Touring Through a Land of Plenty

NOVEMBER, 1933 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS 9 Touring Through a Land of Plenty

Along the Globe-Superior Highway, one of the finest scenic roads in the West.

This month we begin our trip in the fertile Casa Grande Valley, at the city of Florence. We are in one of Arizona's most promising agricultural sections. This dis-trict ships annually many cars of winter lettuce to the markets of the world, supplying the tables of America while much of the rest of the nation is blanketed in snow. Figs and citrus are becoming of increasing importance. Sections of this valley have been found to be eminently suitable for the growing of grapefruit. Pinal County, of which Florence is the county seat, is also one of the most productive cotton districts in the state.

At Florence is located the state penitentiary, whose frowning gray walls stand guard for the state as we leave the valley behind and travel almost directly north to Florence Junction, and then swing to the east along Highway 60.

A few miles along this excellent highway bring us to the William Boyce Thompson Southwest Arboretum. By all means plan to visit this fascinating spot. Founded by the late William Boyce Thompson, one of the owners of the Magma Copper Company at Superior, the work is being carried on by the family under the direction of Dr. F. J. Crider.

Here constant experimentation is car-ried on with plants from every corner Of the world in an effort to find those which are commercially adaptable to Arizona's climatic conditions. The arboretum is located in the foothills of a mountain range, so that every variation of climate from the hottest desert to more elevated sections is available. Every variety of cactus is on display as well as hundreds of kinds of grasses and plants from every part of the globe. The public is welcome to visit and ask questions regarding the work, which is carried on in expert fashion with the aid of the most modern equipment for measuring and treating plants.

Highways of Historic East Central Arizona Serve A Wide Variety of Industry

By L. C. McCULLOUGH Manager Arizona State Chamber of Commerce Extremely proficient in horticulture and its allied practices, the workers at the arboretum have already found a grass, the karroo grass of South Africa, which may be adaptable to Arizona, and would furnish an excellent forage for sheep and cattle. Some success also has been obtained with efforts to raise a small wild melon, indigenous to South Africa. This important work will undoubtedly be the eventual means of enriching the flora of Arizona to a great extent.

Leaving the arboretum, we continue east to Superior, which is one of the five important copper towns encircling the Pinal and Mescal mountains. South lie Ray and Hayden, scene of great mining operations, while completing the semi-circle to the east are Miami and Globe. Millions of dollars worth of the red metal have been brought to the (Continued on Page 22)