 
 whom he can correspond. 
 
 Were there timeand space, I would 
 like to demonstrate the capacity of 
 many localities for profitable farming 
 with grain and stock, and show what 
 is being done. b. M. Town, 
 
 44 No. Spring St." 
 
 L.eiuoii§ for Profit. 
 
 Thus far nothing has been said for 
 the lemon, and Californians do not 
 say much for it because of their great 
 difficulty (climatic) in producing 
 and curing merchantable fruit. Their 
 finest fruit has to go through a cur- 
 ing process that takes from four to 
 six weeks, with endless care. Then, 
 again, they cannot grow a Sicily 
 lemon that is at all comparable with 
 the imported article ; therefore the 
 sales are dull and, compared with 
 oranges, discouraging. The long, dry 
 seasons of Yuma County work a 
 marvelous change in the lemon as 
 compared with California. The fruit 
 is fine in size, color and flavor, and 
 the skin comparable to a fine fitting 
 kid glove upon the hand of the 
 wearer. It can be plucked from the 
 trees like the orange and packed di- 
 rectly into boxes for shipment and 
 will arrive at its destination, be it far 
 or near, in splendid condition. It 
 will keep for months with no per- 
 ceptible loss of juice, and without 
 absorption by the fruit of the bitter 
 lemon oil of the rind, to prevent 
 which early picking, sweetening and 
 curing are necessary in other places. 
 The writer saw a tree in the garden of 
 John Grondolfo, Esq., Yuma, last De- 
 cember, with two large limbs broken 
 to the ground with its weight of fruit. 
 Later we learned that Mr. Goidolfo 
 had sold a portion of the crop for 
 825, and, estimated what his family 
 
24 
 
 had used and those on tlie tree at §15 ways sees the l>hick llaniburg aud 
 more, making for this one tree a value Golden Chasselas, deliciously ripe, 
 of $40. 'J'he tree had been planted loading the vines. Tiiese are sue- 
 where it stood only four yeai's and ceeded by Tokay, Rose of Peru, 
 was probably two years old, possibly Purple Emperor, Black Morocco, 
 three, when planted. Taking an Fihrzahgos and Muscatels, all the 
 
 acre of such trees — 100 of them to 
 the acre — and what would be the 
 gross iucome? Four thousand dol- 
 lars taking the maximum, or $2,500 
 onlv counting the actual cash sales 
 
 choicest of table or raisin grapes. 
 They come at a season when we 
 have the whole United States for a 
 market. Can any one doubt the 
 price they will bring during June 
 
 when reported. I repeat with all the and July, before there is any active 
 force of truth that such a result may competition? Ten cents net to 
 be attained with the lemon in Yuma the grower is a reasonable estimate. 
 County. Jiut to do this it will take Three tons to the acre in the fourth 
 energy guided by practical common year is the estimate put upon the 
 sense. Mr, (Jondolfo says he would yield by practical California grow- 
 rather have five acres of lemons than ers. That means just six liundred 
 ten of oranges, for profit. He speaks dollars an acre. In the light of 
 from experience. Limes grow and such facts as these, what will land 
 bear equally Avell in Yuma, and will with perpetual water be worth? 
 
 pay equally well. 
 
 Fis 
 
 llie IVIillioii!«. 
 
 sense figs may 
 
 for 
 
 Ju a literal sense figs may be 
 raised here for the millions of 
 people in the United States. No- 
 where have we ever seen them sur- 
 
 Will one thousand dollars an acre 
 be extravagant? Let us see what 
 such property is worth in California. 
 In the winter of 1888 a Mr. Buck, 
 one of the greatest fruit growers in 
 California, bought 150 acres of bear- 
 ing apricot and peach orchard in 
 
 passed. A four-year-old tree m Dr. J. y^ca Vallev, paving therefor $90,- 
 
 11. Taggart's garden, m Yuma, was qoO, or just $600 an acre, and he 
 
 measured by the writer in Decem- valued it at $1,000. Here is a tele- 
 
 l)er, 1888, and it had a spread of g^am cut from the San Francisco 
 
 top 24 feet m diameter. It was of ^/^^.^^jc/e of June 25th that 
 
 the large purple variety, and had records the sale of orange land at 
 
 matured its third crop that season. Pomona. Cal 
 
 A younger White Adriatic growing 
 
 near was loaded with fruit in all 
 
 stages of growth, from the set to 
 
 the desid-ripe. It had borne steadily 
 
 all the season. Figs shipped to 
 
 San Francisco in April, 1889, sold 
 
 for one dollar per pound. The 
 
 grower can safely count on realizing 
 
 ten cents a pound net for all the 
 
 early figs he can put in the market. 
 
 Two hundred and fifty dollars to 
 
 at over $1,200 an 
 acre. We give its headlines and all 
 to show the reader how it looked in 
 the columns of the Chronicle : 
 
 I.AXD. 
 
 ^' II l<* ISoiitflit at Over Twelve 
 Hundred l>ollar!!i an Aere.'' 
 
 Pomona, June 34th. 
 "To-diiy the sale of fiftj'-live acres of 
 five hundred dollars per acre would unimpioved land in Pomona Valley 
 not be an overestimate after the 
 
 trees are four years old. 
 
 <*i'a|>e«<, KaiKiiiN, Wine. 
 
 All the varieties of grapes known 
 to man can be successfully grown in 
 this climate. Tlie first of June al- 
 
 wjs made to William J. Florence, the 
 comedian, for .•?OS,00(). Mr. Florence 
 lias about •'?20,000 more invested in this 
 locality, and has made large profits on 
 his invostments two years ago. His 
 agent lias been making overtures for 
 tiu! new puichase for over six months. 
 The land will be cleared this season and 
 
25 — 
 
 water will be piped to the property. It 
 is the intention to jilant fruit trees 
 there next spring." 
 
 Enough has been said to set any 
 reasonable man to thinking. To 
 the dwellers on the Pacific Coast 
 the facts set forth will all appear 
 like the faces of old friends, so 
 familiar are they Avith them. They 
 have been dnplicated in almost 
 every town and hamlet in the State. 
 
 Here, in Arizona, we are just begin- 
 ning to realize that energy will build 
 up a decayed empire, equal in wealth 
 and influence to that of our neigh- 
 bor on the west. Volumes might 
 be written and not exhaust the sub- 
 ject, but it is not our object to tire, 
 bu simply to stimulate investiga- 
 tion which will lead to practical re- 
 sults ; therefore we pass to other 
 matter. 
 
 IRRIOATIOIV HATTERS. 
 
 Tlie Oldest System of Irrigation 
 KiioAvn to Man. 
 
 Irrigation has been intimately con- 
 nected with the history of agricul- 
 ture from the earliest history of the 
 human race. Egypt, India, Mo- 
 rocco, Spain, Italy and France all 
 furnish evidence of this fact. Amer- 
 ica is not many centuries in the back- 
 ground, if not coequal with the re- 
 puted land where originated our 
 race. Right here in Arizona are the 
 remains of a system of canals and 
 reservoirs that it will take years and 
 millions of dollars to duplicate with 
 all the facilities of the nineteenth 
 century. The Salt River and the 
 Gila valleys have remains of canals, 
 the w^aters from which fructified and 
 made fertile their valley lands and 
 adjoining plains; and the ruins of 
 numerous cities give evidence of a 
 population as dense as that of Eu- 
 rope or Asia. Who these ancient 
 people were there is neither record 
 (other than the ruins of cities and 
 canals) nor tradition, nor do Ave 
 know by Avhat calamit}"^ they Avere 
 swept off the face of the earth. South 
 America, when first taken posses- 
 sion of by the Incas, had the remains 
 of public works such as will never 
 be again duplicated. That those 
 ancient people practiced irrigation 
 is patent from tlie fact that there is 
 no rainfall Avest of the Andes, and 
 
 everything grown there to-day is by 
 irrigation. The people of the West- 
 ern States and the Territories are but 
 rehabilitating that Avhich had fallen 
 into decay many thousand years ago 
 —so far as Arizona is concerned. 
 That they Avill make a success of it 
 — make it pay — there is no doubt. 
 They have already done that Avith 
 their infantile beginnings. 
 
 It Avill be interesting here to note 
 Avhat the Government of India had 
 done up to 1873. It had spent up to 
 that time $175,000,000 in irrigation 
 Avorks, Avhere common labor only 
 costs 124- cents per day. The net 
 revenue on this vast sum had been 
 eight per cent, per annum. Its 
 greatest canal, the Ganges, Avhich 
 cost $55,000,000, is 170 feet Avide and 
 carries 10 feet depth of Avater and 
 serves 1,000.000 acres. The mean 
 annual rental was then $1.21 per 
 acre; sugar cane paying $2.20 and 
 Avheat 60 cents per acre. 
 
 The Moors introduced their superb 
 system of irrigation into Spain, and 
 during their occupancy of the coun- 
 try developed its agriculture to the 
 highest possible degree. Since their 
 expulsion, many of their Avorks have 
 fallen into decay, but enough re- 
 mains to make the country rich in 
 those elements that go to support 
 human life. Water there is valued 
 Avitli land as five to one. Irrigated 
 
— -36 — 
 
 luiids sell fur from s^lOO to 8900 per 
 acre, and dr}' land for $80. The 
 rental of water is much higher in 
 Spain than India, owing to its scar- 
 city. In 18G1 eleven tliou-sand dollars 
 was paid for the use of one cubic 
 foot, or 50 miners' inches, for the 
 season. The government then regu- 
 lated the price by law, iixing 81,875 
 per cubic foot as the niaxiiuum. 
 
 The duty that water is made to do 
 is regulated by the nature of the 
 soil, and its abundance and scarcity. 
 In India one cubic foot per second 
 serves oOO acres; in Valencia and 
 Grenada, Spain, 240 acres; in Elche, 
 Spain, 1,000 acres, water being very 
 scarce. In Arizona from 200 to 500 
 acres, according to the supply. On 
 this subject the Boston Transcript 
 says : 
 
 '' Irrigation is the oldest system 
 of agriculture known. It was un- 
 derstood in the infant days of the 
 race, on the plains of Persia, Baby- 
 lon and Assyria, where it is in prac- 
 tice now. Adam, probably, after be- 
 ing driven out of Eden and com- 
 pelled to earn liis living by tlie 
 sweat of his brow, must have learned 
 to raise crops by irrigation, on the 
 Mesopotamia. The richest and most 
 productive regions on the earth have 
 been cultivated in this manner for 
 thousands of years. The valle\ of 
 the Nile, the greater portion of In- 
 dia, the green plains of Lombardy, 
 the beautiful fields of Castile, have 
 always depended on irrigation for 
 crops. 
 
 *' Though subject to such a system 
 for thousands of years, they have to- 
 day the most productive spots on 
 the earth and support a dense popu- 
 lation — in India 200 to GOO souls to 
 the square mile; in Piedmont, Italy, 
 270; and 399 persons for Lombardy. 
 Irrigated portions of Spain have 
 populutions from 200 to 400 souls 
 to the square mile. Egypt, ''the 
 granary of the world," has a popula- 
 tion of 4S4 to the squan^ mile. In 
 the United States irrigation js 
 
 practiced in Southern California, 
 New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and 
 Utah. 
 
 One cubic foot per second will flood 
 300 acres of loamy soil, but by care- 
 ful economy, distribution of pipes, 
 1,300 to 1,500 acres are cultivated 
 by one cubic foot per second. Seven- 
 teen thousand acres of land in Los 
 Angeles County are irrigated by this 
 means. The judicious application 
 of water has made Los Angeles the 
 garden of California. The immense 
 valleys of the Gila. Salt River, San 
 Pedro, Sulphur Spring and San 
 Simon, of Arizona, have an abund- 
 ant supply of water for irrigation. 
 These valleys drain a vast extent of 
 country, and the waters which flow 
 through them have their source in 
 the lofty mountains thousands of 
 feet above, and contain inexhausti- 
 ble quantities of water. 
 
 Congress could never put a small 
 portion of the sur])lus public money to 
 better use than to furnish flowing 
 water for these dry plains and val- 
 leys. The benefits to stock raising 
 and farming industries would be in- 
 calculable, as the area of agricul- 
 tural and grazing land would be in- 
 creased a thousandfolds. Congress 
 or capitalists have only to observe 
 what has been done in California 
 with a limited water supply, and 
 there are valleys in Arizona superior 
 to any in the Golden State." 
 
 Wlial I lie €'liu'a;;4» T-]ooii4>iiii<>l 
 
 Under date of May 11, 1889, the 
 able journal the Chicago Erovomist 
 said : 
 
 " The article on irrigation in this 
 issue is ((uite worthy of careful peru- 
 sal, not only on account of its rela- 
 tion to agriculture and the develop- 
 ment of the country, but from the 
 standpoint of persons seeking new 
 opportunities for investment. It is 
 written by a man thoroughly con- 
 versant with the subject, and brings 
 out clearly points of which many 
 
people liave but an indefinite knowl- 
 edge. The importance of tliis inter- 
 est is not generally appreciated. 
 Great areas of land which otherwise 
 would never have been of any use to 
 man, have been made productive. 
 Irrigated lands even have an advan- 
 tage over those watered by nature, 
 in the fact that the quantity of 
 moisture can be regulated according 
 to the needs of the crop. The suc- 
 ce^tliat has attended irrigation will 
 inevite,bly stimulate enterprise in 
 that line hereafter, and millions of 
 acres of land heretofore counted out 
 in the estimates of this country's 
 wealth will, in future years, help to 
 swell the ffrand total." 
 
 IRRIOATIOK. 
 
 An Interesting Article by an Expert, 
 Showing its Advantages, the Metliods 
 of Operation and the Results in some 
 Test Cases — The Financial Elemefits 
 oj the Industry^Proflts 07iCapital In- 
 vested — ^4 Clear Explanation of a 
 Subject Imperfectly Understood in 
 this Part of the Country. 
 
 Editor of the Economist : 
 
 In view of the growing interest 
 in irrigation, some data may be 
 timely which will give an idea of 
 the enterprise at various stages, 
 which have demonstrated and are 
 demonstrating the advantages to be 
 derived from a water supply, and 
 the remarkable profits which are 
 being realized from such invest- 
 ments. A brief review of the suc- 
 cessive steps by which the present 
 growth of the irrigating industry has 
 been attained will enable a better 
 understanding of the later phases 
 of the subject. 
 
 The single farmer began by using 
 the water from a little rivulet upon 
 his farm, and proved the success 
 of irrigating to that extent — he 
 got a taste of the additional prof- 
 its which result from having per- 
 fect control of the water supply 
 to the growing crops. When it be- 
 came necessary to combine more 
 
 than a single interest, a few neigh- 
 bors joined in taking out the main 
 ditch, and all of them shared in the 
 experience gained and in the profits 
 accruing. Farmers do not, as a rule, 
 have large sums of surplus cash in 
 hand; and still larger undertakings 
 than those referred to, where the 
 water supply to be controlled was 
 too large for their handling alone, 
 secured the co-operation of the mer- 
 chants and moneyed men of the lo- 
 cality, uniting the resources of cap- 
 ital and labor to the common ad- 
 vantage. 
 
 Then came the next natural step. 
 Enterprises which would reclaim 
 and make productive a few hundred 
 or a few thousand acres had to be 
 undertaken by partnerships or by 
 corporations which would command 
 anywhere from 15,000 to 150,000 
 capital, and these in turn demon- 
 strated the practicability of such 
 undertakings, and the fact that such 
 investments are more than ordina- 
 rily profitable. 
 
 The industry has passed all these 
 several stages, and now has come to 
 the utilization of the larger streams, 
 the reclaiming of the larger tracts 
 of land. It has developed that the 
 high or mesa lands, when watered, 
 are more desirable than such river 
 bottoms as need no irrigation. The 
 uplands of Eiverside and other Cal- 
 ifornia colonies are planted to fine 
 fruits, which yield more than $100 
 an acre annually ; the Avet bottom 
 lands are planted to grain and hay, 
 which will yield from 1:25 to |>50 an 
 acre. Fruits grown on such bottom 
 lands are not as good for the table. 
 The trees produce more wood, but 
 less and poorer fruit. 
 
 To get the water on these high 
 lands requires expensive dams, large 
 and long canals, often to be cut 
 through the rock, tunneling to save 
 distaiice or to surmount some obsta- 
 cle in the way ; it requires engineer- 
 ing skill of a high order and large 
 sums of money. Such enterprises 
 
— 28 
 
 are out of the reacli of local capi- 
 tal. They are like the railroads, a 
 class of semi-public Avorks, for the 
 pul)lic benefit. They have been 
 found to yield large profits to the 
 investors in them. 
 
 Experience proves that there is 
 demand for irrigated lands, which 
 keeps pace with the capacity of the 
 undertakings to reclaim them, and 
 that demand is becoming more and 
 more pronounced. 
 
 A farmer who will scratch and 
 grub all his life to get a mere living 
 from a hundred and sixty acre farm 
 will acquire a competency from 
 twenty acres in a very few years 
 wheie he lias control of the water 
 supply, lie need not work half so 
 hard and may enjoy some of the 
 luxuries and comforts of life as he 
 goes along. Or, stated in another 
 way, one hundred and sixty acres of 
 irrigated land will yield a compe- 
 tency for eight families, enjoying 
 the comforts of life, while one fam- 
 ily depending on the rainfall can 
 barely get an existence from the 
 same area. 
 
 Xot only are the larger streams 
 being utilized, but very large sums 
 of money have been expended where 
 only the surplus water of the rainy 
 season could be stored, and some of 
 these are yielding large returns. 
 
 These several classes of similar 
 enterprises have varied as much in 
 their methods of management as 
 they have in their forms of organi- 
 zation. They have not been regu- 
 lated by estal)lished principles, but 
 have representinl the opinions, judg- 
 ment, skill and experience (or lack 
 of it) of each individual originator, 
 promoter or manager. 
 
 Effect on the Value of Laxd. 
 — Taking the field as a whole, the 
 arid region of the United States — 
 which covers two-fifths of its entire 
 area — and the ground covered is 
 but a mere trifle of the whole ; yet 
 it is safe to say that, of all the land 
 that can be made useful by the 
 
 flowing watei' of the smallei- natu- 
 ral streams, but little is now unoc- 
 cupied. The length of main canals 
 in each of the Pacific States and 
 Colorado, and in the several territo- 
 ries, amounts to thousands of miles 
 in each, while the laterals and dis- 
 tributing ditches are already meas- 
 ured by tens, ^irobably by hundreds, 
 of thousands of miles. 
 
 It is also demonstrated, beyond 
 possible question, that, wherever 
 flowing water can be carried and 
 distributed over considerable bodies 
 of land, the expenditure will be jus- 
 tified, even to the extent of §15 to 
 $20 per acre. In fact, scores of en- 
 terprises in California and Utah 
 have proven that expensive reser- 
 voirs may be built ; that meager sup- 
 plies of water, accumulated during 
 the rainy season, every drop saved 
 by cementing the ditch bottoms or 
 using iron and cement ))ipes. both 
 for the accumulation and distribu- 
 tion of the precious water ; that ex- 
 pensive conduits, tuniu^ls, timber 
 flumes and mammoth structuies of 
 masonry, are justified from the finan- 
 cial point of view. In these latter 
 cases $100 an acre expended will 
 return a high rate of interest ; 
 while many undertakings, as I will 
 show further on, have warranted an 
 investment of twice that amount 
 when measured as all such undertak- 
 ings must be finally measured: by 
 their earning capacity in the way of 
 dividends or profits to the investor. 
 
