THE FORESTS AND DESERTS OF ARIZONA 217 



the wild Apache surrendered to GeiU'riil Crook in 1883, then and 

 there breaking the war spirit of tlie race whicli had liarassed for 

 centuries i)eaceful Indians and white settlers aHke. Except in 

 the irrigated valley, everything looks brown and sear and un- 

 compromising under the July sun.* The cattle industry used 

 to thrive in this valley, as in many others of the territory, and 

 also on the plateau ; but,just like luml)ering in other regions, it 

 was carried on recklessly, the natural meadows being overstocked 

 far beyond their capacity ; so that large areas which twelve years 

 ago were luxuriant grass-producers are now absolutely l)arren, 

 with not a spear of grass visible. 



The broad valley of Rio Verde, which carries the drainage 

 from the plateau to Salt river, is capable of agricultural develop- 

 ment to a much greater extent than has been attempted ; but, as 

 in other parts of the territory, this requires systematic storage 

 and utilization of the water. By careful management the cattle, 

 sheep, and goat industry would no doubt be able to use advan- 

 tageously the large nonirrigable areas. The home market for 

 this secluded valley is mainly in Jerome, which is the seat of 

 one of the largest co])per mines and reduction works in the 

 United States, with an annual output of about one million dollars 

 in value. Prescott and the mining districts surrounding it are 

 also within reach b}^ a long da3''s ride. 



There is hardly a drearier ride to be imagined than that from 

 Verde valley over the Black Hills to Prescott. Up and down 

 hill, over dr}^ ridges studded with chaparral, scrub oak, man- 

 zanita, and the like, we traverse a region for which, but for the 

 mineral wealth that may be under ground, no use suggests itself. 

 Arriving at Prescott, we reach once more the altitude of the pines 

 in Bradshaw mountains; but we find that there is little timber 

 left, the town and the mining districts surrounding it having 

 used up most of it. Prescott was once the capital of the terri- 

 tory and is still the metropolis of central Arizona, the supply- 

 base of many outlying mining districts and the cattle ranches 

 in the large valleys on the north and west. 



Here we may take train for the southern i)()rtion of the terri- 

 tory. A branch road starts from Ash Fork on the Atlantic and 

 Pacific railroad, whence it passes through the Black forest— not 

 of spruces, firs, and pines, like the celebrated forest of that name 



* When we passed this way again, in September, after the rains ha.l ha.l opportunity 

 to be effective, the country was almost unrecognizable; the dry, brush do-sort had 

 chang;ea into a l)eautiful prairie, and for the lirst time in eight years the grass had 

 grown large enouKh to be cut for hay. 



