The Arizona sentinel., 1894-07-21

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. imestones etc.. mixed with or I 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 Gla rivers resembles that from the Nile, and | its quantity varies from o. to 05 per cent, though the water when even considerably discolor- ed by mud is good to drink resembling in this res- pect the Missouri river water. 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 trife less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado pssses 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 for irrigation it is superior to aresan waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the richest fertizing elements The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially oxygen, which en- terng the soil, decomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up and nourish the plants
 
 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 are in a state of very fine division which renders it more productive than coarser soils It 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 &;oI stituents of water, organic or vegetable matter, sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime, soda, magnesia iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash enter into composition in the proportions best adapted to add to it's fertility, though of course, 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 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 It never cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer It is of that character which will produce a wine that will keep good for fifty or a hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, 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 nowhere be surpassed, containing it does all the essential elements of richness and fertility.
 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 remar kable 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 to a large and varied production, of the most rsmunerative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report, published in 1886, writes follows of the rich valleys of the Gila. Colorado and Salt rivers.
 'The soil of these valleys is among the richest On the COnUlu6uG l6 IS IOIueu OI bue uSJElbuS which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journey to the sea- By constant overiows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of ,xtreme fertility, Near the streams it is dark alluvial mold, we'll adapted to small grains and 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 in 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 year can be growth, and vegetation is one month ahead of California. The farmers plants cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty five feet high Alfalfa can be cut six times during the season. and it is an actual fact the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh teen months! What State or Territory can make such showing? The climate, it must be remem- 1 bered, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of May his harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit trees are blossoming, and the grain fields are sea | | are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety of grains, grasses, fruits and vege tables grown in the temperate and semi-tropiC zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona Wheat corn barley, oats and all the small grains give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, the former giving from eight to ten tons to the acre | each year, Every variety of vegetable raised il the United States can be grown in Arizona, and nowhere are they found of better quality
 'sBesides the products mentioned, these semi tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- | bacco hemp and rice. With the exception of the sugar-eane but little attention is paid to the cult vaton of other staples; but it has been demOnstrat ed that the soil and climate specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton growing is nc experiment in Arizona, for it is on record tha | when the Europeans first penetrated this region they found the Pima Indians wearing fabric: made of cotton grown in the Gila valley.
 "But it is their adaptabihty for fruit cultur that assures to these valley lands dense popula- tion and aprosperous future. Almost every var
 ety known be raised in their fruitful soils. Tn apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, quinee and nee tarine, are of delicious flavor, and give gen erOus yield. The grape of all varieties is at hom in these sunny vales. No place in the grape grow ing belt of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific
 yield. The quality is all that could be desired and the wine, although its manufacture is yet ex perimental is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet and unsurpassed by any native product as tabl beverage. Experiments with the raisin-grap have shown that this climate and soil posses