 The relative value of water and 
 land is stated by one writer, speak- 
 ing of the conditions in Southern 
 California particularly, as three to 
 one ; that is, if land without water 
 is worth $75 an acre, it is easily worth 
 $225 more to get a sufficient supply 
 of water to irrigate it. This rule 
 will not apply in all, nor in most 
 cases. There are thousands of 
 places where the land is absolutely 
 worthless without water, or where 
 the government price of it is only 
 $1.25 an acre, which, put uuder 
 
29 — 
 
 water, becomes wortli a hundred 
 times that amount. Major Powell, 
 of the United States Geological Sur- 
 vey, estimates from his large expe- 
 rience that any land when irrigated 
 becomes worth from $30 to 1200 an 
 acre, and places the average value 
 of irrigated land throughout the 
 United States at at least $50 per 
 acre. This value is put upon it, not 
 by its capacity to produce special 
 crops, but for the ordinary farm 
 products for which there is an un- 
 limited market. Where fruits or 
 high priced products are cultiva- 
 ted, the higher range of prices is 
 justified by the returns to the cul- 
 tivator. 
 
 The value attaches not only by 
 reason of the high fertility of the 
 soil, but because of the certainty 
 which attends cultivation. When the 
 season for planting arrives, there is 
 no waiting for rains to put the 
 ground in condition to plow. The 
 farmer turns on the water to such 
 land as he desires to cultivate, and 
 gets it in just, the proper stage to 
 work well and to germinate the seed 
 promptly. He does not lose his 
 seed by rotting from too much rain, 
 or by drying up because of too lit- 
 tle. He gives it water again at any 
 stage of growth as may be required. 
 When the crop is matured, he re- 
 moves it from the ground, and it is 
 ready to water again and plant with 
 another crop. He can calculate for 
 his business with less contingencies; 
 in a word, he becomes independent 
 of the natural elements. 
 
 Under these circumstances, he 
 neither needs nor wants rain during 
 the cultivating season. Every show- 
 er is a detriment, as it disarranges 
 his plans. If the location is in the 
 southern belt, where the seasons are 
 long and the sunshine bright and 
 warm, he gets the greater advan- 
 tage; but south or north, there is no 
 locality where irrigation will not be 
 found beneficial, even though the 
 natural water supply may be ample. 
 
 There are always days or weeks dur- 
 ing the growing season when a little 
 water would add materially to the 
 product. There is the further ad- 
 vantage of fertilizing the soil, which 
 never wears out if irrigated. The 
 water which runs over the ground 
 is an accumulator of fertilizing ele- 
 ments, from the time it touches the 
 surface until it deposits its precious 
 burden where it is absorbed into the 
 earth. Fields cultivated for genera- 
 tions and centuries grow constantly 
 more productive. 
 
 , Another advantage most appar- 
 ent in the cultivation of orchards 
 and vineyards, is the destruction of 
 depredating insects, and the con- 
 sequent improvement of the quality 
 of the fruit. There are no worm 
 eaten apples from an irrigated or- 
 chard ; there are no curculio to de- 
 stroy the plums. 
 
 Here, then, is the foundation 
 upon which irrigation is built as an 
 industry. It pays. How much it 
 will pay, how much expenditure it 
 will justify, will depend upon the 
 local condition. The better the land, 
 the better the crops and the larger 
 the profits. A climate which per- 
 mits two or three crops in the sea- 
 son gives better results, and will 
 consequently justify larger outlay. 
 The facilities for marketing prod- 
 ucts will be a controlling influence. 
 Where oranges will grow, an acre of 
 land is worth more than where it is 
 only available to raise corn and po- 
 tatoes. The crop from a bearing 
 orchard of oranges will sell for 
 above $500 an acre usually, often 
 for more than $1,000, on the tree, 
 the purchaser to gather them and 
 find his own market. It may cost 
 $200 an acre to get the orchard in 
 bearing, but a single crop makes 
 full return for the investment. The 
 time required is so long that it de- 
 ters many from planting such or- 
 chards ; consequently it is not over- 
 done, and is not likely to be. 
 
 Considering all the points herein 
 
30 — 
 
 suggested, it follows that wherever 
 a Avater supply can be provided to 
 reclaim lauds of average quality, 
 taking the arid region as a whole, at 
 a cost per irrigated acreof less tlian 
 §10 per acre, itouly needs fair man- 
 agement to be largely profitable. 
 AVhere it is possible to reclaim large 
 bodies of huid, with an investment 
 of not more than $5 an acre, the in- 
 vestment will prove exceptionally 
 profitable, regardless of the locality, 
 whether uortli or south. Every ad- 
 vantage of climate, of adaptation to 
 si)ecial products, of convenience for 
 marketing, and of communication 
 adds proportionately to the desira- 
 bility of the investment. 
 
 Sonic Fi|;iire!« Sliowiii;; Annual 
 Ke!«nltM. 
 
 Among the instances that have 
 come to my personal knowledge as 
 illustrating the character and pos- 
 sibilities of such investment I cite 
 the following : 
 
 The North Platte Irrigation and 
 Land Company, of Nebraska, has a 
 capital of .ii?lGb,000 in $100 shares: 
 has been in operation six years ; has 
 bought 13,400 acres of land for $40,- 
 000; expended $50,000 for irrigating 
 plant ; has water to cover 25,000 
 acres, with 8,000 in cultivation ; 
 land is now worth 110 an acre ; the 
 charge for water right is from $6.00 
 to $7.50. The products from the 
 locality are the ordinary farm crops, 
 yet the irrigating plant has in- 
 creased in value to more than 
 double its cost. 
 
 The Arizona Canal Company rep- 
 resents another locality, and a 
 different class of interests. It has a 
 warm climate, with long seasons, and 
 is adapted to semi-tropieal fruits as 
 well as to fruits of the temperate 
 zone. It was incorporated in 1882 
 with a capital of $500,000 jind with 
 but a small amount paid in by 
 the stockholders. Construction was 
 by contract. $500,000, of bonds being 
 issued as part payment of the total 
 
 cost of $600,000. It was completed 
 a little more than two years ago, and 
 had no railroad communication 
 until a year ago. Water rights were 
 first sold at $500 for 80 acres, and 
 are now selling at $1,250. The in- 
 terests have since been consolidated 
 witJi smaller companies that had 
 preceded it in the same valley — tiie 
 Salt Kiver of Arizona. Ir covers 
 90,000 acres of land : of this about 
 20,000 acres is under cultivation, 
 and a little more than that has been 
 irrigated once. Land which before 
 irrigating Avas worth nothing, iiow 
 finds ready sale at $25 and ujnvard 
 an acre. ' Of the bonds, $100,000 
 has already been retired. Its in- 
 come for the first year of o})eration 
 was $112,098. The expenditure 
 for current expenses was $18,573 : 
 the annual interest charge is 
 $32,000 ; the balance, of about 
 $02,000, would equal more than 12 
 per cent, upon the capital stock. 
 The annual rents of water and 
 waterpower will soon reach $175,- 
 000 annually. The company ha& 
 waterpower equal to 1,500 horse- 
 power. 
 
 The liear A'alley reservoir, of San 
 Bernardino County, California, has- 
 a capital of $360,000 in $100 shares. 
 It was organized in 1883 ; has been 
 in operation six years. The total 
 cost of the plant has been about 
 $150,000, of which 122,500 was paid 
 for the land. Two water rigiits, 
 each for one-seventh of a miner's 
 inch, go with each share. The 
 cost per share was above $41.50, 
 The present selling price, after six 
 years of operation, is above $225, 
 with its accom})anying water rights.. 
 The value of land before irrigation 
 was $25 ; its present value is from 
 $200 to $500. It has no bonded 
 debt ; it has been the means of 
 building up a thriving colony, and 
 has given prosperity to all coming- 
 withm its influence, as well as ta 
 promoters and stockholders of the 
 company, 
 
— 31 — 
 
 The Ontario Land and Improve- 
 ment Company, of Ontario, Califor- 
 nia, has a capital of -tSOO^OOO in 
 1100 shares. It was organized in 
 September, 1887, and has been in 
 operation nineteen months. A sup- 
 ply of water was obtained from 
 various sources, including a tunnel 
 3,000 feet long, driven into a 
 mountain, three feet six inches by 
 five feet eight inches, all lined with 
 cement. It Iims 75 rhiles of cement 
 pipe in use. The total cost was 
 $300, 000. It covers 12,000 acres, of 
 which 3,500 are in cultivation. The 
 value of land was |25 to ^8^50 before 
 irrigation, and is now from $200 to 
 $500. The outlay in this case rep- 
 resents $60 to the share. There is 
 no stock for sale, but its estimated 
 value is $335 per share. The pros- 
 perity which has attended the whole 
 enterprise indicates superior man- 
 agement as utilizing all the ad- 
 vantages at hand. 
 
 The great Sweetwater Reservoir, 
 built to supply National City, in San 
 Diego County, California, with 
 water, at a cost of $275,000 for the 
 dam a7id land for the reservoir, and 
 $502,000 for the pipe line, illus- 
 trates another feature of the irriga- 
 ting industry, as to its indirect 
 effects. Allotting a miner's inch a 
 duty of ten acres, this would only 
 irrigate 20,000 acres in addition to 
 supplying National City with 700,- 
 000,000 gallons. At the rate water 
 rights, giving to the purchaser 
 simply the privilege of becomi ng a 
 customer for the water, have been 
 soldby the San Diego Flume Com- 
 pany ($200 per acre), the value of the 
 irrigation supply amounts to $4,000,- 
 000. At the date of the report, con- 
 stru(-tion of the works had added 
 $1,500,000 to the value of 5,000 
 acres, which had then been supplied 
 with a complete system of water 
 pipes, and $1,000,000 to the value 
 of the town property in National 
 City and lands adjacent. 
 
 The San Diego Flume Company 
 
 was organized May 27th, 188G, with 
 a capital stock of $1,000,000, of 
 which only $100,000 was called. An 
 issue of $600,000 of bonds was 
 authorized. When the first state- 
 ment was rendered, April 28, 1887, 
 there had been 235 bonds sold at 
 95 cents. The assets at that time 
 were $887,819. The liabilities in- 
 cluded bills payable, $42,000 ; over- 
 draft at bank $1,000 ; and $6,000 of 
 past due interest. The assets at that 
 time were in excess of liabilities 
 $600,000. At that date the sales of 
 water rights were represented in 
 bill receivable, $54,207 ; aud in 
 water right contracts due when 
 water should be furnished, $37,200. 
 
 The next statement, made on the 
 28th of December, 1887, or eight 
 months later, shows that 265 bonds 
 had been sold at 95 cents. The 
 water rights sold under contract 
 amounted to $344,000. The total 
 amount expended for construction 
 to that time was $329,000. Their 
 real estate, at a low valuation, was 
 2,000 acres, worth $240,000. They 
 had in bank $161,673 cash ; bills 
 receivable $115,380, and contracts 
 for $567,000. They estimated the 
 water rights unsold, at prices pre- 
 viously realized, as 3,550 acres 
 miner's inches at $1,200 per inch, 
 worth $4,260,000, making the total 
 assets $5,991,595. Their liabilities 
 included the $100,000 bonds, of 
 which 335 had not been sold, bills 
 payable $62,000, and estimated for 
 the completion of the line $485,000. 
 The excess of assets over liabilities 
 was $4,844,595.83. Thus, at the 
 end of twenty months from the date 
 of organization, the water rights al- 
 ready sold had realized in cash, 
 notes and contracts about $845,000, 
 as against a total cost of construc- 
 tion of $329,395. Only $100,000 had 
 been realized from assessments and 
 sales of stock. 
 
 The probable gross income was 
 stated at $60 per inch per annum ($6 
 per acre) under tlie contracts for 
 
*\0 
 
 O/V ^^ 
 
 water already sold at §>300,000 ; aiut made a very fortunate investment, 
 from the city supply under their fran- and they so a})preciate it. 
 chise at '^100,000, or a total annual ^I'hese instances might be con- 
 income of -^-100,000, against a total tinned indefinitely, all to the same 
 expenditure of -S80(),000. effect. They serve to illustrate, 
 A company recently organized in what I have before stated, that 
 Chicago, the Pecos Irrigation and there is no class of investments in 
 Investment Company, has secured which money can be used that are 
 valuable franchises in the Eio Pecos so substantial in their foundations, 
 \"alley, in Southern New Mexico, and that have such capacity for 
 Since October 1st, upward of 125,- development, that yield so large and 
 000 acres of land has been entered, so sure returns, whose values always 
 from which the company will real- advance and never depreciate, and. 
 ize $15 an acre for water rights. Ije- where the natural elements contrib- 
 sides the anniial rentals. Tliese ute to the constant growth in value, 
 lands must be " proved up," under These investments have not been 
 the law, within three years from offered until recently to eastern 
 date of entry. The total cost will capital. They have been popular 
 be covered by $400,000 of capital at home, and although money in 
 stock, sold at 50 cents on the dollar, that locality commands an excep- 
 and '$200,000 of bonds. Both stock tionally high rate of interest, the 
 and bonds have been sold and the stock in an irrigation company 
 contracts are let for the completion yields better returns than from any 
 of 95 miles of main canals this year, other use in which it may be 
 It requires but a little calculation employed, 
 to see that its stockholders have Charles AV. Greene. 
 
 (i I I. A V A L L E Y. 
 
 The soil throughout the valley is lime from the magnesium-lime for- 
 a rich brownish yellow, sandy loam, mations, and the potash from the 
 generous, mellow and porous, with a decomposing granite rocks were 
 depth ranging from six to twenty carried with unceasing regularity, 
 feet, the whole resting upon under- year by year, until deposited in the 
 lying stratas of gravel and sand that bottom. Eventually upon the dis- 
 readily carry from the surface such appearance of the lake, the rich, 
 excess of water as might otherwise fertile alluvium, than which there 
 prove injurious to seeds and grow- is none better, was left to reward 
 ing plants. the efforts of the modern husband- 
 
 There is unmistakable geologic man. Hut Nature, not yet satisfied 
 evidence that the entire lower Gila with her handiwork, directed the , 
 valley was, during some prehistoric accumulation of the detritus washed 
 period, covered with water, consti- from the distant mountainous re- 
 tuting, in fact, an enormous lake, gion. Asaresult, the soilis extreme- 
 the surface rising in places to the ly rich in the elements best adapted 
 upper portion of the outskirting to thorough fertilization ; for it con- 
 mesas. The soil lying at the bot- tains a certain amount of organic 
 tom was made by the washing and matter which, on decomposing, 
 erosion of the surrounding moun- further enhances its agricultural 
 tains. The soda from the decom- value. By constant overflow and 
 posed vegetation, the magnesia and change of channel, the deposits are 
 
evenly distributed over considerable 
 areas, the process continuing 
 through centuries. These soils are 
 further enriched by decomposed in- 
 organic contributions, including the 
 sandstones, marls, limestones, shales, 
 etc. Besides the ingredients men- 
 tioned, a chemical analysis shows 
 that iron, ammonia and phosphoric 
 acid enter into its composition in 
 the proportions best adapted to add 
 to its lecundic qualities. The ex- 
 tremes of temperature are somewhat 
 greater than on the highlands ; but 
 there is also more moisture. 
 
 The bottom lands are so easy of 
 cultivation that it is not uncommon, 
 after clearing the surface from 
 brush and stubble, to jiass over the 
 ground with an ordinary cultivator 
 a single time, afterwards sowing to 
 grain or grass. In three or four 
 months, large crops are harvested, 
 the soil meanwhile being entirely 
 innocent of the plow. All plants 
 seem to grow rapidly, maturing 
 remarkably early. Indications of 
 ancient ditchesareapparent through- 
 out the valley, showing plainly the 
 existence of irrigation works by the 
 ancient Aztecs. Curiously enough, 
 in certain instances, the identical 
 routes of these long extinct people 
 have been followed for considerable 
 distances by their modern succes- 
 sors. 
 
 The wonderful fertility of the 
 bottoms and other valley lands, as 
 well as the mesas and plains, is es- 
 tablished beyond denial by actual 
 experimentation. INeither is the soil 
 likely to degenerate in the future ; 
 for in answer to the question, ''Will 
 it last?" 0. L. Wheeler, D. D., 
 LL. D., a recognized expert in such 
 matters upon the Pacific Coast, says : 
 
 " To this query the answer in 
 general is, the longer land is prop- 
 perly cultivated and properly 
 fertilized, the stronger and more 
 productive it becomes. While the 
 mountains surrpunding the val- 
 ley continue to disintegrate under 
 
 the operation of the elements, and 
 while the detritus thus eliminated 
 continues under the laws of gravita- 
 tion to descend and work its way 
 over the plains, so long will there 
 be perennial additions to the amount 
 of producing element in a state of 
 refinement and assimilation. And 
 so long as the water flowing from 
 these mountains, holding in solu- 
 tion the debris, which always, in 
 some degree, is spread upon the 
 land in irrigation, so long will the 
 fertilizing properties of the soil con- 
 tinue to receive additions, and its 
 fecundic power continue to be in- 
 creased. And so long as the water 
 containing more or less of salts and 
 ammoniac compounds, as all water 
 does, is used for irrigating purposes, 
 and so long as the process of culti- 
 vation continues to throw up the 
 soil, exposing it to the indispensable 
 and ever fructifying influence of the 
 atmosphere, so long will the soil con- 
 tinue to be refreshed and invigor- 
 ated and prepared to give large re- 
 wards to the labor of the husband- 
 man." 
 
 Climate. 
 
 It is rather without the intents of 
 this report to dwell in detail upon 
 the sanitary advantages offered by 
 our almost perfect climate; and yet, 
 a few words upon this subject may 
 not be inappropriate. 
 
 For nine out of every twelve 
 months, the climate is simply superb. 
 Three months are warm, but not ex- 
 cessively so, although the ther- 
 mometer ranges far higher than 
 would be conducive to health or 
 comfort in any section of the East. 
 The conditions, however, are most 
 dissimilar, as maybe seen by the fol- 
 lowing, taken from the official com- 
 munication of Lieutenant W. A. 
 Glassford, of the United States 
 Signal Corps, to the Governor of the 
 Territory : 
 
 '' A few words upon the heat. It 
 is recorded as extreme, yet no one 
 suffers, and sunstrokes are unknown. 
 
— 34 — 
 
 Tliis is usually accounted for from the 
 purity and dryness of the air. Both 
 are true ; but the dryness is, per- 
 haps, the correct reason. I have cal- 
 culated the difference between the 
 shade and sensible temperature at 
 Yuma during the heated hour of the 
 da}', and it is about thirty degrees. At 
 New York or Washington it is only 
 a few degrees, and often identical. 
 The highest shade temperature ever 
 recorded at Yuma is 118 degrees. 
 When the heat is at this point, the 
 sensible temperature is about 88 de- 
 grees. The shade temperature of 
 Xew York being 105 degrees, the 
 sensible temporature is certainly near 
 100 degrees. The difference between 
 tlie mean temperature and the mean 
 sensible temperature for July is over 
 IT degrees at Yuma. 
 
