The Arizona sentinel., 1894-06-30

| O the Gila and Colorado 'ivers have for the most part deep selimentary soil of brownish, gray sandy 10 In, resting, in most places, upon gray clay subsoil at de oth Of from ten 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 shaes, Sandstones, marls. limestones etc, mixed with 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 Gila rivers resembles that from the Nile, and | its quantity varies from O.1 to 05 per cent, though the water when even considerably discolor- ed by mud is good to drink resembling in this pect the Missouri river water A chemical analysis of the sediments of the Colorado and of the Nile exhibits wonderful similarity in the constituent parts of each. That of the Colorado exhibiting a | trihe less potassa, most phosphOric acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado peSsrs In other poets the sediment of the Colorado is almost identicl with that of the Nile It 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 fertzing elements. The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter | and uncombned carbon, Readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, oxygen, which en- tering the soi decomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up an1 nourish the plants which may be considered leading featur. in it's l fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the rmness of its particles affords every facility for percoation and the activity of capillary action. In ts mechanical composition its particles in state of very fine division, which renders it productive than coarser soils It acquiries heat readily in the daytime, and the loss of the heat at night is very gradual so that it re- mains always and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and cold. 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 its fertility though of course, as is always the in soil analysis, it's 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 ltces of free, loamy, calcareous character. The mesa lands are warm and generous. They seem especially adapted for the grape, olive and citrus fruits generally. Then soil contains more magnesia, lime or chalk than the bottom llnuS It never cTdChS TSttLhS admirably in summer It is of that character which will produc a wine that will keep good for fifty or hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, exposure to the air, after one year old, to become turbd and change color in the bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County nowhere be surpassed, containing as it does all the essential elements of richness and fertility.