2270 NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



lands of Arizona gives rise to numerous never-failing 

 streams, which converge to form the Little Colorado, 

 Salt and Gila rivers. These streams finally empty into 

 the Colorado River of the West, which derives its main 

 flow from the distant watersheds of Colorado, Utah and 

 Wyoming. The Salt, Gila, and other smaller streams, 

 as they flow westward through the arid plains border- 

 ing upon the Colorado River, gradually evaporate, or 

 are absorbed, and finally become intermittent in char- 

 acter, floods reaching their mouths only at infrequent 

 intervals. 



Numerous storage sites exist which are gradually 

 becoming utilized for the storage of flood-waters, and 



r 



2529. Arizona, showing the areas of horticultural development. 



the ground-waters of the region are being rapidly 

 developed by means of pumping-plants and artesian 

 wells. 



In a region where the rainfall is so inadequate for 

 the irrigation of the entire area, horticultural pursuits 

 can only be developed under the constant streams of 

 higher Arizona, and the never-failing Colorado; where 

 flood-waters can be stored, or where ground-waters are 

 available. Only in higher or more favored areas is it 

 possible to cultivate orchards or gardens, depending 

 upon rainfall only. The horticultural districts of the 

 state, therefore, are located almost entirely according 

 to available irrigating water-supply. These districts, 

 so far as they are at all developed, are indicated upon 

 the accompanying map. 



Irrigation was first practised at favorable points 

 throughout Arizona by prehistoric peoples, the ruins 

 of whose dwellings and ditches yet exist. Among the 

 crops cultivated by the Indians, are quick-growing 

 varieties of Indian corn, native beans, squashes, pump- 



kins, martynias, and, in former times, probably, cotton 

 and tobacco. Following the Indians came the Span- 

 iards, from Mexico, who established themselves in the 

 Santa Cruz Valley early in the eighteenth century. 

 The Jesuits at their missions introduced Old World 

 crops, including barley, wheat, apricots, cotton, dates, 

 figs, grapes, melons, olives, onions, citrous fruits, 

 peaches, pears, pomegranate, quinces and vegetable 

 crops. 



With the advent of Americans, dating from the Gads- 

 den Purchase in 1854, agricultural and horticultural 

 developments have been rapid, especially in irrigated 

 parts of the state. Improved varieties of the crop- 



lants introduced by the Jesuits have 

 sen developed - in large number, 

 and in addition some crops new or 

 previously little known have been im- 

 ported, among them, alfalfa, apples, 

 sugar-beets, the sorghums, cowpeas, 

 eucalypts, millets, oats, plums, sweet 

 and Irish potatoes, strawberries, 

 tomatoes, and other fruits and vege- 

 tables. 



Horticulturally, the state is divided 

 into the northeastern elevated por- 

 tion, best suited to deciduous fruits, 

 summer vegetables and those orna- 

 mentals common in temperate cli- 

 mates; and the southwestern half of 

 the state, of low altitude and higher 

 temperatures, in which may be grown 

 those subtropical plants which resist 

 mild frosts and in which winter-grow- 

 ing vegetables and heat-resistant 

 ornamentals thrive. 



In the northeast, the leading horti- 

 cultural products are apples, peaches, 

 pears, plums and grapes. Strawber- 

 ries, blackberries and a wide range 

 of vegetable crops may also be grown, 

 chiefly under irrigation. The most 

 important of all horticultural crops 

 at the present time is apples, which 

 thrive vigorously at altitudes of 3,000 

 feet and above. The principal apple- 

 growing districts are irrigated from 

 the Gila River in Graham County 

 and from the Verde and its tribu- 

 taries in Yavapai County. Occasional 

 orchards are scattered at higher alti- 

 tudes throughout the state. 



In the southwest, a great variety 

 of subtropical and temperate-region 

 crops are possible. Among the more 

 distinctly subtropical plants, resistant 

 to both heat and mild frost, are 



apricots, dates, eucalypts, figs, olives, oranges, pom- 

 elos, lemons, pomegranates and quinces; while many 

 plants common to more temperate regions may be 

 adapted to these lower altitudes, such as grapes, 

 peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, and many vege- 

 tables which may be grown during the cooler fall, 

 winter and spring seasons. Among the most im- 

 portant horticultural features of the southwestern half 

 of Arizona, are the olive, the date palm, figs, grapes, 

 and specialties, such as sugar-beets, cantaloupes and 

 winter-grown vegetables. An attractive array of flowers, 

 grown chiefly in the winter season and having commer- 

 cial possibilities, includes roses, sweet peas, dahlias, 

 and many flowering bulbs. 



Various horticultural specialties are possible in 

 Arizona at all seasons of the year. At higher altitudes 

 apples are the most important horticultural crop. 

 Among the most satisfactory varieties grown are Ben 

 Davis, Arkansas Black, Gano, White Winter Pear- 

 main, Jonathan. Limber Twig, and others. Excellent 