 " These considerations of the sen- 
 sible and shade temperature will ac- 
 count for the absence of any detri- 
 mental effect upon the extreme heat 
 of Arizona. 
 
 " The air is dry. The moisture in 
 the atmosphere is from twenty-five 
 to thirty per cent., as against seven- 
 ty-five to eighty-five per cent, in 
 other localities. Every afternoon in 
 summer there is a refreshing breeze 
 from the (iulf of California that re- 
 lieves the day of undesirable heat. 
 It ]>asses over a desert, much of 
 which is l)elow sea level, that acts as 
 a desiccant ; so that when the plains 
 of Central Arizona are reached, the 
 air is dry to the last possible degree. 
 
 " There are neither sunstrokes in 
 summer nor pneumonia in winter ; 
 neither fever nor malaria live or gen- 
 erate in this section. The air is pure 
 — absolutely free from those com- 
 pounds that poison the system and 
 bring on disease. In no country 
 is there a greater number of bright 
 nights and sunny days. Hundreds 
 afflicted with lung trouble, after 
 visiting Florida and Southern Cali- 
 fornia, have found relief in this in- 
 vigorating climate, where the pure 
 air is a tonic to shattered constitu- 
 
 tions, a healing balsam to the con- 
 sumptive." 
 
 The meteorological conditions are 
 indeed admirable for the cure of all 
 rheumatic, bronchial and pulmonary 
 troubles, as has been proven time 
 and time again. In summer, the 
 rapid evaporation lowers the tem- 
 perature and promotes comfort ; 
 while in winter the mild, e(|uable 
 and pleasant weather is deliglitful 
 to the invalid. 
 
 Herewith is given a table of average 
 temi)erature, compiled from official 
 reports, extending over ten years: 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Feb. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 April. 
 
 Maj'. 
 
 June. 
 
 53.6 
 
 58.8 
 
 65.0 
 
 69.4 
 
 77.2 
 
 85.3 
 
 
 July. 
 
 Aug. 
 
 Sept. 
 
 Oct. Nov. 
 
 Dec. 
 
 92.0 
 
 90.0 
 
 83.9 
 
 72.4 61.2 
 
 55.9 
 
 The statements of the Commis- 
 sioner can be thoroughly substan- 
 tiated, as may be seen by the an- 
 nexed table shoAving the time of 
 maturity for certain products : 
 
 Strawberries Jaiuuu y 15th. 
 
 Apricots ...April l.st to21st. 
 
 Mulberries April 14th to 20th. 
 
 Figs April 10th. 
 
 Grapes June 1st to 7th. 
 
 Watei-nielons, etc May 20th. 
 
 Peaches June loth. 
 
 Pomegranates August 1 st. 
 
 Limes September 5tli to 10th. 
 
 Lemons September 15th to 25th. 
 
 Dates September 1st. 
 
 Oranges. . _ Nov. 25th to Dec. 1st.. 
 
 The sugar beet promises better 
 results for the future than many of 
 the products already mentioned as 
 prominent in the same direction. 
 Samples not fully matured polarized 
 seventeen per cent. With proper 
 cultivation, the percentage can be 
 raised to from twenty to twenty-five, 
 and, besides, Avill harvest two crops 
 each vear. 
 
35 
 
 Wheat does splendidly. In one in- 
 stance, 483 pounds, seeded to twenty 
 acres, about nine miles east of Yuma, 
 on the Gila Kiver, returned 52,750 
 l^ounds, after having been irrigated 
 five times. This was sold in San 
 Francisco, bringing fifty cents per 
 cental over every other kind then in 
 the market. The grain is remark- 
 able for its plump, berry-like appear- 
 ance. The winter and spring are 
 warm enough to insure a vigorous 
 growth, and cool enough in April 
 and May to allow the heads to fill 
 out without shriveling. It is so 
 perfect as to sell for seed, and, so 
 far as known, is proof against rust. 
 Two crops are raised annually. 
 
 Bai-ley also does well, and will 
 produce two crops — the first yield- 
 ing from thirty-five to forty bushels 
 of barley, and the second a large 
 amount of hay. 
 
 Corn is produced in great quan- 
 tity, yields enormously, and can be 
 grown the year round. The " Co- 
 copah " corn is noted for sweetness, 
 plumpness, earliness, and for its 
 firm and solid grains. Five weeks 
 after planting, roasting ears are 
 plentiful. This variety commands 
 a ready sale at higher prices than 
 any other kind. 
 
 Alfalfa will cut from five to seven 
 times at an average of two and one- 
 half tons to the acre. Eight acres, 
 but one year old, have this year 
 yielded seventy-four tons, with 
 more cuttings yet to be made. The 
 hay brings fifteen dollars per ton. 
 
 Sorghum, raised for feed, is both 
 valuable and prolific. It frequently 
 reaches fifteen feet in height, yields 
 from fifteen to twenty tons per acre, 
 and is worth fifteen dollars per ton. 
 Several crops can be harvested an- 
 nually. 
 
 Vegetables, kitchen and garden 
 stuff, melons, etc., grow all the year 
 round in unlimited quantity and ex- 
 cellent quality. Some time since, a 
 Gila Valley farmer planted fifteen 
 pounds of Irish potatoes on a piece 
 
 of bottom land that had been over- 
 flowed, from which lie harvested 
 over seven hundred pounds ; and 
 this record, it is believed, has rarely, 
 if ever, been excelled. The sweet 
 potato produces enormously, and 
 equals the choicest brought from 
 South Carolina. 
 
 Peanuts mature rapidly and abun- 
 dantly, yielding a nut both plump 
 and toothsome. 
 
 Wherever there is sufiicient 
 moisture, the natural flora abound 
 in profusion and variety. They are 
 of rare beauty and delicious fra- 
 grance, the bulbous plants particu- 
 larly. The lily surpasses the 
 famous imported 'Mapan." It has 
 been claimed by experts that at no 
 distant period opium will be manu- 
 factured from the poppy, and attar 
 from therose, both flowers thriving 
 vigorously. There are but few trees 
 and shrubs capable of adornng the 
 surroundings of a lovely modern 
 home that cannot be satisfactorily 
 grown. 
 
 Every plant, vine or tree men- 
 tioned in the foregoing list has been 
 actually proven adaptable to our 
 soils and climate. Many others 
 have been omitted through lack of 
 space ; but there seems no doubt 
 that time will demonstrate our 
 ability to profitably raise all the 
 semi-troj^ic and most of the tropical 
 and temperate productions. 
 
 Southern Arizona offers to the 
 immigrant a home where a perfect 
 climate insures health and comfort ; 
 where land is abundant and cheap ; 
 where the soil is rich, lasting and 
 wonderfully prolific ; where bounte- 
 ous nature renders the greatest re- 
 turn for labor ; where varied re- 
 sources are being rapidly developed ; 
 where excellent educational facilities 
 are ever at hand ; where railioads 
 will bring to his door the luxuries of 
 life, and transport to market the 
 produce of his farm ; where neither 
 cyclone, blizzard nor winter blast is 
 known, but the balmy, pure, dry 
 
— 36 — 
 
 and life giving air restores and pre- gence and refinement abide, and a 
 
 serves health, imparting vigor to rich territory is developing into a 
 
 brain and mnscle ; where chnrches, great and prosperous State, 
 schools, newspapers, society, intelli- 
 
 Y U M A C O U x\ T Y. 
 
 ItM Cii><>^ra|>lii<>al Position aiid A«lvaiila$fe!«. 
 
 By Hon. Camkkox H. King. 
 
 In regard to climate, healthful- river, tliroii^li il<i iiia;;iiili<Tiit 
 
 ness, fertility and productiveness of eaiions in llio iiorllMoilio inoiilii 
 
 soil, facilities for cultivation, irriga- ol'Viry:iii Uivt-r. in llie Siatr of 
 
 tion and abundance of water supply, l\'cva«ia, a <ii<<taii<*o of 1 10 miles 
 
 variety of resources and cheap trans- above llie t4»\vii <»f Yiiiiia. 
 
 portation by rail and by water, no r^^i^^, ..^^^^ ,^,^,1 ^^^^ inspiring 
 
 part of Arizona can surpass luma gcenery of the Williams Fork, Mo- 
 
 Couuty which IS destined to become i^j^^e^ 15,,IPs jjead. Painted and 
 
 one ot the richest and most prosper- Bj^ck Canons, where in places the 
 
 ous counties m Arizona. precipitous banks rise thousands of 
 
 It lies between 32° 00 and 34° 20 f^^^ ^^^^^^ ^he bed of the river, 
 
 north latitude and 113 20 and 1U° ^q.^i^j .^gH ^^^^ tourist for his 
 
 40 west longitude. It contains voyage. The powerful stern wheel 
 
 6,48cS, 320 acres. It is about as large steamboats. "Cila," 17G feet in 
 
 as the States of Rhode Island, Con- i^^^a^th by 30 feet in width, com- 
 
 necticut and Delaware combined, sanded by Captain J. A. Mellon, 
 
 or as large as either New Hampshire, .^nd the ''Mohave," 187 feet in 
 
 \ ermont or Massachusetts. i^^ ^h by 36 feet in width, com- 
 
 Ihe western boundary of luma sanded by Captain Isaac Polhemus, 
 County is formed by the Colorado furnish every accommodation to pas- 
 layer, which separates Arizona from sengers, and are so admirablv man- 
 Calitornia. Ihe county is bounded | ^g to render such an excursion 
 on the north by Uilliams tork and ^^^ ^f continuous pleasure for the 
 the Santa Maria Kiver, whose waters ^j^^ig distance traveled, 
 flow into the Colorado ; on the east Yrom the Virgin River, the more 
 by the counties of Pima, Maricopa adventurous tourist can make his 
 and lavapai, and on the south by ,^av to the (h-and Canon of the Col- 
 Sonora, Mexico. Its county seat is o^.a^o, the most stupendous chasm 
 the town of ^ uma. o,i the globe. It is a tremendous 
 
 Tlie Col<»ra4lo River is iiavi^fsi- gorge, about 400 miles in length and 
 
 ble for a unreal er diMaiiee, willi- from 1,000 to 7,000 feet in-depth, 
 
 oiil |»orla;;e!«, liian any oilier and is without a parallel in the 
 
 ri\er on liie Aiiierl<'aii 4*onliiieiit world. 
 
 whieh flows into I lie I'aeilie The Colorado River drains the 
 
 Oeean. I.arue river Kteainboals, entire territory of Arizona, and every 
 
 l4»\viii;f i>ar;urt'K laden with drop of water which falls on its 
 
 freiu^lil, Kleaiii lip Hie river from mountains and plains finds its way 
 
 Ilie<iiiiilf4»f<'alif<»riiia, norllierly, to this mighty river. It is formed 
 
 a <li<»taii<'e of <»05 milen. One eaii by the union of the Green and Grand 
 
 «ear<'ely iiiia;;iiie a iii(»re <lelitflil- rivers, fed by the streams whicli rise 
 
 fill I rip tliaii llial up tliis ;^raii(l in the Rocky ^Mountains, and the 
 
37 
 
 melting snows cause a greater depth 
 of water in this river in summer 
 than in winter, thus furnishing the 
 most water at the season when it is 
 most required for the purposes of 
 irrigation and agriculture. 
 
 It will be seen that for the entire 
 distance along its western bouiidary, 
 Yuma County possesses the great 
 advantage of cheap water transpor- 
 tation. 
 
 The Clila River rises in the west- 
 ern part of New Mexico and is fed 
 by numerous streams, among the 
 most prominent of which are the 
 San Pedro, Agua Fria, Hassayampa 
 and Salt rivers. It flows west through 
 Yuma County and empties into the 
 Colorado at the town of Yuma, 
 
 Yuma County, traversed by these 
 great rivers from its northern to its 
 southern, and from its eastern to its 
 western boundaries, possesses a far 
 greater water supply than any other 
 county in the Territory, and far 
 more than can be found in all Cali- 
 fornia. 
 
 This water is now being diverted 
 from its natural channels by means 
 
 of numei'ous large irrigating canals, 
 and utilized for the purpose of re- 
 claiming and irrigating the immense 
 tracts of lands which lie in this fa- 
 vored county, and which are as fer- 
 tile as any in the world. 
 
 The Southern Pacific Railroad 
 crosses the Colorado River at the 
 town of Yuma, and runs through 
 the county, following the general 
 course and at an average distance 
 of about four miles soiith of the 
 Gila River, rendering all the lands 
 susceptible of irrigation and culti- 
 vation along the river accessible to 
 railroad facilities. '^Ihe products of 
 the vast tracts of land along this 
 river, which are now being prepared 
 for cultivation, can find an easy out- 
 let in this way, and can be trans- 
 ported to all the markets and centres 
 of population in the East or West. 
 
 Another competing railroad is 
 projected from San Diego, Cal., 
 to the town of Yuma, and thence 
 along the north side of the Gila 
 river. Thus Yuma County will have 
 exceptional railroad advantages. 
 
 CMHIATE OF YlJIflA. 
 
 The climate of Yuma for nine 
 months of the year has no equal, as 
 we believe, in the world, and during 
 the remaining three months of the 
 year, comprising June, July and 
 August, the heat is not oppressive. 
 Even though the thermometer in 
 mid summer may at times rise 
 above 100°, and occasionally even 
 reach 110°, yet, owing to the ab- 
 sence of moisture in the air, it is 
 not oppressive. The atmosphere is 
 pure, light and balmy. When the 
 mercury marks the highest extreme 
 of heat, a person does not feel that 
 oppression or debility which is felt 
 in the Eastern States when the mer- 
 cury is ranging from 80° to 90°. 
 The air is so dry that perspiration 
 
 is absorbed as soon as it reaches the 
 surface of the body, and at no time 
 in the summer does the heat pro- 
 duce any discomfort. 
 
 Below is adduced testimony of 
 distinguished physicians on the cli- 
 mate and sanitary conditions of 
 Yuma County, which are well worthy 
 of perusal, and must convince those 
 Avho seek relief from pulmonary or 
 bronchial diseases that Yuma will 
 eventually become the sanitarium of 
 the continent. Herethere are neither 
 the fogs, mists nor cold winds which 
 are so prevalent in California, and 
 render its climate objectionable to 
 those disposed to lung or throat 
 troubles. 
 
 The average temperature during 
 
— 38 — 
 
 the summer months at the town of 
 Yuma is 89^. 
 
 ])r. J. n. 'i'aggart, for a number 
 of years a resident of Yuma, a physi- 
 cian of great ability and learning, 
 and a graduate of IJush Medical Col- 
 lege, of Chicago, in the class of 18G2, 
 has been the county physician of 
 Yuma County for more than ten 
 years, lie writes as follows : 
 
 CLIMATK AND METEOROLOGY. 
 
 Cameron H. King, Commissioner of 
 
 Immigration : 
 
 Dear Sir : If a comparison of the 
 climatic conditions of the Pacific 
 slope with tliose of the Atlantic, or 
 of the great central basin drained by 
 the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, 
 be instituted, we are struck by cer- 
 tain radical differences in favor of 
 the Western locality, so important 
 in their influence on health, comfort 
 and welfare that we may well doubt 
 whether, in case our forefathers had 
 approached the newly found conti- 
 nent fi'om the west instead of the 
 east, the Atlantic States would now 
 be as well filled by immigration as 
 the Pacific States in fact are, or, in- 
 deed, whether they would be within 
 half a century of that development. 
 
 Among the unfavorable climatic 
 conditions that prevail in the East 
 are the great range of temperature 
 between summer and Avinter, and 
 more trying and health-destroying 
 by far. the sudden and extreme 
 changes — not once or twice a year, 
 but many times in a single season. 
 I experienced one of these changes 
 near Chicago in the winter of 1870- 
 71, where the mercury fell 60° in 
 twelve hours, and this change, ter- 
 rible as it was, was but little greater 
 or more sudden than scores that 
 occur every year. Another draw- 
 l)ack to the eastern climate is found 
 in the high degree of humidity of 
 the atmosphere, which makes a mod- 
 erate degree of cold so piercing, and 
 a moderate degree of heat seem so 
 sultry and suffocating. 
 
 'Yo realize howolnioxious to human 
 health such conditions are, we have 
 only to inquire into the prevalence 
 of consumption and rheumatism in 
 a number of localities where these 
 conditions are more prevalent, with 
 a number of localities where they 
 are less })i'evalent or absent, and we 
 shall find, other conditions being 
 similar, that in proportion as the 
 objectionable climatic conditions are 
 present or absent, so are present or 
 absent those dread diseases. But no 
 argument is necessary to establish 
 this position, as it is generally recog- 
 nized East as well as AVest, and the 
 "glorious climate of California " is 
 acknowledged to be no myth. That 
 there are varying degrees of excel- 
 lence in the climate of the various 
 localities of the Pacific Slope is not 
 to be denied, but we aftii'm, and can 
 easily show, that our most unfavor- 
 able climate is better suited to pro- 
 mote the health of the inhabitants 
 living within its influence than the 
 best to be found east of the Rocky 
 Mountains. We have here neither 
 " blizzards" nor "polar waves" in 
 winter, nor tornadoes dealing sud- 
 den death and destruction at any 
 season of the year ; yet these are 
 so common there as to hai'dly cause 
 remark. 
 
 Sunstroke, too, and hydrophobia 
 are very rare here, and in some 
 places, as southern Arizona, un- 
 known. The great dryness of the 
 atmosphere so powerfully invites 
 perspiration, and removes it from the 
 surface of the body so rapidly, that 
 all excess of animal heat is at once 
 withdrawn, the temperature of the 
 body kept at its luitural degree, and 
 exemption from sunstroke insured, 
 even when the mercury rises to its 
 extreme height of 115°, the highest 
 temperature ever recorded by the 
 signal service in Yuma. This heat 
 is far less oppressive than in the East, 
 because the dryness of the air causes 
 it to take up the abundant perspira- 
 tion with aviditv, leaving us sensible 
 
39 
 
 of a dry heat onl\', and not of the 
 distressing oppression of sultriness 
 that our Eastern cousins feel wlien 
 the mercury gets to the eighties. 
 The heat and dryness again are fatal 
 to zymotic poisons, bacteria, etc.; 
 hence the entire absence of hydro- 
 phobia and malarial diseases, and 
 the mild grade of smallpox, diph- 
 theria, scarlatina or whatever other 
 contagious disease may be imported 
 in our winter season. They could 
 not obtain a lodgment in the sum- 
 mer, and when they make their ap- 
 pearance in the winter they are 
 easily controlled and stamped out. 
 
