The Arizona sentinel., 1894-09-08
FRUIT CULTURE.

Fruit production throughout Arizona is a sub ject of great interest at present, and Will no doubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County. The remarkab results that have sprung from very superficial and imperfect culture has de- monstrated that the soil and climate of Yuma County are peculiarly adapted for this branch of agricultural enterprise. The development of these resources is of the utmost importance and is at tracting careful attention. Experiments have been made with care and facts in regard to the culture of different kinds of fruits have been collected which cannot fail to convince, even tbe most skept ical, of the wonderful superiority of Yuma County over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead 10 a large and varied production of ,l.e mos rsmur orative character.
 -H- Courdssioncr Of Immigration in his report, published iu lss8 writes as follows of the rich .-levsof the Gila. Colorado and Salt rivers.
 fThe soil of these valle is among the richest ' on the continent It i7 .ormed of the detritus ! VT. .l .,. streams 1gJ ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journey to the sea- By constant overfows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed a soil of extreme fertility, Near the streams 1t 1 is a dark aluval mold well adapted to small grains aud grasses. Farther back there is rich sandy loam, mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demonstrated that the productive capacity of these valleys is not surpassed by lands of equal area n any part of the United States. So rapid and prolific is the growth of the fruits, cereals and vegetables that the labor of the cultivator is reduced to the minimum. In nearly all of them two crops a year | |, nd tati is month ahead ] of California The farmers plants cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the year he has a shade tree twenty-five feet high! Alfalfa can bt cut six times during the season, and it IS an actua fact the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh teen monthsl What State or Territory can make such showing? The climate, it must be remem bered is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begin to plant in November, and by the middle of Ma! his harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, trui trees are blossoming, and the grair fields are se
 of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmer
 are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety of grains. grasses, fruits and vege tables grown in the temperate and semi-tropI
 zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona , Wheat corn barley, oats and all the small grain
 give a yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels t
 the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda an all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, tn former giving from eight to ten tons to the acr each year, Every variety of vegetable raised l , the United States can be grown in Arizona, an
 nowhere are they found of better quality.
 'Besdes the products mentioned, these semi ? tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to l bacco hemp and rice. With the exception of tn
 sugar-cane but little attention is paid to the cult
 vation of other staples but it has been demonstra
 ed that the soil and climate are specially adapte to their successful growth. Cotton growing is T : experiment in Arizona, for it is on record th V when the Europeans first penetrated this regio I they found the Pima Indians wearing fabri
 made of cotton grown in the Gila valley
 Il ''But it is their adaptabillty for fruit cultu
 that assures to these valley lands dense populi d tion and aprosperous future. Almost every va n iety known can be raised in their fruitful soils. 1T o apple pear, plum, peach, apricot, quince and ne T, tarine, are of delicious flavor, and give ge
 erous yield. The grape of all varieties is at hof
 in these sunny vales. No place in the grape-gro
 ing belt of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific
 yield, The quality is all that could be desire If and the wine, although its manufacture is vet a perimental, is of fine flavor, delicious bouqu
 and unsurpassed by any native product as a tai 7e beverage Experiments with the raisin-gra Iy have shown that this climate and soil poss e. every advantage for the production and curing n this staple article of commerce.
 "Besides the fruits already mentioned, the
 ange lemon, lime, olive, fig. pomegranate, Vo others of the citrus family, can be grown succt ot fulIv in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orai ht trees are now in bearing in the Salt River val be and at Yuma; while the bananas is also being . tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange
 quality and flavor will compare f@vorably with " best California.
 er- 'In the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and is Gila iivers there is room for thousands. It IS on too much to say that nowhere within the hhllt this broad Union can be found more deslra
 region for the making of home. No laborl 7d' clearing of the land is required; it lies aln
 ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have
 rapid a growth that within eighteen months
 immigrant can surround his abode with attractl yer which would require years to mature in less fave The climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for mai ile, a full month b. fore the California product. ons bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the p fife. dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhai