The Arizona sentinel., 1894-12-01

% the ella and Colorado iyers have for the most
part q deep =elimeutary soil Of Arow1ish, gray
sluIy -o ~, resting, in most places. upon gray
cla su5soil at a de th of from ;eh TO twenty feet
below the surface, The clay subsoil forms hard
pan which is impervious to water. These soils have
been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales,
sandstones marls. limestones, etc, mixed with or
ganic 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 ella rivers resembles that from the Nile, and
its quantity varies from o. to 0.5 per cent,
though the water when even considerably discolor-
ed by mud is good to drink, resembling in this res
pact the Missouri river wafer. chemical analysis
of the sediments of the Colorado and of the Nile
exhibits a wonderful similarity in the constituent
parts of each. That of the Colorado exhibiting
tri1e less potassa, most phoSphoric acid ana car
bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo
RADIO pass. In other respects the sediment OF the
Colorado is almost identic Il with that OF the Nlle
1t will be noticed therefore, that when this water Is
used for irrigation it is superior to artesan waters
since it is constantly supplying the land with the
richest ferilizng elements. The soil of the valleys
is extremely rich in dedompOsed vegetable matter
and unco ubined carbon, readily absorbing the
aerial gases such especially, oxygen, which en-
tering the SOIL dccomposes the organi; matters so
that they can be taken up an nourish the plants
which may be considered a lea1ing featur; in It's
fertility. 1t also readily takes up and retains
moisture while the rmness of its particles affords
every facility for percolation and the activity of
capillary action In IS mechanical composition its
particles are in a state of very fine division, which
renders it more productive than coarser soils 1t
acquires heat readily in the daytime, and the loss
OF the heat at night is very gradual so that it re-
mains always warm and is not subject to sudden
changes of heat and COLI Besides its essential con-
stituents of water, organic or vegetable matter,
sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime,
Soda magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms
of nitrogen, phosphorc acid and potash enter into
composition in tn proportions best adapted to
add to its fertility though, of course as is alway
the in soil analysis, its composition varies in
different localities and is not always constant.
The soil of the upands, or mesas, is lighter and
more gravelly and in some places of free, loamy,
calcareous character. The mesa lands are warm and
generous. They seem especially adapted for the
grape olive and citrus fruits generally. Their soil
contains more magnesia, lime or chalk than the
bottom lands 1t never cracks ami retains moisture
admirably in summer. 1t is of that character which
will produce wine that will keep good for fifty or
a hundred years, and improve annually, not being
liable to souri, or exposure to the air. after one
year old, TO become turbid and change color in the
bottle or glass.
We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County
can nowhere be surpassed, containing as it does all
the essential ele nents of richness and fertility.