 Again, Yuma is less than one 
 hundred and fifty feet above the 
 sea level, a point of great practical 
 importance to consumptives and 
 others with disabled lungs. A sine 
 qua 1)0)1 with many — yes, with most 
 of these — is a pure air, which is the 
 reason so many seek mountains or 
 elevated regions, so as to get above 
 the vapors, deleterious gases and 
 paludal emanations so common at 
 the lower altitudes. Could these be 
 avoided, then, for this class, the 
 lower the altitude, the better. The 
 reason is plain : an absolute amount 
 of oxygen is necessary every min- 
 ute to purify the blood, and this 
 amount of oxygen is contained in a 
 lesser bulk of air at the sea-level 
 than at any elevation above it, since 
 the greater the altitude the less its 
 density. Hence we see why so many 
 experience such difficulty in ascend- 
 ing to moderate elevations even, 
 and understand that one whose 
 lungs are partially disabled can 
 perhaps, take in at every inspiration 
 in a dense atmosphere a sufficient 
 bulk of air to afford the necessary 
 amount of oxygen, while in the 
 rarefied air of a mountain it would 
 be im]iossible to inhale a bulk of 
 air sufficient for the purpose. The 
 deservedly popular "oxygen treat- 
 ment," that has benefited so many 
 consumptives, is based on the same 
 principle, viz., of increasing the 
 
 amount of oxygen in the air 
 breathed by the patient, so that he 
 may take enough to cleanse the 
 blood witliout being embarrassed 
 by the too great bulk of air. This 
 treatment, though, is necessarily 
 intermittent ; how much better if a 
 locality could be found where the 
 necessary amount of oxygen is 
 contained in the bulk of air usually 
 inspired by the patient. 
 
 Such a place is A^uma County, 
 Ariz., where the atmosphere is almost 
 at its maximum density, and where 
 the entire absence of swamps and 
 marshes, and the very small annual 
 rainfall, taken in connection with 
 the heat of the summer, insure its 
 extreme purity. Here, then, are to 
 be found a congregation of con- 
 ditions more favorable to the invalid 
 than can be found in any other 
 locality East or West, and this 
 without detracting in the least from 
 the deservedly reputation earned 
 by some of the best health resorts. 
 
 In support of my statements in 
 regard to the absence of sudden or 
 extreme changes of temperature, 
 dryness of the atmosphere, etc., I 
 shall give a few figures, kindly fur- 
 nished me by A. F. Whitfield, the 
 efficient meteorologist of the Sig- 
 nal Service at this station, and in- 
 vite a careful attention to them for 
 the lessons they teach. 
 
 Maximum temperature for past 
 five years, 115.5°, June 23, 1887, 
 
 Minimum temperature for past 
 five years, 22.5'', January 20, 1883. 
 
 Average monthly temperatures, 
 from ten years' observations, Jan. 
 53.6°, Feb. 58.8°, March 65°, April 
 69.4°, Mav 77.2°, June 85.2°, July 
 92°, Aug.' 90.9°, Sept. 83.9°, Oct. 
 71.2°, Nov. 61.2°, Dec. 55.9°. 
 
 Rainfall for 1883, 2.35 inches 
 
 " 1884, 5.86 " 
 
 " 1885, 2.72 " 
 
 " '' 1886, 5.35 " 
 
 " " 1887, 3.90 " 
 
 It is universally admitted that in 
 
— 40 — 
 
 places where the humidity oi' tiie 
 ;itinosi)iiere is greatest, the lieat is 
 most oppressive. Tlie foregoing 
 statistics make it plain wliy, when 
 our maximum is greater than in 
 the East, we suffer less than they 
 do, viz., the dryness of our atmos- 
 phere and the absence of sudden 
 changes. That the virtues of our 
 climate are becoming appreciated 
 by those suffering from ])ulmonary 
 and rheumatic complaints is at- 
 
 tested by the great and constantly 
 increasing numbers of tliem who 
 come seeking health. To those 
 who are not already past hoi)e, I 
 would say, Come, and you will re- 
 ceive benefit ; if a cure be possible, 
 and t6 many it has been, you will 
 obtain it here quicker and more 
 certainly than in any other health 
 resort. 
 
 J. II. Ta(;uaut. :^I. D. 
 
 YUWA, ARIZONA, AS A U1\TER HEAI/ni KI]$»ORT FOR 
 
 COXSlJlflP Tl VES. 
 
 By P. G. CoTTEK, M. J)., Government Physician to the Indian Training 
 School, Fort Yuma, Cal., and formerly Senior Resident Physician 
 and Surgeon to St. Peter's Hospital, Albany, N. Y. 
 
 Cameron H. King, Commissioner of substantial facts in regard to the 
 Immigration: climate of Yuma during the 
 
 Dear Sir : The rigors of the months of November, December, 
 winter season in the northern and January, February and March, I 
 eastern parts of the United States may serve some one who may be in 
 are generally so sevcn-e that per- search of such information. Jf I 
 sons suffering from lung diseases, shall succeed in furnishing relial)le 
 who can afford to do so are obliged data from w^hich but one invalid 
 to seek a milder climate in which will be truthfully informed of the 
 to spend that inclement portion of comparative climatic advantages of 
 the year, extending from about the a few well known winter health 
 first of November to the first of resorts, thereby preventing him 
 April. They hope by doing so to from being misled by the advertise- 
 avoid, not only the strain upon their ments of rival cities, and saved the 
 decreasing strength and vitality expenses and hardships attendant 
 resulting from the frequently sud- upon a sick pei'son's journey away 
 den changes to extremes of the from home in search of a more 
 weather there, hut also the danger salubrious climate tluin his own 
 of such changes accelerating the home can yield him, then I will 
 disease processes of which they com- feel well rewarded for my effort in 
 plain. his behalf. 
 
 The knowledge of this state of Dr. Adolf Striimpell, formerly 
 affairs has led the peo])le of some Professor and Director of the 
 localities to advertise largely the Medical Polyclinic at the University 
 climates of their respective places, of Leipsic, Germany, says in the 
 
 and, to their discredit it must be 
 
 said, often at the expense of truth. 
 
 It is not my intent, in the limited 
 
 time and sjiace now at my com- 
 
 latest edition of his " Textbook of 
 Medicine: '' "The choiceof a winter 
 health resort is of great impor- 
 tance, since the colder season brings 
 
 niand, to give a general disserta- with it many dangers for the pa- 
 tion on the climate of Yuma County, tient. We cannot omit, however, 
 but I think that, by furnishinga few calling special attention to the fact 
 
41 
 
 that we should always ask our- 
 selves, in choosing a health resort, 
 whether the expense and incon- 
 venience thus imposed upon a pa- 
 tient can be balanced by the prob- 
 able result. It is also blameworthy 
 from a professional and humane 
 standpoint, to send patients in the 
 last stages of consumption among 
 strangers, to die far from their 
 homes and relatives." 
 
 This is not the class of patients to 
 send away from home to be cured 
 by a change of climate, yet the fol- 
 lowing is a fair sample of what I 
 have often heard from the lips of 
 such patients, who have left com- 
 fortable homes in the North and 
 East, and have been sent through 
 this place to be cured by the cli- 
 mate. " Doctor, when I left home 
 my physician said that my lungs 
 were all right again, and all that I 
 needed was a change of climate to 
 be entirely well. Since I left home, 
 about two weeks ago, I have been 
 doing real well till last night, when 
 I had another night sweat," or se- 
 vere cough, as the case may be, 
 ''and I am just as bad to-day as 
 ever." I have found frequently, 
 upon a careful physical examina- 
 tion of such patients, that a good 
 portion of one and sometimes of 
 both lungs Avas in a state of tuber- 
 cular infiltration, and even in some 
 cases breaking down into cavities. 
 
 I have seen a young wife weep- 
 ing over the lifeless, though not yet 
 cold body of her invalid husband 
 who had just expired as the train 
 brought them into Yuma. He had 
 been sent away from home to be 
 cured by the climate of Southern 
 California. Could medicine, climate 
 or anything under heaven have 
 cured such a case, had he barely 
 survived the journey? I will leave 
 the reader to draw his own conclu- 
 sions. 
 
 There is another class of con- 
 sumptives or, more correctl}^, per- 
 sons having a hereditary tendency 
 
 to consumption, whose condition 
 may be ameliorated by a judicious 
 selection of a climate which would 
 give the advantages necessary for 
 improvement in this particular form 
 of the disease, e. y.: chronic fibroid 
 phthisis may be beneficially treated 
 by high altitudes having a dry, 
 pure atmosphere ; catarrhal phthisis 
 by a dry, warm, even climate, and 
 so on, each form having conditions 
 of climate which are more bene- 
 ficial to its victims than to others. 
 
 The medical ])i-ofession may be 
 divided in respect to the theories 
 regarding the etiology (causation) 
 of consumption ; one class may 
 claim that it is the presence of a 
 distinct, specific form of bacteria 
 (the tubercle bacillus), discovered, 
 isolated and studied first by Dr. 
 R. Koch, in the year 1881 ; another 
 may believe it to he B.n inflammatory 
 process, which may or may not be 
 secondarily complicated by tuber- 
 cle; and a third may charge heredity 
 and poor nourishment with the 
 blame ; but they all stand united 
 in this one thing, viz. : that pure 
 air, a dry, warm, mild and even 
 climate, afford the patient the very 
 best chance of recovery, of husband- 
 ing his strength and holding in 
 check the dire ravages of the dis- 
 ease. 
 
 Why a dry climate? Germs can 
 be propagated, in a culture fluid of 
 proper moisture and warmth, out- 
 side of the human body. This has 
 been nicely proved by Dr. Sternberg, 
 of Washington, D. C., by use of his 
 culture tubes. Then, if Ave accept 
 the most popular theory of the day, 
 we can readily see that a moist at- 
 mosphere favors the germ develop- 
 ing process and thereby aids the 
 disease to defeat nature in her 
 struggle of life and death. Also, 
 there are the physical inconven- 
 iences of w. damp atmosphere, laden 
 with fog a great portion of the day, 
 which try even the most healthy, 
 much more so the invalid. The 
 
— 42 — 
 
 healthy, vigorous business num may 
 be too busy to give it mucli thouglit, 
 but not so is the case of the poor 
 invalid far away from liome and 
 sensitive to every exhausting in- 
 fluence which lessens his or her 
 fund of strength and vitality. 
 
 AVhy a warm climate ? When a 
 person is sufferiiig, for example, in 
 the second or third stage of acute 
 pulmonary phthisis (quick con- 
 sum})tion), and only a portion of 
 each lung, and sometimes of but 
 one lung, can do good lung work, 
 the poor sufferer lies gasping for 
 breath in a close room which j)rob- 
 ably has double windows, and con- 
 tains a fire, a light and several 
 other persons besides the patient, 
 with a necessarily vitiated condition 
 of the atmosphere of that room. 
 To open the door or window would 
 cause a cold draft and exposure ; to 
 leave them shut means asphyxia 
 (suffocation) to the patient, from 
 the double embarrassment of im- 
 perfect lung work in an impure 
 atmos|)here. llow invaluable, then, 
 would be a warm climate, where 
 you could swing open the doors 
 and windows and let the pure at- 
 mosphere revive the suffering pa- 
 tient gasping for a breath of fresh 
 air I 
 
 The advantages of a mild, even 
 climate are so patent as to need 
 but a passing mention. ^Vny person 
 who has experienced the fitful ness 
 of the weather of the New England 
 and Middle Atlantic States, and 
 then compares that experience with 
 the mild, even Winter climate of 
 Yuma County, will, I can assure 
 them from my own experience, be 
 more than delighted. 
 
 In looking over my college notes 
 of years ago on the climatic treat- 
 ment of consumption, taken from 
 the lectures of my preceptor. Dr. 
 Samuel 1^. Ward, J*rofessor of Pa- 
 thology, Practice, Clinical Medicine 
 and Ilygiene, in the Medical De- 
 partment of Union rniversity, Al- 
 
 bany, X. Y., and President of th" 
 Medical Society of the State of Xew 
 York, I find the following : 
 
 " In climatic treatment of phthisis, 
 the prime object is to secure for the 
 patient jo^^re air, with such climatic 
 conditions that he can pass the 
 largest amount of time out of doors. 
 The amount of exercise must be 
 judiciously limited according to the 
 patient's strength. A good rule is : 
 That amount of exercise tlie fa- 
 tigue from which can be completely 
 overcome by one night's rest is, I 
 have found, the prudent limit." 
 
 There is another condition which 
 has a decided influence upon the 
 salubrity of a place, namely, the 
 character of its soil. Dr. Alfred L. 
 Loomis, Professor of Practical Med- 
 icine in the Medical Department 
 of the University of the City of 
 Xew York, says : " The atmosphere 
 of a region with loose, porous, 
 sandy soil through which the water 
 filters, and whose surface dries 
 quickly, is never damp; hard, com- 
 pact, rocky or clayey regions that 
 drain but slowly and imperfectly, 
 hold the moisture, and cause a damp- 
 ness which is a strong i)redisposing 
 cause of phthisis." 
 
 Dr. LaC'unec, the great French 
 diagnostitian, and the father of 
 auscultation and jtercussion, says 
 that the dampness arising from 
 such conditions of soil as above 
 mentioned is one of the most cer- 
 tain developing causes of phthisis ; 
 and he makes mention of a locality 
 having such a soil, in which the 
 dampness was so constant and of 
 such a character that two-thirds of 
 the resident poi)ulation died of 
 phthisis. 
 
 As to elevation. Dr. Loomis says: 
 ''In my experience, catarrhal ])hthi- 
 sis is not benefited by regions of 
 very high altitudes. Jt is during 
 or before the stage of consolida- 
 tion that persons with this variety 
 of phthisis are to be benefited by 
 climatic influences ; and a careful 
 
— 43 — 
 
 analysis of each case is important 
 before directions can be given as 
 to the region most likely to suit the 
 special requirements of each case. 
 The patient must not wander around 
 till he hits upon the place which 
 suits him ; much valuable time is 
 thus lost." 
 
 In regard to atmospheric pressure 
 tlie same author says : "A slight 
 diminution in atmospheric pressure 
 produces no palpable changes. But 
 a great diminution (say one-quar- 
 ter) produces serious disturbances 
 of nutrition, developing a condition 
 which favors rather than retards 
 phthisical developments." 
 
 As to the climate and soil of Yuma 
 County, I have this to say: that 
 though she has borne the reputa- 
 tion of having one of the hottest of 
 climates, she is gradually and de- 
 servedly losing that reputation. 
 Other places that would fain be 
 reckoned among the choice spots of 
 creation, suffer more from oppres- 
 sive heat than does Yuma. 
 
 It is, nevertheless, true that the 
 mercury often ranges high during 
 the hot season, but, owing to the 
 almost entire absence of humidity 
 in the atmosphere, the effects of 
 the heat on the individual is far less 
 depressing than in many other lo- 
 calities where the mercury does not 
 rise so high. The fact that sun- 
 stroke is unknown in Yuma is a 
 competent proof. For the consump- 
 tive it has the following advantages, 
 namely : A pure atmosphere, a light 
 sandy soil, a dry, warm, mild and 
 even climate. 
 
 Dr. A. M. Loryea, of the Hammam 
 Baths, San Francisco, Cal., says : 
 
 " Having traveled all over the 
 world to investigate the effect of 
 heat upon the human body in health 
 and disease, my experiences and 
 experiments in Yuma, Arizona, re- 
 sulted more favorably than at any 
 other place, and I can safely say 
 that its climate is superior to that 
 of any other spot on the American 
 
 continent for the cure of Bright's 
 disease of the kidneys, consump- 
 tion, rheumatism and neuralgia. 
 While the heat is high, as exhibited 
 by the thermometer, yet from the 
 dryness of the air one does not feel 
 oppressed, and breathes easily, and 
 can, by using the proper means, 
 keep in a most comfortable condi- 
 tion. Another great desideratum 
 of the climate of Yuma is the com- 
 plete absence of malaria, thus af- 
 fording every quality necessary to 
 entitle it to the name of the great 
 sanitarium of the North American 
 continent. My friend, the distin- 
 quished surgeon of this coast. Dr. 
 A. F. Sawyer, has been in the habit 
 of sending there his patients af- 
 flicted Avith the diseases I have 
 named, and is perfectly satisfied 
 with the results, many having re- 
 covered their health, and all finding 
 relief from their symptoms. It is 
 nature's Turkish bath, and will re- 
 lieve many of the ' thousand ills 
 that flesh is heir to.' " 
 
 A valuable hospital experience in 
 one of the large Eastern cities, and 
 the many cases of pulmonary dis- 
 eases which have come under my 
 care during the winter season in 
 Yuma, have thoroughly acquainted 
 me with the needs of such patients; 
 hence I feel that it is my duty to 
 do something which would let some 
 of the many consumptives, who 
 can afford to go away from home 
 for the winter season, know enough 
 of the meteorological data of this 
 southwestern section of our coun- 
 try to enable them to wisely choose 
 the place in which their trip away 
 from home can be productive of 
 the most good to them. 
 
 The following correspondence will 
 explain itself, and enable all con- 
 cerned to compare the exact condi- 
 tions of the places named, from 
 authentic data, and choose accord- 
 ingly. Very respectfully, 
 
 ■p. G. Cotter, M. D. 
 
44 — 
 
 SICiiXAL ^iERVlC'E RF.10KI>!^. 
 
 Yuma, A. T., Feb. 2.-), 1S8S. 
 To Observer, Sig. Service, Yinna, Ariz. 
 .SiK : I am giving some study to 
 tlie climatic conditions whicli Yuma 
 enjoys, and which are valuable to 
 that chiss of invalids sulfering 
 from pulmonai'y diseases. Can you 
 furnisli me a statement of th(^ com- 
 parative meteorological conditions 
 of Yuma, A. T., Los Angeles and 
 San Francisco, Cal., as called for in 
 tlie inclosed forms? Very resp., 
 P. G. Cotter, M. D. 
 
 Yuma. Ai;i/... Feb'v 29, 1888. 
 P. G. Cotter, M. D., Yuma, Ariz. 
 
 Sir : It is impossible to give you 
 the statement of climate from 1883 
 to 1888 for Los Angeles and San 
 Francisco, as called for in your 
 letter of Feb'y 2."), as no reports 
 from those cities later than 1885 
 have been received at this office. 
 Inclosed I send similar statement 
 from 1880 to 1885. Very resp., 
 
 A. F. AVniTFiELD, Pvt., Sig. Corps. 
 
 I?IRTE<>KOI.4»OIC'Af. SI ili:»IARV 
 
 03 p 
 
 Si S 
 5 3 
 
 C3 X 
 3 :J 
 
 So 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 B 
 
 Bf. 
 
 SS 
 
 
 
 a - 
 
 .s =■ 
 
 gc 
 
 ;^g 
 
 
 
 §"5 
 
 II 
 
 Si 
 
 1880. 
 
 ( Yuma, Arizona... 
 November , - Los Angeles, Cal. . 
 
 / San Francisco. Cal 
 
 \ Yuma, Arizona. . . 
 December. . - Los Aiisele.s, L'al. . 
 
 ( San P'ranclsco, Cal 
 
 1881. 
 \ Yuma. Arizona. .. 
 
 January ... - Lds Angeles, Cal. . 
 / San Francisco, Cal 
 ^ Yuma, Arizona. . . 
 
 February..." Los Any:ele8, Cal . 
 / San Francisco, Cal 
 1 Yuma. Arizona. . . 
 
 March ^ Lns Amiclcs. Cal.. 
 
 / San Francisco Cal 
 \ Yuma. Arizona. . . 
 
 November . - Los Anj,'eles, Cal.. 
 / San Francisco, Cal 
 \ Yuma, .\rizona, . 
 
 December. . - Los An<reles. CaL . 
 ( San Francisco, Cal 
 
 1882. 
 \ Yuma, Arizona. . . 
 
 January . . . • Los AuL'cles, Cal . . 
 / San p'rancisco, Cal 
 \ Yuma, Arizona. .. 
 
 Fel)rr.ary... ■ Ijos Angeles, Cal.. 
 ( San Francisco, Cal 
 ^ Yuma. Arizona. . . 
 
