The Arizona sentinel., 1886-11-20


recede The Indians, who cultivate a
few patches, dig holes with sharp
pointed stick in the rich soil, and drop
the seed. No attempt is made at cul-
tivation, yet so marvellous is the growth
that within three months corn and
vegetables have fully ripened. There
is no better soil in the world for cot
ton, 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
colony in Southern California for its
cultivation.
This fine valley of the Colorado,
with soil unsurpassed on the Globe
for the growth Of every tropical and
semi-tropical product, is as yet unre-
claimed There is no finer opportuni
ty for the investment Of capital in
America, than in the construction Of
leveeS and canals in this rich valley.
In tha. lower ella 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 por-
ton of the main ella valley and has
an area of seventy square miles. The
land 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 Co., has been formed for
the purpose Of constructing a ditch,
which will bring water from the river
and reclaim this magnificent vale.
Work is being pushed with all posi-
bic speed, and the company expect to
be able to supply water for the next
seasons crop. when completed, this
canal will reclaim not less than 10000
acres, equal to any now selling at River
side, California, for 500 and 5000 per
acre. This land, and the water for
irrigation, will be offered to the settler
on the most liberal terms.
The soil, as has been said, will pro-
duce anything::and everything. Corn,
wheat, barley, alfalfa, and all kinds of
vegetables, gives prolifc7yield. The
grape, the peach, the plum, the pear,
the quince, the apricot, the orange,
the lemon, the lime, the olive, the date
the fig, the banana, the walnut, and all
the grasses grown in any part of the
United States, ban be raised here.
This is already demonstrated by look
ing 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 the varie-
ties mentioned above, yielding bounti-
fully under its semi-tropical sun.
The cotton, the sugar cane, and the
tectile plants which grow on the Co
dorado bottoms, are also at home in
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 immigration
will shortly sweep into those fertile
wales, and transform the seeming de-
serts into fertile fields and blooming
gardens. The simple facts only require
TO be known, and the valley of the
ella viii soon be filed by thrifty set
tiers. This valley Of the Mohawk has
the additional advantage of nearness
to the line OF the Southern Pacific.
There are a number of other loca-
tions along the lower CHA, where
canals can be taken out and large
bodies of rich land reclaimed. One is
the fertile bottom between the ella
and Colorado, containing over 10000
acres. Over 1000 acres of this have
been reclaimed, and from it have been
taken the largest crops of cereals ever
raised in the Territory.
From the foregoing brief resume, it
viii 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.-Hamilton Resources
of Arizona.
An effort is being made to bear the