The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1894-11-24

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 cracks and retains moisture
admirably in summer. 1t is of that character which
will produce 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 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.
FRUIT CULTURE.
Fruit production throughout Arizona Is q sub
ject OF great interest at present, and will no
doubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County
The remarkable 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
tracing 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, the most skept-
ical, of the wonderful superiority of Yuma County
| over Southern California in fruit growing and
which must lead to large and varied production,
Of the most rsmuneratve character.
The Commissioner of immigration in his report,
| published in 1885, writes follows OF the rich
valleys of the ella. Colorado and Salt rivers
"The soil Of these valleys is among the richest
on the continent. 1t is formed of the detritus
4 he str for have
from their mountain homes in their journey to the
| sea. By constant oyerlows and change of channel
the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form
ed soil of Extreme fertility, Near the streams it
is dark alluvial mold, well adapted to small
grains and grasses. Farther back there is ri.h
sandy loan, mellow and porous, and especially
favorable for fruit culture. 1t has been already
demonstrated that the productive capacity Of these
valleys is not surpassed by lanIs 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 cutivator 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 a 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 is an actual
fact the grapecuttings have produced within eigh-
teen months! What State or Territory can make
such showng?- The climate, it must be remenf. |
bered, IS nearly perpetual summer Snow never
falls in these southern valleys The farmer begins
to plant in November, and by the middle of Nay
his harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit |
trees are blossomng, and the grain fields are sea
OF green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers
covered with snow and iee
Every variety of grains. grasses, fruits and vege
tables grown in the temperate ami semi-tropic |
zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona |
Wheat, corn barley, oats and al 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 in |
the United States can be grown in Arizona, and |
nowhere are they found Of better quality.
"Besides the products mentioned, these SEMI |
tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- |
bacco, hemp and rice. With the exception of the |
sugarcane, but little attention. is paid to the cult
walton of other staples; but it has been demonstrate
ed that the soil and climate are specially adapted |
to their successful growth Cotton growing is no |
experiment in Arizona, for it is on record that |
when the Europeans FIST penetrated this region, |
they found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics |
made Of cotton grown in the ella valley.
'But it is their adaptabillty for fruit culture |
that assures to these valley lands dense popula-
ton and aprosperous future. Almost every var
iety known be raised in their fruitful Soils The
apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, ounce and nee
tarine, of delicious flavor, and give a gen.
erous yield. The grape of all varieties j. at home
in these sunny Wales. No place in the grape-grow
ing belt of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific a
yield. The quality is all that could be desired; |
and the wine, although its manufacture is vet ex
perimenta is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet
and unsurpassed by any native product as a table |
beverage. Experiments with the raisin-grape |
have shown that this climate and soil possess |
every advantage for the production and curing of |
this staple article of commerce.
Besides the fruits already mentioned the or. |
ange, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomegranate, and |
others Of the citrus family, can be grown success
fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orange |
trees aye now in bearing in the Salt River valley
ard at Yuma; while the bananas is also being cul. |
tivsted at the latter place. The Arizona orange in
quality and flavor will compare favorably with the
best California.
Sin the valleys Of the Colorado, the Salt and the
ella rivers there is 76orf for thousands 1t is not
too much to say that nowhere within the limits Of
this broad Union can be found a more desirable |
region for the making of a home. No laborous
clearing of the land is required; it lies almost |
ready for the plow Trees and shrubbery have so
rapid growth that within eighteen months the
immigrant surround his abode with attractions
which would require years to mature in less favored
climates Fruits ripen and ready for market
full month b: fore the California product. The |
bright sunshine makes life a luxury, and the pure
dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale it.
For the establishment of colonies, such as we have
made Of Southern California arden, Arizona