 ^Lircli... . - Los Angeles, Cal. . 
 / San Francisco, Cal 
 \ Yuma, Arizona. . . 
 
 November . - Los Angeles, Cal. . 
 / S.'ui Francisco, Cal 
 ^ Yiima, Arizona. . . 
 
 Deceuiber..- Los Angeles, Cal.. 
 / San Francisco, Cal 
 
 29.918 
 29.673 
 30.080 
 29.891 
 [29.633 
 29.9.57 
 
 29.955 
 29.702 
 30.067 
 29.863 
 29.701 
 30.083 
 29.814 
 29.(127 
 30.042 
 29.888 
 29.H64 
 30.085 
 29.944 
 29.711 
 30.09G 
 
 29.890 
 29.029 
 30.078 
 29.9,50 
 29.763 
 30.103 
 29.882 
 29.734 
 30.04(5 
 29.887 
 29.689 
 30.C54 
 29.884 
 29.()97 
 30.094 
 
 56.7 
 .55.5 
 53.9 
 .50.1 
 .55.3 
 53.0 
 
 52.3 
 51.7 
 53.7 
 62.1 
 57.9 
 54.9 
 63.5 
 .55.8 
 53.8 
 58.3 
 .57.5 
 .54.2 
 57.0 
 54.7 
 50.5 
 
 50.2 
 49.4 
 48.8 
 .54.4 
 50.3 
 48.0 
 62.3 
 55.3 
 52.9 
 .59.5 
 .57.3 
 52.5 
 58.0 
 56.4 
 51 .9 
 
 59.8 
 
 57.8 
 
 .54.1 
 
 56.0$ 
 
 .55.0 
 
 .51.0 
 
 52.3 
 
 52.5 
 
 49.9 
 
 57.8 
 
 54.4 
 
 .51.0 
 
 64.2 
 
 56.6 
 
 .54.1 
 
 59.8 
 
 .57.8 
 
 .54.1 
 
 56.0$ 
 
 55.0 
 
 .51.6 
 
 52.3 
 52.5 
 49.9 
 .57.8 
 54.4 
 51.0 
 64.2 
 56.6 
 .54.1 
 59.8 
 .57.8 
 54 . 1 
 56.0:! 
 55.0 
 .51.6 
 
 86.0 
 85.0 
 75.0 
 76.0 
 80.0 
 61.0 
 
 76.0 
 71.0 
 63.0 
 89.0 
 86.0 
 69.0 
 97.0 
 89.0 
 76.0 
 83.4 
 80.8 
 66.0 
 79.5 
 79.3 
 (i3.0 
 
 76.4 
 74.2 
 60.0 
 
 •:8.i 
 
 76.7 
 61.0 
 91.7 
 87.8 
 73.0 
 82.2 
 81.0 
 64. 
 79.8 
 82.0 
 65.0 
 
 34.0 
 :35.0 
 41.0 
 
 
 
 37.0 
 38.0 
 42.0 
 
 
 
 33.0 
 .37.0 
 
 
 44.0 
 37.0 
 42.0 
 
 
 45.0 
 
 
 36.0 
 
 
 37.0 
 40.0 
 
 
 35.5 
 34.2 
 44.0 
 
 
 36.8 
 35.3 
 
 
 43.0 
 
 27.2 
 33.0 
 
 
 39.5 
 35.8 
 .32.0 
 38.0 
 .'38.9 
 35.3 
 
 
 41.0 
 
 
 37.0 
 36.0 
 45.0 
 31 .5 
 35.0 
 34.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 37.4 
 56.3 
 
 58.4 
 48.2 
 70.9 
 84.9 
 
 39.9 
 64.8 
 73.1 
 39.5 
 62.9 
 bO.O 
 42.4 
 65.3 
 70.3 
 37.9 
 51.2 
 63.9 
 46.5 
 64.8 
 85.0 
 
 0.00 
 0.67 
 0.3:i 
 0.74 
 8.40 
 12.33 
 
 0.00 
 1.43 
 8.69 
 0.00 
 0.36 
 4.65 
 * 
 
 1.66 
 0.90 
 0.00 
 0.27 
 1.94 
 0.10 
 0..52 
 3.85 
 
 56.6 
 
 1.35 
 
 69.6 
 
 1.01 
 
 67.6 
 
 1.68 
 
 46.1 
 
 0.01 
 
 63.5 
 
 2.(i6 
 
 (i9.4 
 
 2.96 
 
 36.9 
 
 0.00 
 
 65.1 
 
 2.66 
 
 66.8 
 
 3.45 
 
 45.1 
 
 0.09 
 
 .59.0 
 
 1.82 
 
 77.4 
 
 4.18 
 
 39.2 
 
 O.OO 
 
 54.8 
 
 0.08 
 
 78.9 
 
 2.01 
 
 0.02 
 0.77 
 1.66 
 0.70$: 
 3.24 I 
 5.36 : 
 
 i 
 
 0.46 i 
 1.65 I 
 3.75 ! 
 0.56 
 
 3.97 ; 
 
 3.12 j 
 
 0.,30 
 
 3.91 
 
 5.52 ' 
 
 0.02 ' 
 
 0.77 
 
 1.66 
 
 0.70$ 
 
 3.24 
 
 5.36 
 
 0.46 
 
 1.65 
 
 3.75 
 
 0.,56 
 
 3,97 
 
 3.12 
 
 0.30 
 
 3.91 
 
 5.52 
 
 0.02 
 
 0.77 
 
 1.66 
 
 0.70$ 
 
 3.24 
 
 5.36 
 
 1.0 
 2.5 
 2.2 
 2.4 
 5.2 
 7.8 
 
 1.3 
 2.7 
 5.0 
 0.7 
 3.0 
 6.5 
 1.2 
 3.7 
 3.8 
 1.0 
 1.6 
 2.0 
 4.1 
 3.3 
 5.7 
 
 3.1 
 3.9 
 3.8 
 2.6 
 3.1 
 4.2 
 1.8 
 4.0 
 4.2 
 3.5 
 3.7 
 4.5 
 1.4 
 1.6 
 8.7 
 
45 
 
 mETEOROCOGICAL SUMMAUW—iContinHed.) 
 
 If 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <" 35 
 
 7. S 
 
 £ "^ 
 
 9 S 
 
 r- O 
 
 ^- 
 
 g" 
 
 
 g 
 
 51.7 
 
 52.3 
 
 53.5 
 
 52.5 
 
 40.5 
 
 49.9 
 
 55.fi 
 
 57.8 
 
 52.3 
 
 54.4 
 
 4T.!I 
 
 51.0 
 
 67.3 
 
 64.2 
 
 56.7 
 
 56.6 
 
 53.0 
 
 54.1 
 
 61.4 
 
 59.8 
 
 .59.2 
 
 57.8 
 
 53.5 
 
 54.1 
 
 t 
 
 56. Ot 
 
 56.3 
 
 55.0 
 
 50.2 
 
 51.6 
 
 54.6 
 
 52.3 
 
 53.9 
 
 52.5 
 
 50.0 
 
 49.9 
 
 .57.3 
 
 57.8 
 
 55.1 
 
 .54.4 
 
 50.0 
 
 51.0 
 
 60.9 
 
 64.2 
 
 54.8 
 
 56.6 
 
 54.0 
 
 54.1 
 
 63.3 
 
 .59.8 
 
 59.6 
 
 57.8 
 
 56.5 
 
 54.1 
 
 53.0 
 
 56. Oi 
 
 52.3 
 
 55.0 
 
 52.5 
 
 51.6 
 
 52.6 
 
 52.3 
 
 53.9 
 
 52.5 
 
 50.6 
 
 49.9 
 
 59. S 
 
 57.8 
 
 .56.6 
 
 54.4 
 
 54.4 
 
 51.0 
 
 67.2 
 
 64.2 
 
 60.6 
 
 56.6 
 
 56.6 
 
 54.1 
 
 .58.1 
 
 
 55.3 
 
 
 52.2 
 
 
 
 gs 
 
 S 3 
 
 
 
 
 >>« 
 
 
 
 
 f,S 
 
 
 
 C3 0) 
 
 
 ^1 
 
 
 •?: « 
 
 2 03 
 
 
 
 S 
 
 > S 
 <3« 
 
 
 
 -S p 
 
 ■30 
 
 si 
 > s 
 
 January . . 
 February. . 
 
 March 
 
 November 
 December. 
 
 January . . 
 February.. 
 March 
 
 November 
 
 December. 
 
 1883. 
 { Yuma, Arizona 
 
 - Los Angeles, Cal. . . 
 / San Francisco, Cal. 
 ^ Yuma, Arizona. . . . 
 
 - Los Angeles, Cal . . . 
 / San Francisco, Cal. 
 \ Yuma, Arizona 
 
 - Los- Angeles, Cal. . . 
 ( San Francisco, Cal. 
 \ Yuma, Arizona 
 
 - Los Angeles, Cal. . . 
 I San Francisco, Cal. 
 \ Yuma, Arizona. .. . 
 
 - Los Angeles, Cal . . . 
 ( San Francisco, Cal. 
 
 1884. 
 ( Yuma, Arizona. . . . 
 
 - Los Angeles, Cal . . . 
 ( San Francisco, Cal. 
 ^ Yuma, Arizona 
 
 - Los Angeles, Cal. . . 
 / San Francisco, Cal. 
 \ Yuma, Arizona 
 
 - Los Angeles, Cal . . . 
 ( San Francisco, Cal. 
 
 1884. 
 ^ Yuma, Arizona 
 
 - Los Angeles, Cal. . . 
 ( San Francisco, Cal. 
 \ Yuma, Arizona 
 
 - Los Angeles, Cal. . 
 ( San Francisco, Cal. 
 
 1885. 
 \ Yuma, Arizona. .. 
 
 January ... - Los Angeles, Cal . . 
 / San Francisco, Cal 
 \ Ylina. Arizona. . . 
 
 February. . . - Los Angeles, Cal. . 
 / San Francisco, Cal 
 \ Yuma, Arizona. . . 
 
 March - Los Angeles, Cal . . 
 
 ( San Francisco, Cal 
 
 \ Yuma, Arizona. . . 
 
 Average.- Los Angeles, Cal. . 
 
 / San Francisco, Cal 
 
 29.967 
 29.757 
 30.181 
 29.898 
 29.718 
 30.071 
 29.787 
 29.676 
 29.977 
 29.849 
 29.672 
 30.070 
 
 t 
 29.706 
 30.088 
 
 29.978 
 29.745 
 30.007 
 29.887 
 29.653 
 29.893 
 29.816 
 29.634 
 29.828 
 
 29.843 
 29.663 
 29.947 
 29.800 
 29.618 
 29.832 
 
 29.960 
 29.750 
 30.103 
 29.852 
 29.687 
 30.087 
 29.845 
 29.696 
 30.043 
 29.885 
 29.688 
 30.036 
 
 79.0 
 82.0 
 59.5 
 82.5 
 82.0 
 70.5 
 88.9 
 84.0 
 73.5 
 87.5 
 84.11 
 67.0 
 
 t 
 80.0 
 62.0 
 
 71.7 
 78.0 
 58.5 
 84.2 
 81.0 
 71.0 
 81.3 
 72.5 
 68.5 
 
 87.3 
 88.0 
 70.5 
 78.5 
 75.6 
 63.5 
 
 77.0 
 65.3 
 61.0 
 84.0 
 69.7 
 69.0 
 87.0 
 74.1 
 76.0 
 82.7 
 79.6 
 66.7 
 
 22.5 
 30.0 
 36.0 
 31.4 
 28.0 
 35.0 
 49.5 
 42.6 
 44.5 
 37.1 
 42.0 
 43.5 
 
 t 
 37.0 
 39.5 
 
 36.6 
 33.7 
 43.0 
 34.1 
 38.5 
 35.0 
 42.6 
 37.0 
 45.0 
 
 43.1 
 38.7 
 50.0 
 36.4 
 35.5 
 40.0 
 
 35.0 
 44.1 
 43.0 
 38.0 
 4i.4 
 46.0 
 43.0 
 49.3 
 49.0 
 35.9 
 37.2 
 41.9 
 
 27.5 
 38.4 
 44.5 
 38.4 
 44.0 
 42.5 
 39.1 
 46.4 
 47.1 
 
 48.0 
 48.4 
 50.5 
 43.3 
 44.4 
 43.5 
 
 36.7 
 40.8 
 46.2 
 41.9 
 48.3 
 47.6 
 49.0 
 46.3 
 48.4 
 39.6 
 43.6 
 46.2 
 
 50.4 
 
 0.96 
 
 0.46 
 
 52.8 
 
 1.62 
 
 1.65 
 
 78.1 
 
 1.92 
 
 3.75 
 
 51.4 
 
 0.68 
 
 0.56 
 
 60.6 
 
 3.47 
 
 3.97 
 
 68.7 
 
 1.04 
 
 3.12 
 
 57.6 
 
 * 
 
 0.30 
 
 80.1 
 
 2.87 
 
 3.91 
 
 82.1 
 
 3.01 
 
 5.52 
 
 37.5 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.02 
 
 59.5 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.77 
 
 80.3 
 
 1.60 
 
 1.66 
 
 t 
 
 t 
 
 0.70t 
 
 63.8 
 
 2.. 56 
 
 3.24 
 
 80.7 
 
 0.92 
 
 5.36 
 
 40.6 
 
 * 
 
 0.46 
 
 61.9 
 
 3.15 
 
 1.65 
 
 S2.3 
 
 3.94 
 
 3.75 
 
 54.9 
 
 1.58 
 
 0.56 
 
 71.1 
 
 13.37 
 
 3.97 
 
 76.6 
 
 6.65 
 
 3.12 
 
 5). 3 
 
 1.48 
 
 0.30 
 
 76.0 
 
 12.36 
 
 3.91 
 
 78.2 
 
 8.24 
 
 5.52 
 
 60.4 
 
 * 
 
 0.02 
 
 71.2 
 
 1.07 
 
 0.77 
 
 81.0 
 
 0.26 
 
 1.66 
 
 72.4 
 
 1.96 
 
 0.70:|: 
 
 77.2 
 
 4.65 
 
 3.24 
 
 73.7 
 
 7.68 
 
 5.36 
 
 57.0 
 
 * 
 
 0.46 
 
 65.0 
 
 1.05 
 
 1.65 
 
 85.0 
 
 2.53 
 
 3.75 
 
 55.0 
 
 0.02 
 
 0.56 
 
 66.0 
 
 0.01 
 
 3.97 
 
 80.0 
 
 0.30 
 
 3.12 
 
 55.0 
 
 * 
 
 0.30 
 
 66.0 
 
 0.01 
 
 3.91 
 
 76.0 
 
 1.01 
 
 5.52 
 
 48.3 
 
 0.37 
 
 
 64.8 
 
 2.71 
 
 
 75.9 
 
 3.44 
 
 
 2.4 
 2.6 
 3.6 
 3.7 
 
 3.8 
 
 3.7 
 
 2.9 
 
 5.9 
 
 6.8 
 
 1.4 
 
 2.0 
 
 3.5 
 
 t 
 
 2.3 
 
 3.8 
 
 3.8 
 3.5 
 5.1 
 4.1 
 5.0 
 4.7 
 4.2 
 5.9 
 
 1.4 
 1.9 
 3.7 
 3.6 
 3.8 
 5.4 
 
 2.4 
 2.7 
 5.6 
 2.0 
 2.5 
 4.2 
 4.3 
 3.8 
 5.6 
 2.5 
 3.4 
 4.6 
 
 ** Indicates the actual pressure at the station. 
 * Inappreciable. 
 + No observation taken. 
 $ For four years only. 
 
 Yuma, Ariz. — To reduce to sea level, add .150. 
 Los Angeles, Cal. — To reduce to sea level, add .400. 
 San Francisco, Cal. — To reduce to sea level, add .070. 
 
HE A I/I II AT THE TERRITORIAL l>RISOX. 
 
 The following, from the Resident 
 Physician of the Territorial Prison 
 at Yuma, is self explanatory : 
 
 Col. Cameron H. King, Comimssioner 
 
 of I)iimig)-ati(>n : 
 
 Dear Sik : Tiie statistical show- 
 ing of the 'J'erritorial Penitentiary 
 (located at Yuma in 1875) plainly 
 refutes the past widely spread re- 
 port of the " deadly thermal effect 
 of the fearful summer heat. " The 
 inmates of the Prison have gradu- 
 ally increased, until their number 
 reached, at one time, over 170 con- 
 victs confined within its Avails. 
 These convicts labor at various 
 tasks around and upon the yet in- 
 complete building, during the day, 
 and, at night, are locked in narrow 
 cells of iron and heavy masonry, 
 sometimes, owing to lack of room, 
 as many as six in one cell. Day 
 after day, during summer and win- 
 ter, the same routine has been fol 
 lowed, and some of the convicts with 
 knigthy sentences and among tlie 
 first iniiirisoned are still here, more 
 hearty and robust now than on their 
 arrival. 
 
 That the men sufl'er more or less 
 discomfort during the heat of sum- 
 mer, cannot be denied ; in fact, it 
 is natural to be expected. Hot 
 Aveatlier is unpleasant everywhere, 
 and under all circumstances ; but 
 with prisoners, who cannot get away 
 from it and who are forced to en- 
 dure it under the worst conditions, 
 its greatest and most evil effect is 
 unciuestionably a})parent. So far, 
 however, it has occasioned no seri- 
 
 ous suffering. ^len bear it cheer- 
 fully, are healthy and active, and 
 perfoi-m their regular labor thi'ough- 
 out the day with less complaint than 
 is found in some more northern 
 latitudes. Asa general rule, pris- 
 oners are shorter lived, more sus- 
 ceptible to diseases and suffer more 
 from climatic changes than when 
 enjoying the liberty of free, active 
 movements. Under confinement 
 they l)ecome depressed and a ]'>rey 
 to the vague neuroses resultingfrom 
 injuries received in desperate con- 
 flicts, and succumb quickly to dis- 
 eases that would readily be counter- 
 acted in the excitement of active 
 existence. Fully two-thirds of the 
 prisoners are suffering on their ar- 
 rival more or less from diseases con- 
 tracted in jails, or wounds received 
 in the act of their capture. These 
 are promptly benefited by the 
 change of climate, and in some in- 
 stances have entirely recovered, 
 which must have proven fatal in 
 other less healthful climates. 
 
 The strongest argument that can 
 be advanced in favor of the sanitary 
 condition of the j^t^'iitentiary and 
 absolute purity and healthi'ulness 
 of the locality, lies in the deathroll 
 of the institution. Of the twenty- 
 one deaths occurring since its loca- 
 tion here, not one has resulted from 
 disease originating after confine- 
 ment. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 A. E. DK Corse, 
 
 Physician Terri'l Prison. 
 Yl-ma, Feb. 27, 1888. 
 
Ry Hox. C. H. Kmcx. 
 
