The Arizona sentinel., 1894-11-17

| o the ella and Colorado ivers have for the mos
part deep sedimentary soil of brownish, gray
sandy 10 m, resting. in most places, upon a gray
clay subsoil at depth Of from zen 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
g1nic and vegetable matter, washed down by the
mighty rivers and have been gradually de-, = ed
during thu course of centuries. Thr fsrii-iug
brownish mud held a the wafer OF the colorado
and ella rivers resembles that from trs Ei.r 14d
/ its gusn-ty varies from OIL &c C.5 per cs--..
though the water wien even considerably .scaor-
ed By rud rs good ze azirk rcsemu.-r In this -ss-
pscs che Missouri river vseer a -h .nicai analysts
! o. the sediments Of the Colorado aa5 of Che -le
exhibits wonderful similarity in lna Constituent
ps-ts Of eala. That Of -le Colorado exhibiting a
.rlaa .sSs potassa, most phosphoric acid and car
bonade Of limestone beds through which the Colo
RADIO passes In other respects the sediment of the
Colorado is almost identical with that of the Nile.
It will be noticed therefore, that when this water is
used icr irrigation it is superior TO aresAn waters
since it is constantly supplying the land with the
richest fertzing elements. The soil of the valleys
is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter
and uncoubined carbon, readily absorbing the
aerial cases. such especially, as oxygen, which en-
tering the soil, decomposes tn: organic matters
that they can be taken up an / no1rish the plants
which may be considered leading featur, in its
fertility. It also readily takes up and retains
moisture while the i<mness 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 whi:h
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, that It
mans always warm and Is not subject to sudden
changes Of heat and cold Besides its essential con-
stituents Of water, organic vegetable matter
sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime,
soda, msgnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms
of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash enter into
composition in tn proportions best adapted to
add to its fertility, though of course is always
the case in soil analysis its composition varies in
different localities and Is not always constant.
The soil Of the uplands or mesas, is lighter and
more gravelly and in some ri ,ces of free, loamy,
calcareous character. The lands warm and
generous. They seem especially adapted for the
grape olive and citrus fruits generally. Their soil
contains more magnesia, lime chalk than the
bottom lands 1t never cracks an retains moi sure
admirably in summer. 1t is of that character which
will produc a wine that will keep good for fifty
hundred years, and improve annually. not being
liable to sour, exposure to the air, after
year DID, 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 elements Of richness and fertility.