 The lands of Yuma County com- 
 prise the river bottoms and valleys 
 and the uplands or mesas. The 
 bottom lands are moisterand slight- 
 ly more fertile, if, indeed, it is pos- 
 sible to make comparisons where all 
 are so wonderfully productive and 
 prolific. The uplands or mesas 
 are warmer and perhaps slightly 
 better for the cultivation of the 
 citrus fruits. Yuma contains a 
 variety of soil. The valley lands of 
 the Gila and Colorado rivers have 
 for the most part a deep sedimen- 
 tary soil of brownish, gray sandy 
 loam, resting, in most places, upon 
 a gray clay svibsoil at a depth of 
 from ten to twenty feet below the 
 surface. The clay subsoil forms a 
 hard-pan which is impervious to 
 water. These soils have been slow- 
 ly formed by the decomposition of 
 shales, sandstones, marls, lime- 
 stones, etc., mixed with organic and 
 vegetable matter, washed down by 
 the mighty rivers, and have been 
 gradually deposited during the 
 course of centuries. The fertilizing 
 brownish mud held in the water of 
 the Colorado and Gila rivers resem- 
 bles that of the Nile, and its quan- 
 tity varies from 1 to 5 per cent., 
 though the water, when even con- 
 siderably discolored by mud, is good 
 to drink, resembling in this respect 
 the Missouri River water. A chemi- 
 cal analysis of the sediments of the 
 Colorado and of the Nile exhibits a 
 wonderfull similarity in the constit- 
 uent arts of each. That of the 
 Colorado exhibiting a trifle less 
 potassa, more phosphoric acid and 
 carbonate of lime, the latter 
 being due to the great limestone 
 beds thi-ough which the Colorado 
 passes. In other respects the sedi- 
 ment of the Colorado is almost 
 
 identical with that of the Nile. It 
 will be noticed, therefore, that when 
 this water is used for irrigation it is 
 superior to artesian water, since it 
 is constantly supplying the land 
 with the richest fertilizing elements. 
 The soil of the valleys is extremely 
 rich in decomposed vegetable matter 
 and uncombined carbon, readily 
 absorbing the aerial gases, such, 
 especially, as ox3fgen, which, enter- 
 ing the soil, decomposes the organic 
 matters so that they can be taken 
 up and nourish the jilants, which 
 may be considered a leading feature 
 in its fertility. It also readily takes 
 up and retains moisture, while the 
 firmness of its particles affords 
 every facility for percolation and 
 the activity of capillary action. In 
 its mechanical composition its par- 
 ticles are in a state of very fine 
 division, which renders it more 
 productive than coarser soils. It 
 acquires heat readily in the day- 
 time, and the loss of heat at night 
 is very gradual, so that it remains 
 always warm and is not subject to 
 sudden changes of heat and cold. 
 Besides its essential constituents of 
 water, organic or vegetable matter, 
 sand and clay, a chemical analysis 
 shows that lime, soda, magnesia, 
 iron, ammonia and available forms 
 of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 
 potash enter into its com2)osition 
 in the proportions best adapted to 
 add to its fertility, though, of 
 course, as is ahvays the case in soil 
 analysis, its composition varies in 
 different localities and is not always 
 constant. 
 
 The soil of the uplands, or mesas, 
 is lighter and more gravelly and in 
 some places of a free, loamy, cal- 
 careous character. The mesa lands 
 are warm and generous. Thev 
 
48 
 
 seem especially adiipted for the 
 grape, olive and citrus fruits gen- 
 erally. Their soil contains more 
 magnesia, lime or chalk than tlie 
 bottom lands. It Tiever cracks, and 
 retains moisture admirably in sum- 
 mer. It is of that cliaracter whicli 
 will produce a Avine that will keep 
 good for fifty or a hundred years, 
 and improve annually, not being 
 
 liable to sour, or on exposure to 
 the air, after one year old, to be- 
 come turbid and cliange color in 
 the bottle or glass. 
 
 ^^'e can safely say that the soil 
 of Yuma County can nowhere be 
 surpassed, containing as it does all 
 the essential elements of richness 
 and fertilitv. 
 
 1 1£ le I u A r I <> ^ . 
 
 The average annual rainfall in 
 Yuma County does not exceed four 
 inches, and therefore irrigation is 
 necessary to make the soil produc- 
 tive. Irrigation is accomplished by 
 means of large canals, which take 
 out water from the rivers and con- 
 duct it along the highest lands. 
 From these canals lateral ditches 
 convey the water \\\)on all the lands 
 below the level of the main canals. 
 Since the Avater supply of the 
 rivers which course through Yuma 
 County is so abundant, there is no 
 difficulty in oljtaining sufficient 
 water for innumerable canals, and 
 consequently almost all the land 
 in this favoi-ed county can easily 
 be irrigated, with little comparative 
 cost. In all countries the amount 
 of rainfall is uncertain ; and where 
 the farmer depends upon raiii, 
 seasons will occur, more or less fre- 
 quently, when an insufficient ([uan- 
 tity will fall and drought will de- 
 stroy his crops. Irrigation obviates 
 this danger. The flow of water in 
 the canals is constant, and the sup- 
 ply to each acre can be regulated 
 with certainty. In a pam[)hlet 
 upon the fruit lands of southern 
 Arizona, the Commissioner of Im- 
 migration pictures the magical in- 
 fluence of irrigation in words which 
 may well be repeated here : 
 
 " Valleys, that but a while ago 
 seemed barren Avastes, are ti'ans- 
 
 formed, by the magic influence of 
 pure, sweet water, into gardens 
 blushing with flowers and fruits. 
 
 " From the rivers that course 
 through southern Arizona's broad 
 domain, active and energetic men 
 are leading out shining streams 
 and rivulets, sparkling like silver 
 threads, more silvery where kissed 
 by the bright sunshine as it falls 
 from unclouded skies, winding for 
 miles through the alfalfa's richest 
 verdure, circling past fields of grain 
 which gleam variously beneath the 
 crimson beams of the warm and 
 genial west, bathing the feet of 
 orange trees 
 
 ' Whose fruit and blossoms in the breeze 
 Arc wantoniiiu; together free. 
 Like age at play wilh infancy.' 
 
 Anon they bubble among the vines 
 Avhose red Aveepings shall shortly 
 stain the Avine press, or whose 
 mummified clusters shall gladden 
 the Christmas hearth. 
 
 "Nature, Avreathed in smiles ban- 
 queting through floAvery vales and 
 lovely groves, transforms a desert 
 into a ])aradise and brings to her 
 glad children the nectar and am- 
 brosia of the gods.'' 
 
 A short description of some of 
 the most important irrigating 
 canals in Yuma County Avill serA'e 
 to give the reader a slight idea 
 of the progress Avhich is being 
 made. 
 
THE MOHA^^K CA^AL. 
 
 By Hon. C. H. King, Co^iwiissioner Immigration for Arizofia Territory. 
 
 The Mohawk Valley stretches raising of almost all agricultural 
 along the north side of the Gila products, such as cereals, corn, 
 Eiver, and is formed by deposits of vegetables, peaches, apricots, cher- 
 rich alluvial soil. The valley is ries, grapes, oranges, lemons, olives, 
 quite level, sloping very gently to dates, figs, bananas, citron and wal- 
 the south and west in a manner nuts ; and the various kinds of 
 which renders it most convenient shade and ornamental trees ; alfalfa, 
 for irrigation. It comprises a por- Arabian millet and all species of 
 tion of the Gila Valley, and con- grasses suitable for grazing and 
 tains an area of about seventy stabling purposes thrive and grow 
 square miles. The head of the val- luxuriantly. The adaptability of 
 ley rests against Texas Hill, which the soil and climate for the growth 
 lies about sixty miles east of the of all these products has been 
 town of Yuma. The Mohawk Val- proven, and is being proved by ac- 
 ley extends westerly along the tual experiment, 
 course of the Gila River a distance The valley of the Gila produces 
 of about twenty miles. At its nar- finer wheat and barley than can be 
 rowest point this valley is about grown in any portion of the State 
 two miles wide, and varies to five of California, and that State is 
 miles in width. The Gila Eiver noted for the exceptional quality of 
 forms its southern boundary, and its wheat. 
 
 its northern boundary is composed In addition to these enumerated 
 of high mesa lands, which offer a products, cotton, tobacco and sugar- 
 protection from north winds. A cane thrive as well, especially cotton 
 narrow strip of land of variable and sugarcane, as in any known 
 width, lying next to the river, and country. Also the Bayo bean grows 
 running the entire length of the prolifically, and can be raised at a 
 valley, is sometimes overflowed for large profit per acre, 
 about two months during the win- Owing to the nature of the 
 ter season by the high waters of climate, farmers plant wheat and 
 the river. The lands subject to barley in the month of January, 
 overflow are available for the rais- and harvest the same in May, and 
 ing of corn, beans and other prod- on the same land, after harvest, they 
 nets of the same nature, and for plant corn and beans, and gather a 
 pasturage. good crop of each. 
 
 In estimating the width of the Oranges, lemons, figs, pineap- 
 valley, as mentioned above, this pies, dates, olives, bananas and 
 strip of overflowed land is not taken other semi-tropical fruits are now 
 into consideration. There are sixty- being raised in the town of Yuma, 
 five sections, or about 40,000 acres and can be gathered throughout 
 of land, not subject to overflow, the year in a number of gardens, 
 which are available for agricultural Soil and climate are particularly 
 purjioses and easy of irrigation, well adapted for the raising of 
 The soil varies from twelve to twen- grapes, and there is no climate 
 ty feet in depth, and both soil and equal to that of Southern Arizona 
 climate are remarkably well adapted for the jn'oper curing of wines, 
 and cannot be surpassed for the owing to its even temperature and 
 
— 50 — 
 
 the extreme dryness of the atmos- 
 phere, (rrapes, as Avell as other 
 fruits and berries, ripen two months 
 earlier than in California, and still 
 earlier than in the Eastern States, 
 which facts create markets both 
 east and Avest for these products 
 during a large portion of the fruit 
 season. 
 
 Arizona cotton, sugar-cane and to- 
 bacco and other products were 
 on exhibition at the World's Fair 
 in New Orleans. 
 
 Wood for domestic purposes, such 
 as mesquite, cottonwood, willow, 
 etc., grows abundantly through the 
 Mohawk A'alley, and the screw-bean 
 tree also exists, the wood of which 
 cannot be surpassed as fence posts, 
 owing to the fact that it never 
 decays in the soil nor is troubled 
 by worms. Wells can be dug 
 anywhere upon the laud, if desired, 
 for domestic and other jnirposes. 
 
 The head of the Mohawk Canal is 
 at Texas Hill, on the north bank 
 of the Gila River, and the surface 
 at the head-gate lies between two 
 hills of solid porphyry rock about 
 two hundred and fifty feet apart, 
 which insures against any injury 
 to the head of the canal by the 
 action of the river's current. The 
 depth of the water of the Gila Eiver 
 at Texas Hill, at its lowest stage, is 
 four feet, and the river, at this 
 point at such time, one hundred 
 feet in width. At the highest stages 
 the river, at the same place, is 
 about fourteen feet in depth, and it 
 is here confined between the two 
 hills above mentioned on the north 
 and high table lands on the south 
 side. 
 
 The water in the canal comes to 
 
 the surface of the land, and is then 
 used for irrigation, three miles 
 from the head-gate. The average 
 dirt cutting for the first two miles 
 is about twelve feet, and for the 
 third mile, until it reaches surface, 
 about six feet. From this point 
 for a distance of twenty-one miles 
 the canal can supply all the lands 
 of the valley with an abundance of 
 water. The canal is twenty feet 
 on the bottom, with a two to one 
 slope on the sides, and has a fall of 
 two feet to the mile. The fall of 
 the Gila River at the head-gate is 
 six feet to the mile. 
 
 This canal is the property of the 
 Mohawk Canal and Improvement 
 Company, a corporation formed 
 under the laws of California. Nine 
 miles from its head the canal sepa- 
 rates into two forks or branches, 
 for the easy and complete accommo- 
 dation of the lands to be irrigated. 
 
 The Mohawk Valley has all been 
 surveyed by government surveyors. 
 Perfect titles to this land can be 
 quickly obtained. The natural 
 slope of the valley renders the cost 
 of constructing lateral ditches from 
 the main canal very reasonable in 
 cost and within the reach of all. 
 
 The incorporators and officers of 
 the company are among the most 
 reliable and responsible men of 
 Arizona, and have entered into this 
 enterprise not so much for the 
 purposes of speculation as to aid 
 in the redemption of a marvelously 
 productive body of land, and thus 
 bring about the development of 
 one of the resources of the country 
 they live in, and procure pleasant 
 and profitable homes for themselves. 
 
FRUIT CUJLTIJRE. 
 
 Fkom the Commissioner's Reports. 
 
 Fruit production throughout Ari- 
 zona is a subject of great interest 
 at present, and will, no doubt, be 
 the principal industry in Yuma 
 County. The remarkable results 
 that have sprung from very super- 
 ficial and imperfect culture has 
 demonstrated that the soil and 
 climate of Yuma County are 
 peculiarly adapted for this branch 
 of agricultural enterprise. The 
 development of these resources is 
 of the utmost importance and is 
 attracting careful attention. Ex- 
 periments have been made, witll 
 care, and facts in regard to the 
 culture of different kinds of fruits 
 have been collected which cannot 
 fail to convince, even the most 
 skeptical, of the wonderful superi- 
 ority of Yuma County over South- 
 ern California in fruit-growing, and 
 which must lead to a large and 
 varied production of the most re- 
 munerative character. 
 
 The Commissioner of Immigra- 
 tion, in his report published in 1886, 
 writes as follows of the rich valleys 
 of the Gila, Colorado and Salt 
 rivers : 
 
 •'•' The soil of these valleys is 
 among the richest on the continent. 
 It is formed of the detritus, which 
 the streams for ages have brought 
 down from their mountain homes 
 in their journey to the sea. By 
 constant overflows and change of 
 channel, the deposit of this rich 
 vegetable matter has formed a soil 
 of extreme fertility. Near the 
 streams it is a dark alluvial mold, 
 well adapted to small grains and 
 grasses. Farther back there is a 
 rich sandy loam, mellow and 
 porous, and especially favorable 
 for fruit culture. It has been 
 already demonstrated that the 
 
 productive capacity of these valleys 
 is not surpassed by lands of equal 
 area in any part of the United 
 States. So rapid and prolific is 
 the growth of fruits, cereals and 
 vegetables that the labor of the 
 cultivator is reduced to the mini- 
 mum. In nearly all of them two crops 
 a year can be grown, and vegetation 
 is one month ahead of California. 
 The farmer plants the cottonwood 
 sapling before his door, and within 
 the year he has a shade tree twenty- 
 five feet high I Alfalfa can be cut 
 six times during the season, and it 
 is an actual fact that the grape- 
 cuttings have produced within 
 eighteen months ! What State or 
 Territory can make such a showing? 
 The climate, it must be remembered, 
 is nearly perpetual summer. Snow 
 never falls in these southern val- 
 leys. The farmer begins to plant 
 in November, and by the mid- 
 dle of May his harvest is ready. 
 Roses are in bloom, fruit trees are 
 blossoming, and the grain fields are 
 a sea of green when the fields of the 
 Eastern farmer are covered with 
 snow and ice. 
 
 ''Every variety of grains, grasses, 
 fruits and vegetables grown in the 
 temperate and semi-tropic zones 
 can be produced in the valleys of 
 Arizona. Wheat, corn, barley, oats 
 and all the small grains give a yield 
 of from twenty-five to fifty bushels 
 to the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timo- 
 thy, Bermuda and all the cultivated 
 grasses grow luxuriantly, the 
 former giving from eight to ten 
 tons to the acre each year. Every 
 variety of vegetable raised in the 
 United States can be grown in 
 Arizona, and nowhere are they 
 found of better quality. 
 
 " Besides the products mentioned. 
 
these semi-tropical valleys produce 
 cotton, sugar cane, tobacco, hemp 
 and rice. With the exception of 
 the sugar cane, but little attention 
 is paid to the cultivation of the 
 other staples ; but it has been 
 demonstrated that the soil and 
 climate are especially adapted to 
 their successful growth. Cotton 
 growing is no experiment in 
 Arizona, for it is on record that 
 when Europeans first penetrated 
 this region, they found the Pima 
 Indians wearing fabrics made of 
 cotton grown in the Gila Valley. 
 
 ''But it is their adaptability for 
 fruit culture that assures to these 
 valley lands a dense population 
 and a prosperous future. Almost 
 every variety known can be raised 
 in their fruitful soils. The apple, 
 pear, plum, peach, apricot, quince 
 and nectarine are of delicious flavor, 
 and give a generous yield. The grape 
 of all varieties is at home in these 
 sunny vales. No place in the 
 grape growing belt of the Pacific 
 Coast can show so prolific a yield. 
 The quality is all that could be 
 desired : and the wine, although its 
 manufacture is yet experimental, is 
 of a fine flavor, delicious bouquet, 
 and unsurpassed by any native 
 product as a table beverage. Ex- 
 periments with the raisin grape 
 have shown that this climate and 
 soil possess every advantage for 
 the production and curing of this 
 staple article of commerce. 
 
 •'Besides the fruits already men- 
 tioned, the orange, lemon, lime, 
 olive, fig, pomegranate, and others 
 of the citrus family can be grown 
 successfully in the valleys of south- 
 ern Arizona. Orange trees are 
 now in bearing in the Salt River 
 X'alley and at Yuma ; while the 
 banana is also being cultivated at 
 the latter place. The Arizona 
 
 orange in quality and flavor will 
 compare favorably with the best 
 California. * * * 
 
 " In the valleys of the Colorado, 
 the iSalt and the Gila rivers, there 
 is room for thousands. It is not 
 too much to say that nowhere with- 
 in the limits of this broad Union 
 can be found a more desirable re- 
 gion for the making of a home. 
 No laborious clearing of the land 
 is required ; it lies almost ready for 
 the plow. Trees and shrubbery 
 have so rapid a growth tliat within 
 eighteen months the immigrant can 
 surround his abode with attractions 
 which would require years to ma- 
 ture in less favored climates. Fruits 
 ripen and are ready for market a 
 full month before the California 
 product. The bright sunshine 
 makes life a luxury, and the pure, 
 dry atmosphere brings health to all 
 who inhale it. For the establish- 
 ment of colonies, such as we have 
 made of Southern California a gar- 
 den, Arizona presents unrivaled 
 opportunities. Thousands of acres, 
 now profitless, can be made pro- 
 ductive by the construction of irri- 
 gating ditches, and there is no 
 investment which assures larger or 
 more permanent returns." 
 
 The foregoing statements are not 
 exaggerated ; in fact, they fall short 
 of doing justice to this wonderful 
 land. Pineapples, dates, almonds 
 and walnuts will do well. Straw- 
 berries, raspberries, blackberries, 
 currants, gooseberries and all vari- 
 eties of small fruits can be success- 
 fully cultivated. Indeed, Yuma 
 County is not only the natural 
 home of the citrus and semi-tropical 
 fruits, as almost every fruit, nut, 
 plant, grain, grass or vegetable 
 which can be })roduced in either 
 tropic or temperate zonewnll thrive 
 in its rich and fertile soils. 
 
NEITHER PLANT DISEASE IVOR SCALE BFO. 
 
 By Hon. C. H. Kixu. 
 
 The atmospheric conditions m 
 Yuma County are such as to insure 
 freedom from plant-diseases and 
 complete immunity from the rav- 
 ages of the scale bug, which is so 
 destructive of the orange trees in 
 the moist atmosphere of Southern 
 California. So, too, the dryness of 
 the air would permit a much lower 
 temperature in Southern Arizona 
 that in Florida or California with- 
 out injury to tender plants. 
 
 The sap of plants, it is well 
 known, is much influenced in its 
 conditions by atmospheric varia- 
 tions, and contracts or expands ac- 
 cording as the pressure of the 
 external air is increased or dimin- 
 ished. During a low atmospheric 
 pressure, when the leaf-sap passes 
 through the pores of the leaf to the 
 surface, moistening it with albumin- 
 ous juices (the food of fungi), then 
 a high temperature following, all 
 the conditions necessary for the 
 formation of fungi are present. It 
 has long been observed that rust, 
 mold, mildew and smut follow 
 such a course of atmospheric vari- 
 ations. 
 
 The atmosphere of the valleys in 
 Yuma County is not subject to such 
 clianges, but is ever dry and genial, 
 and a temperature quite uniform. 
 Fungi can find nothing to feed 
 upon and cannot exist. 
 
 For somewhat similar reasons 
 the scale bug cannot exist in South- 
 ern Arizona. There are several 
 varieties of the scale insect : the 
 Lecanium hesperidum, or smooth 
 scale, found upon orange and lemon 
 trees in Florida, and some parts of 
 California; the Aspidiotus (aurantii 
 or red scale); the Lecanium oleae 
 or black scale insect, which has 
 destroved immense numbers of 
 
 orange and lemon trees in the two 
 States named ; the Icerya Purchasi 
 or cottony cushion scale, now so 
 prevalent in California; and some 
 other varieties. These insects are 
 sheltered under their scales and are 
 of a soft consistence, resembling a 
 grub. From the under side of its 
 breast proceeds a sucker or trunk, 
 by means of which it extracts the 
 sap which constitutes its food. The 
 female deposits her eggs, which 
 hatch in a few days, and the female 
 young escape and run about for a 
 day or two until they find some 
 unoccupied or favorable spot on 
 tree or leaf in which to insert their 
 suckers. The tender bodies of 
 these young insects, it would seem, 
 can not withstand the noonday 
 heat of the sun in Yuma County, 
 where the elevation above sea level 
 at the town of Yuma is only 130 feet. 
 They seem to need the protection of 
 a moist atmosphere which they can- 
 not here find, and they die before 
 they can begin their work of destruc- 
 tion. This was satisfactorily dem- 
 onstrated on the orange trees of 
 Mr. John C^ondolfo, at the town of 
 Yuma, by actual experiment. The 
 female scale bug everywhere dies as 
 soon as she lays her eggs. Knowing 
 this, a few female scale bugs, which 
 had been accidently brought on trees 
 from California, were placed upon 
 the plants in My. ( londolfo's garden, 
 being carefully watched. The young 
 died before they could attach them- 
 selves to the orange tree, and, though 
 several experiments were made, no 
 scale bug lived. Similar experi- 
 ments were made in other gardens 
 with the same result, the very dry 
 and hot atmosphere of the daytime 
 shriveling the insect and destroving 
 it. 
 
:)4 
 
 There is no danger of the tempera- 
 ture ever reaching such a low point 
 ns to in any way affect orange or 
 h'me treeSjOr even more tender phxuts, 
 in Yuma County. The reason can 
 easily be understood. The leaves 
 Avhich contain the most moisture 
 will suffer most from a low tempera- 
 ture. In the very dry atmosphere 
 of Southern Arizona, where the leaf 
 is so mucli drier and hardier than 
 in the moist atmosphere near the 
 ocean, a much greater degree of cold 
 
 can be Ijorne without injury to the 
 tree, the atmospheric conditions as 
 to dryness and moisture being more 
 important in this respect than the 
 temperature. 
 
 During the last winter (18ST-88) 
 not an orange, lemon or lime tree 
 was in the least affected in any part 
 of Yuma County ; yet the ther- 
 mometer registered, for a moment or 
 two, its lowest poijit during the year, 
 28"^ above zero (Fahrenheit). 
 
 FRUIT CULTURE AS AFFECTED BY TE:fIPERA TURE. 
 
 By Hon. C. H. Kixcx. 
 
 It may not be amiss here to give a 
 table compiled from U. S. Signal 
 Service Reports, covering ten years 
 from 187'r to and including 1887 : 
 
 
 f 
 
 £" 
 
 V 
 
 t. 
 
 6 
 
 <o 
 
 £ 
 
 t 
 
 
 '5 
 
 2 
 
 s 
 
 2 
 
 2'S 
 
 S-d 
 
 3 
 
 
 SIS' 
 
 MP" 
 
 J) Q) 
 
 H 
 
 II 
 
 
 PLACE. 
 
 ft 
 
 a 
 3 
 
 3 
 05 
 
 >^ 
 
 B 
 s 
 
 3 
 < 
 
 
 SO 
 
 3 
 
 m > 
 3 
 
 s 
 < 
 
 Yuma, Ariz 
 
 Jacfeonville, Fla. 
 Pensacola, Fla... 
 Los Aiif'eles. Cal.. 
 
 Riverside, Cal 
 
 San Diego, Cal 
 
 Sacramento, Cal. . 
 
 New York 
 
 Boston 
 
 Rome, Italy 
 
 Phoenix, Ariz 
 
 170. 5189. 31 
 
 eg.o'si.ry 
 
 67. '.18(1.6 
 i.58.4 67.6 
 
 62.7 
 .58.1 
 SO.,'-) 
 47.6 
 
 78.3 
 66.7 
 71.7 
 71.6 
 
 44.!) 60.1 
 57.6,7-,>.-,> 
 
 67.7|89.d 
 
 73.1!.56.11 
 69.S56.6' 
 69.3 56.3 
 62.7.53.5 
 6.-). 3 51.7 
 62.7 54.4 
 61.5 48.3 
 54.531.5 
 51.1 2S.1 
 61. 18.9 
 68.4|53.8 
 
 115.5 
 104. 
 97. 
 108. 
 116. 
 101. 
 105. 
 105. 
 101. 
 
 'm.' 
 
 22.5 72.3 
 19. 69.3 
 
 15. 68.5 
 28. 60.6 
 23. 65.2 
 32. 60.5 
 21. [60.2 
 — 6151.2 
 -13 48.3 
 ...|60.7 
 13.2|69.7 
 
 From the above table it will be 
 seen that the average winter tem- 
 perature of Yuma is almost the same 
 as that of Florida ; three degrees 
 higlier than that of Los Angeles ; 
 two degrees higher than that of San 
 Diego ; four degrees higher than at 
 Riverside, Cal., and seven degrees 
 higher than at Rome, Italy. The 
 average annual temperature of Y^uma 
 is about twelve degrees higher than 
 in Rome, Italy, and seven degrees 
 higher than the famous orange dis- 
 trict of Riverside, Cal. 
 
 Again, it will be noticed that the 
 average spring, summer and autumn 
 temperatures of Y'^uma are nearly 
 nine degrees more than at Riverside. 
 This is sufficient to explain the fact 
 that the citrus and other fruits of 
 Yuma ripen from a month to six 
 weeks earlier than at Riverside, or 
 other points in Southern California. 
 
 Y'^uma has an earlier and warmer 
 spring. The trees have an earlier 
 start, and the higher temperature 
 matures the fruit sooner. It is evi- 
 dent that, since oranges in Y'uma 
 ripen in the first of December, in- 
 stead of about the middle of January, 
 as in Southern California, the fruit 
 in Arizona can never be injured by 
 any low temperature in the win- 
 ter season. And since the labor of 
 the tree is for the season practically 
 over at Yuma before the winter sea- 
 son begins, it is better prepared to 
 stand a lower temperature in winter 
 than it could in California, even 
 were the atmosphere as dry in the 
 latter State as in Arizona. 
 
 It is known that Riverside raises 
 better oranges than Los Angeles, 
 and the reason is that Riverside es- 
 capes the fogs which liang over Los 
 Angeli^s. 
 
 It is proper to observe that the 
 
— 55 — 
 
 maximums and minimums of tem- 
 perature, as shown by the Signal 
 Service records, indicate little of 
 practical utility, since such extremes 
 may not last more than a second, 
 and may be the effect of one small 
 wave or ripple of the air. 
 
 The warm sunshine of the spring, 
 summer and autumn days causes the 
 fruit in Yuma to mature early, and 
 gives a delicious sweetness, flavor 
 and color to the orange, lime, lemon 
 and other citrus fruits, which they 
 cannot attain on the coast of the 
 Pacific, where fogs dampen the fruit, 
 mildew is produced, and dust coats 
 both fruit and leaf. 
 
 It is undeniable that nowhere upon 
 the globe can a spot be found more 
 favorable for the growth of citrus 
 fruits than in Yuma County. 
 
 TESTIMOIVY OF WITNESSES. 
 
 Hon. Patrick Hamilton, late Com- 
 missioner of Immigi'ation for the 
 Territory of Arizona, describes the 
 agricultural resources of Yuma 
 County as follows : 
 
 " He who would speak of Yuma, 
 Ariz., as a desirable farming coun- 
 try a few years ago, would be 
 looked upon as a fit subject for a 
 lunatic asylum. It is, however, an 
 uncontrovertible fact that in the 
 valleys of the Gila and the Colorado, 
 in this county, are some of the very 
 richest lands to be found on the con- 
 tinent. The valley of the Colorado, 
 like that of the Nile, is subject to 
 annual overflows. Under its semi - 
 tropic sun vegetation is very rapid, 
 and weeds, grasses and wild plants 
 attain an amazing height after the 
 waters recede. The Indians, who 
 cultivate a few patches, dig holes 
 with a sharp-pointed stick in the ricli 
 soil, and drop the seed. No attempt 
 is made at cultivation, yet so mar- 
 velous is the growth that within 
 three months corn and vegetables 
 have fully ripened. There is no 
 better soil in the world for cotton, 
 
 rice, sugar cane, tobacco and hemp. 
 The latter fibre is found growing 
 wild below Yuma and along the gulf, 
 and an effort is now being made to 
 plant a colony in Southern Califor- 
 nia for its cultivation. 
 
 " This fine valley of the Colorado, 
 with a soil unsurpassed on the globe 
 for the growth of every tropical and 
 semi-tropical product, is as yet un- 
 reclaimed. There is no finer oppor- 
 tunity for the investment of capital 
 in America than in the construction 
 of levees and canals in this rich valley. 
 
 " In the lower Gila Valley there 
 are many thousands of acres of 
 excellent lands, only a very small 
 fraction of which is at present 
 cultivated. The Mohawk Valley, 
 about sixty miles east of Yuma, is 
 one of the richest bodies of land 
 in the Territory. It is a portion of 
 the main Gila Valley and has an 
 area of seventy square miles. The 
 laud is level, with a gentle slope to- 
 ward the river. At its narrowest 
 point the valley is two miles wide, 
 and at its widest five, and extends 
 along the stream for nearly twenty 
 miles. A company known as the 
 Mohawk Valley Canal Company has 
 been formed for the purpose of 
 constructing a ditch which will 
 bring water from the river and 
 reclaim a magnificent vale. Work 
 is being pushed with all possible 
 speed, and the company expect to 
 be able to supply water for the next 
 season's crop. When completed, 
 this canal will reclaim not less than 
 40,000 acres, equal to any now sell- 
 ing at Kiverside, Cal., for SlOO and 
 1200 per acre. This land, and the 
 water for irrigation, will be offered 
 to the settler on the most liberal 
 terms. [Canal is now finished.] 
 
 ''The soil, as has been said, will 
 produce anything and everything. 
 Corn, wheat, barley, alfalfa and all 
 kinds of vegetables give a prolific 
 yield. The grape, the peach, the 
 plum, the pear, the quince, the 
 apricot, the orange, the lemon, the 
 
5G — 
 
 lime, the olive, the date, the fig, the 
 banana, the walnut and all the 
 grasses grown in any part of the 
 United States can be raised here. 
 This is already demonstrated by 
 looking at what has been done in 
 the town of Yuma. In the gardens 
 there can be seen the orange, the 
 fig, the banana, the lime, the olive 
 and all varieties mentioned above, 
 yielding bountifully under its semi- 
 tropical sun. 
 
 " The cotton, the sugar cane and 
 all the textile phmts which grow on 
 the Colorado bottoms are also at 
 home in this valley. There is also 
 the important advantage of fruits 
 ripening here at least six weeks 
 before they do in Southern California. 
 
 "With such natural gifts, and 
 such opportunities, the tide of im- 
 migration will shortly sweep into 
 those fertile vales, and transform 
 the seeming deserts into fertile fields 
 and blooming gardens. The simple 
 facts only require to be known, and 
 the valley of the Gila will soon be 
 filled by thrifty settlers. This valley 
 of the ^lohawk has the additional 
 advantage of nearness to the line of 
 the Southern Pacific. 
 
 "There are a number of other 
 locations along the lower Gila where 
 canals can be taken out and large 
 bodies of rich land reclaimed. One 
 is the fertile bottom between the 
 Gila and the Colorado, containing 
 over 20,000 acres. Over 1,000 acres 
 of this have been reclaimed, and 
 from it have been taken the largest 
 crops of cereals ever raised in the 
 Territory. 
 
 " P'rom the foregoing brief resume 
 it will be seen that Yuma County is 
 not the desert many people imagine. 
 Water is the magician that will 
 shortly work a transformation in 
 her hitherto deserted valleys." 
 
 C. ^Nleyer Zulick, Governor of 
 Arizomi Territory, in his report to 
 the Secretary of the Interior, illus- 
 trates the ])rofits to be derived from 
 wiuemaking by the results of an 
 
 experiment made by the Count de 
 Kamey from grapes grown in the 
 Gila ^'alley. Governor Zulick says : 
 " From a vineyard of four acres, 
 three years old, he manufactured 
 sixty gallons of white wine superior 
 to that of California or France, and 
 in body and flavor equal to the best 
 of that of Spain. The white wine 
 of France and the best of that of 
 California has eight to ten degrees 
 alcohol, while this contained the 
 same as the best Spanish wine. The 
 product of a Spanish vineyard is ten 
 pounds to the vine. His vineyard 
 yielded 100 pounds of grapes to the 
 vine. From this vineyard, only 
 three years old, and containing only 
 four acres, he has this year made 
 3,800 gallons of wine of different 
 kinds, which he has sold for !J^1 per 
 gallon, besides selling grapes to the 
 value of %bOQ. The net yield of each 
 acre has been 81,000. The testi- 
 mony of vine culturists is that tliere 
 is no better country for the manu- 
 facture of wine than that of the 
 Gila Kiver and Salt Eiver vallejs, 
 and the experimental test above cited 
 would seem to fully bear out the 
 assertion." 
 
 RAISIIVS FROM ARIZONA. 
 
 " There is considerable rivalry 
 every year among California raisin 
 growers as to who shall put the lirst 
 of the crop on tlie market. So far, 
 the latter part of August has been 
 the earliest period, but our vineyard- 
 ists seem destined to be put com- 
 pletely in the shade at no distant 
 day by those of Arizona. A sample 
 of raisins has been received from a 
 resident of Yuma, A. T., wliich were 
 picked from the vine July ]-4th and 
 were sufficiently dried on the 24-th. 
 These raisins were grown in what is 
 known as the Mohawk Valley, on 
 the banks of the Gila river, in south- 
 western Arizona. This section 
 possesses a fertile soil, is well watered 
 and has been largely settled upon 
 recently. 
 
— 5^ 
 
 "The small time necessary for 
 the conversion of the grapes into 
 raisins is not the least of the advan- 
 tages offered. Ordinarily in this 
 State [California] from two to three 
 weeks' exposure is necessary — nearer 
 the latter than the former." — S. F. 
 Chronicle. 
 
 that the present site of the town of 
 Yuma was included within the limits 
 of the United States. " 
 
 THE TOWX OF YUHA. 
 
 Mr. Richard J. Hinton, in his in- 
 teresting •' Hand Book to Arizona," 
 sketches the early history of the 
 town as follows : 
 
 '* In the year 1700 Father Kino 
 established a mission on the spot 
 now occupied by the post of Fort 
 Yuma, upon the California side of 
 the Colorado River ; but it was soon 
 afterward destroyed by natives, who, 
 however, seem to have been well let 
 alone until 1771, when Father Garces 
 visited the Colorado River, and sub- 
 sequently, in 1778, with others, 
 established two missions — one at 
 Fort Yuma and another nine miles 
 below on the same bank. In 1781 
 the horses of the Spanish soldiers 
 stationed there having injured some 
 of the crops of the natives, the 
 Indians massacred the men compris- 
 ing the little colony of about 170 
 Spanish people, taking away the 
 women and children as captives. 
 Though other Catholic missionaries 
 afterward visited the place, it was 
 not until Gen. Pliil. Kearney marched 
 his command through the Gila A^al- 
 ley in 1847, during the war with 
 Mexico, that something of the coun- 
 try began to be known to Americans. 
 In the spring of 1852, Heiutzelman 
 and Stoneman (both afterward 
 famous in the war of the Rebellion) 
 occupied Fort Yuma with six com- 
 panies ; and at the same time Wil- 
 cox reached the mouth of the Col- 
 orado River in a sailing vessel from 
 San Francisco with troops and sup- 
 plie.i, which were taken up the Col- 
 orado River to the fort. It was not 
 until the (radsten purchase in 1854, 
 
 PROFIT OF OLIVE CUETIRE. 
 
 Mr. Ellwood Cooper, of Santa 
 Barbara, Cal., declares that "^ the 
 olive is the most profitable tree " he 
 knows of. His famous olive orchard 
 has lor a number of years past 
 yielded not less than $800 per acre 
 per annum. 
 
 Mr. Cooper has forty acres of 
 twelve-year-old olive trees, and it is 
 stated that during the past year his 
 profit has reached the enormous 
 sum of $1,500 per acre. 
 
 The olive is a much hardier tree 
 than the orange, and will stand 10 
 or 12 degrees more cold. It also re- 
 quires less irrigation than the orange. 
 
 An olive orchard is much easier 
 and much cheaper to establish than 
 an orange orchard. Rooted olive 
 cuttings, two years old, can be 
 bought for thirty-five cents each, 
 while a first-class orange tree costs 
 at least one dollar. And, either for 
 oil or for pickles, the olive can be 
 counted upon to pay a larger profit 
 than the orange. 
 
 Comparatively few Americans 
 realize the great food value of the 
 olive. It is the value of the tree's 
 products as nutriment that makes 
 it intrinsically of more worth than 
 any other tree known to man. 
 
 An olive orchard at the age of 
 ten years should yield an average of 
 twenty gallons of berries to the tree. 
 Any quantity of pickled olives can 
 now be sold at seventy-five cents a 
 gallon, in bulk. With one hundred 
 trees to the acre, as in Mr. Cooper's 
 orchard, the yield per acre will be 
 2,000 gallons, which at seventy-five 
 cents a gallon would furnish a return 
 of 11,500 per acre. The cost of 
 picking is not over ten cents a gal- 
 lon. Even at as low a price as twen- 
 ty-five cents a gallon, the net return 
 would be large. 
 
— 58 — 
 
 PROriTS or TIIK ORV\«E 
 (liKOVK. 
 
 The Pacifif Fruit Grower pub- 
 lishes the following as the cost of a 
 ten-acre orange orchard, three 3^ears 
 from planting, allowing the price 
 paid for the land to be $250 per 
 acre, and the rental of water $3 per 
 acre : 
 
 "Ten acres ofland 83,500 00 
 
 Preparing- the g-round 50 00 
 
 One thousiUKrtrees 1,000 00 
 
 Planting, complete.. 50 00 
 
 Water, lirst year 80 00 
 
 Care of orchard, first year 200 00 
 
 Incidentals .' 70 00 
 
 $3,900 00 
 The two following years, count- 
 ing interest on investment at 
 eight per cent., will cost 1,330 00 
 
 Cost of orchard -?5,330 00 
 
 " At the end of the third year the 
 orchard will bear enough to pay the 
 interest on the investment at ten per 
 cent., and ought to do a good deal 
 more than that. In two years more 
 it will bear from one to one and a 
 half boxes to the tree, which for navel 
 oranges this year would be from 
 84,000 to 8(J,000 for the product of 
 the orchard. From that figure it 
 will gradually advance. 
 
 " Mr. Hewitt's orchards (formerly 
 Twogood's) contains about twenty 
 acres, only twelve of which are in 
 bearing. From these twelve acres 
 he sold this year's crop of oranges, 
 on the trees, for $10,000. The 
 greater part of it was planted to 
 seedlings in 1872-73, the other 
 varieties not being planted until 
 1877-78. The seedlings were four 
 years old. 
 
 " Mr. Johnson has twenty acres 
 in oranges and grapes. The oranges 
 were sold, this season, on the trees, 
 for $8,000, and the grapes for $2,500. 
 Many other similar examples might 
 be adduced." 
 
 In South Arizona, the profits 
 would be greater, as the fruit, matu- 
 ring three weeks earlier, would find 
 a hiirher market. 
 
 I'ROriTS OF THE FIG TKFF. 
 
 The following is an extract from 
 an essay on fruit culture read before 
 the meeting of the California State 
 fruit growers, by R. Williamson : 
 
 " The fig is the most ancient fruit 
 we cultivate. In many old coun- 
 tries the failure of this crop almost 
 means starvation and famine. 
 Travelers in Asia Minor and South- 
 ern Europe provide themselves with 
 figs and olives as provisions for 
 long journeys, and not only live, 
 but endure and grow fat on the 
 diet. The fig has more medicinal 
 properties and more nutriment than 
 any other fruit, except, possibly, 
 the olive. High prices have pre- 
 vented their general use in America. 
 Smyrna exported 21,600,000 pounds 
 of dried figs in 1884, and other 
 countries brought the grand total 
 up to 40,000,000, besides the large 
 amount consumed at home. Eng- 
 land, the United States and Ger- 
 many receive the bulk of this ex- 
 port." 
 
 In no country does the fig thrive 
 better than in Southern Arizona. 
 Trees of six and seven years old 
 will yield 200 pounds to the tree, 
 which at six cents per pound, the 
 current price, is $12 per tree. Fig 
 trees of from ten to twenty years old 
 have frequently been known to yield 
 from 800 to 1,000 pounds of figs 
 when dried. An orchard of figs is 
 indeed, as Mr. Williamson remarks, 
 " a bonanza," 
 
 COST AM> PROFIT OF THE 
 CJRAPE. 
 
 The soil and climate of iVrizona 
 are especially well adapted to vine 
 culture. 
 
 The cost of a vine3'ard may be 
 placed, says a pamphlet on grape 
 culture, about as follows, not in- 
 cluding land : 
 
 FmST YEAR, 
 
 Plowing one acre '. .$3 00 
 
 Harrowing and furrowing. 1 00 
 
 Roots, 450 vines, 10 feet apart 7 00 
 
— 59 — 
 
 Planting $3 00 
 
 Cultivation, hoeing, etc., after 
 
 planting 4 00 
 
 First year *18 00 
 
 SECOND YEAR. 
 
 Pruning $1 00 
 
 Vines for replanting 2 00 
 
 Plowing twice 3 00 
 
 Cultivation, harrowing, etc 1 50 
 
 Hoeing' 1 50 
 
 Second year ,.$9 00 
 
 THIRD YEAR. 
 
 Pruning $3 00 
 
 Plowing 3 00 
 
 Cultivation 1 50 
 
 Hoeing — 1 50 
 
 Third year $8 50 
 
 Total, end third year 35 50 
 
 A small profit will be realized the 
 third year. 
 
 The profits of the fourth year will 
 be not less that 130.00 an acre. 
 After the fourth year, the yield will 
 gradually increase until the sixth 
 year, when it is considered to be in 
 full bearing. A^ineyards in full 
 bearing produce a net income vary- 
 ing from l-tO to 1200 an acre. We 
 will be very conservative and put it 
 at $50 net profit — which is interest 
 on $500 an acre at ten per cent. 
 
 The consumption of raisins in 
 the United States is but one and 
 one-half pounds per capita. In 
 California the consumption is eight 
 pounds. When the consumption is 
 as great all over the United States, 
 it will require not less than 500,000,- 
 000 pounds, or 25,000,000 boxes of 
 raisins, to supply the demand. This 
 time is not far distant. 
 
 Fresh grapes can be produced in 
 Arizona and sold in New York and 
 other Eastern cities at the same 
 price at which the Eastern grape is 
 sold, and leave a larger profit per 
 acre to the Arizona than to the 
 Eastern producer. The vine bears 
 so much heavier, and the cost of 
 care and cultivation is so much less, 
 that it more than overcomes the 
 cost of freight. 
 
 The cost of putting one ton of our 
 grapes on the market in the East 
 may be put as follows : 
 
 Picking and packing 110 00 
 
 Freight 30 00 
 
 Loading, boxes, etc. 5 00 
 
 Expense selling 5 00 
 
 Total $50 00 
 
 Sold at five cents a pound. 100 00 
 
 Price left for grapes on vines $50 00 
 
 At this figure the grower could 
 easily clear from $200 to $400 an 
 acre. When once they come into 
 general use in the East, a consump- 
 tion of 500,000,000 pounds will be 
 small. 
 
 WHY I]»II»IIGRA^TS ^^HOITLD 
 COHE TO ARIZOXA. 
 
 By Hon. C. H. King. 
 
 Mr. Hamilton gives the following 
 reasons why immigrants and capital 
 should seek Arizona : 
 
 Because the climate is perfect. 
 
 Because the soil is fertile and 
 prolific. 
 
 Because land is abundant and 
 cheap. 
 
 Because a home can be made with 
 little labor. 
 
 Because so great a variety of 
 products can be grown. 
 
 Because the yield is large and the 
 prices always remunerative. 
 
 Because life is a luxury in a laud 
 where the sun shines every day. 
 
 Because there are chances for a 
 poor man which he can never hope 
 to find in older countries. 
 
 Because the country is advancing 
 and property vahies are increasing. 
 
 Because, unlike Southern Cali- 
 fornia, it does not require a small 
 fortune to secure a piece of land. 
 
 Because capital does not block 
 all the avenues to wealth, nor crowd 
 the poor man to the wall. 
 
 Because Uncle Sam has yet in 
 Arizona many farms waiting for 
 occupants. 
 
GO — 
 
 Because clmrches, schools, news- 
 papers and railroads are fast devel- 
 oping the moral and material ele- 
 ments of the Territory. 
 
 Because good land is becoming 
 scarce, and, if you don't catch on 
 now, your last chance will soon be 
 gone. 
 
 Because the country is one of the 
 few regions of the United States 
 that yield the products of the tem- 
 perate and semi-tropic zones. 
 
 Because the worker receives a fair 
 compensation for his labor, and the 
 " rustler " has a field for the display 
 of his energy and enterprise. 
 
 Because there are neither bliz- 
 zards nor tornadoes, earthquakes 
 nor inundations, snowstorms nor 
 cyclones. 
 
 Because the vast and varied re- 
 sources of the country are yet to be 
 developed. 
 
 Because the wealth of its mines, 
 its farming valleys, its grazing 
 lands and its forests will yet build 
 up a great and prosperous State. 
 
 Because a man can make a liveli- 
 hood here with less labor than in 
 any other part of the United States. 
 
 Because there is health in every 
 breeze, and strength and vigor under 
 its cloudless skies. 
 
 Because the settler need not spend 
 a lifetime in felling trees and grub- 
 bing out stumps. 
 
 Because vegetation is so rapid 
 that in two years the home is sur- 
 rounded l)y a growth of trees and 
 shrubs which would require five 
 years to develop in a colder clime. 
 
 J^ecause fortunes here await the 
 venturesome, and health welcomes 
 the afflicted. 
 
 Because tlie country has a bril- 
 liant future, and you want to be in 
 the " swim." 
 
 Because in its pure, dry, invigor- 
 ating air, epidemic diseases canziot 
 live or germinate. 
 
 Because its })eople are generous, 
 liberal, hospitable and progressive. 
 
 M'nv cAi'iTAi. )miori.i> 
 
 SEEK AKIZOXA. 
 
 By Hon. C. H. King. 
 
 Because its mines are the richest. 
 
 Because its grazing lands are the 
 best. 
 
 Because its forests of pine are the 
 most extensive in the Southwest. 
 
 Because its farming lands are 
 valuable and productive. 
 
 ]iecause it gives assurance of the 
 largest returns on money invested. 
 
 Because its grand resources are 
 yet to be developed. 
 
 Because it is a young, growing 
 country with an assured future. 
 
 Because the opportunities for 
 engaging in manufacturing enter- 
 prises are better than in any oth.er 
 region of the West. 
 
 Because good mining properties 
 can be had at reasonable figures. 
 
 Because the products of its coal 
 fields and forests will find a profit- 
 able market in its towns and mining 
 camps. 
 
 Because the profits from its stock 
 ranges are larger than in any other 
 portion of the Union. 
 
 Because there is a demand for 
 additional facilitiesforore reduction. 
 
 Because there are vast stretches 
 of rich soil to be reclaimed by the 
 construction of irrigating canals. 
 
 ]5ecause there are large tracts of 
 grass lands that can be utilized by 
 the sinking of artesian wells. 
 
 Because there are many openings 
 in a new country which cannot 
 exist in older communities. 
 
 Because the opportunities for 
 engaging in the successful cultiva- 
 tion of semi-tropic fruits are better 
 than in any other part of the United 
 States. 
 
 Because property values are 
 rap i d 1 y ad van cing. 
 
 liecause the Indian difficulties are 
 about to be settled for all time. 
 
 Because Arizona's boom is yet to 
 come. 
 
— 61 — 
 
 Because it is a virgin field, ready 
 for the seed which will produce a 
 golden harvest. 
 
 Penetauguishene, Ontakio, 
 (Canada), March 1, 1888. 
 
 M. W. Meagher, Esq., Deputy Com- 
 missioner of Immigration for Arizona, 
 No. 36 South Main Street, Los An- 
 geles, Cal. 
 
 Deae Sik : I found it impossible, 
 as I had anticipated, to return to 
 Los Angeles prior to my departure 
 for home. 
 
 I was much pleased with the loca- 
 tion and surroundings of Yuma ; 
 but the town itself has but few 
 attractions at present. 
 
 The Colorado and Gila valleys, 
 in the vicinity of Yuma, contain as 
 good land as I ever saw, and your 
 statements relative to Yuma and the 
 
 valleys named were substantially 
 correct. 
 
 Time did not allow me to proceed 
 up the Gila Valley and into the 
 Salt River Valley, as you recom- 
 mended. 
 
 As to the climate of Y^'uma at 
 this season of the year, it is simply 
 perfect. 
 
 A number of Canadians wnll visit 
 Los Angeles in the near future, and 
 will, if we can obtain a considerable 
 body of land in Arizona, in com- 
 pact form, and on reasonable terms, 
 establish a colony there. 
 
 Thanking you for the information 
 furnished, and the many courtesies 
 extended to me, I beg to remain 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 Wm. E. Gillespie. 
 
 Eespectfully submitted by 
 
 EDMINSTER & CO., 
 
 Eastern Agents of the MOHAWK VALLEY ORANGE GROVE AND FRUIT CO., 
 96 Broadway, 6 Wall St. & 5 Pine St., 
 
 NEW YORK CITY. 
 
 On addressing us as above, a circular will be mailed containing a list of 
 various kinds of first-class investments in Pacific Coast securities, embrac- 
 ing municipal, county, railroad, industrial and other bonds, stocks, 
 land, etc., etc. 
 
 K^.^^' 
 
Mohawk Valley, 
 
 YUMA COUNTY, ARIZONA, 
 
 The Choicest Spot in the Basin of the 
 Great l\lorth American l\lile. 
 
 For full particulars of charming Home Sites in the beautifully 
 located town of 
 
 the Garden City of the Mohawk A'alley, Arizona, or for information 
 of other lands and investments in this wonderfully fertile Mohawk 
 Valley, address 
 
 EDMINSTER & CO., 
 
 96 Broadway, 6 Wall Street, 5 Pine Street, 
 NEW YOIiK CITY, 
 
 EASTERN AGENTS FOR 
 
 The Californian illustrated Magazine, 
 
 The California Investment Agency, 
 The California Raisin and Fruit Growers' Association, of Madera, Fresno Co.. California. 
 The John Brown Colony, of Madera, California, 
 
 The Mohawk Canal and Improvement Company, Arizona, 
 The Mohawk Land Company, Arizona, 
 
 The Mohawk Valley Orange Grove and Fruit Company, Arizona. 
 The Orangedale, Arizona, Development Company. 
 
Mohawk Canal and Improvement Co. 
 
 YUJVIA COUIMTY, ARIZONA. 
 
 ORGr^^TsTIZKi:) 1885. R-EORG-^TsTIZE:!) 1890. 
 
 This Canal and Improvement Company is located in one of 
 the most fertile regions of the world, capable of producing all 
 the tropical fruits. Takes water from the Gila River, about 
 50 miles above its junction with the Coh)rado River, at Yuma. 
 Thirty Thousand acres of supposed dry land rendered as fertile 
 as the Valley of the Nile. 
 
 The Climate of the Mohawk Valley is almost tropical, and 
 will produce early fruits weeks in advance of any other Pacific 
 Coast Valley. 
 
 The management is amply able to deal fairly and liberallj^ 
 with all actual locators. 
 
 For Circulars and Further Information, address 
 
 California Investment Agency, 
 
 95 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, 
 
 OR 
 
 306 PINE ST., SAN FRANCISCO. 
 
I^O you wish to invest your money 
 where it will be absolutely safe, 
 and yield you steady and large returns 
 without any personal supervision or 
 responsibility on your part? 
 
 If so, kindly favor us with your 
 address, and we will show you how 
 it can be done. 
 
 EDMINSTER & CO., 
 
 96 Broadway, 
 New York City. 
 
ONE ACRE IN CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The San Francisco Bulletin says : 
 
 S. S. Boynton, of Oroville, has compiled the following reliable and well- 
 attested facts, showing what an acre of California soil under the most favor- 
 able climatic conditions, is capable of yielding. 
 
 Ob» Aerc Ideated at 
 
 Yolo 
 
 Fresno 
 
 Butte 
 
 Gienn 
 
 Solano , 
 
 Yolo 
 
 Visalla 
 
 Yuba 
 
 Los Angeles... 
 
 Butte 
 
 Fresno 
 
 S-onta Barbara 
 Ix)s Angeles... 
 
 Santa Croz 
 
 Santa Barbara 
 
 Monterey 
 
 Coloma. 
 
 Qlenn 
 
 Sacramento. . . 
 
 Napa 
 
 Los Angeles... 
 
 Sutter 
 
 Orange 
 
 San Diego 
 
 Yolo 
 
 Santa Cruz 
 
 Coloma 
 
 Lassen. . 
 
 Redlands. 
 
 Pr»d«ee4 
 
 Royal Apricots.., 
 
 Apples 
 
 Potatoes 
 
 BlackbeiTies 
 
 Almonds 
 
 Muscatel Grapes. 
 
 Prunes 
 
 Hops 
 
 Blackberries 
 
 Tomatoes 
 
 Nectarines 
 
 English Walnuts. 
 
 Strawberries 
 
 Potatoes 
 
 Olives 
 
 Apples 
 
 Peaches 
 
 Almonds 
 
 Tokay Grapes.... 
 
 Currants 
 
 Lemons 
 
 Mixed Berries 
 
 English Walnuts 
 
 Apricots 
 
 Almonds 
 
 Mixed Fruit 
 
 Sugar Beets 
 
 Potatoes 
 
 Alfalfa 
 
 $2«0 00 
 300 00 
 226 00 
 
 250 00 
 187 00 
 302 76 
 910 00 
 400 00 
 350 00 
 600 00 
 260 00 
 338 00 
 800 00 
 
 251 00 
 1,000 00 
 1,200 00 
 
 500 00 
 100 00 
 320 00 
 350 00 
 450 00 
 1,500 00 
 510 00 
 116 00 
 283 50 
 300 00 
 78 00 
 100 00 
 112 00 
 
 On« Acre Located at 
 
 Sutter 
 
 Colusa 
 
 Los Angeles 
 
 Butte 
 
 Solano 
 
 Riverside 
 
 Fresno 
 
 Alameda 
 
 Vaca Valley 
 
 Yuba 
 
 Orange 
 
 Napa 
 
 Sacramento 
 
 Pomona 
 
 Orange 
 
 Napa 
 
 Santa Clara 
 
 Fresno 
 
 San Jose Valley 
 
 San Bernardino 
 
 Solano 
 
 Old San Bernardino, 
 
 Tulare 
 
 Tulare 
 
 Los Angeles 
 
 Santa Clara 
 
 Orange 
 
 Alameda 
 
 Grass Valley 
 
 ProduMd 
 
 Bartlett Pears 
 
 Slixed Vegetables.. 
 Pampas Plumes.. 
 
 Apples 
 
 Apricots 
 
 Budded Oranges. 
 
 Peaches ^ 
 
 Cherries 
 
 Peaches 
 
 Blackberries 
 
 Peanuts 
 
 Cherries 
 
 Seedling Oranges. 
 
 Apricots 
 
 Bartlett Pears 
 
 Currants 
 
 Figs 
 
 Prunes 
 
 Figs 
 
 Apricots.. 
 Peaches. . 
 
 Prunes 
 
 Figs 
 
 Peaches. . 
 
 Figs 
 
 Cherries.. 
 Rhubarb. 
 
 Which 
 Sold For 
 
 $1,111 00 
 1,000 OO 
 100 00 
 967 50 
 291 66 
 600 OO 
 100 00 
 620 00 
 812 00 
 200 00 
 100 00 
 ISOOO 
 1,500 00 
 9SO00 
 510 00 
 376 00 
 300 00 
 100 00 
 600 00 
 1,100 00 
 760 00 
 150 00 
 100 00 
 687 93 
 950 00 
 700 00 
 100 00 
 550 00 
 500 00 
 
 An acre of wheat in Butte, grown on the farm of C. F. Lott, yielded 
 sixty bushels. 
 
 Seventeen tons of grapes per acre have been grown in several Counties. 
 
 An acre of barley in Pajaro Valley, in Santa Cruz County, once yielded 
 149 bushels, while a field of 100 acres yielded 9,000 bushels, or 90 bushels per 
 acre. Near Crescent City 157^ bushels of oats have been grown on a 
 single acre. 
 
 Greater returns have been claimed, but the above statements rest on the 
 very best authority. 
 

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