The Arizona sentinel., 1894-08-18
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 tractiug carefnl 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 remunerative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report, published in 1888, writes follows of the rich valleys of the Gila. Colorado and Salt rivers.
 "The soil of these valleys is among the richest on the continent. It is formed of the detritus 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 a soil of extreme fertility, Near the streams it is q dark aIluviaI mold, well adapted to small grains aud grasses. Farther back there is a 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 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 cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the year he has a shade tree twenty-five feet high Alfalfa can be cut six times during the season. and 1t IS an actual fact the cuttings have produced within eigh- teen months. 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 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 of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety of grains, grasses, fruits and vege tables grown in the temperate and semi tropi( l 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 tC the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda anC all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, thu
 former giving from eight to ten tons to the acr
 each year, Every variety of vegetable raised Ii
 the United States can be grown in Arizona ant 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 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 specially adapte
 to their successful growth. Cotton-growing is n experiment. in Arizona, for it is on record tha , when the Europeans first penetrated this regiol l they found the Pima Indians wearing fabric
 made of cotton grown in the Gila valley.
 ''But it is their adaptabihty for fruit cuitul
 that assures to these valley lands a dense popula l tion and aprosperous future. Almost every va
 ety known can be raised in their fruitful soils. TT e apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot quince and ne |, tarine, are of delicious flavor, and give gel u erous yield The grape Of all varieties is at hon
 in these sunny wales. 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 # and the wine although its manufacture is vet e o perimental, is of fine flavor, delicious bouquC
 and unsurpassed by any native product as a tab e beverage. Experiments with the rasin-gra y have shown that this climate and soil posse }. every advantage for the production and curing !. this staple article of commerce.
 .sBesides the fruits already mentioned, tho
 ange, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomegranate, a o others of the citrus family, can be grown succe ot fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Gran 1t trees are now in bearing in the Salt River val ,e and at Yuma; while the bananas is also being tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange " quality and flavor will compare fayorably with |" best California.
 IT, eIn the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and is Gila ivers there is room for thousands. It Is nm too much to say that nowhere within the limits l this broad Union can be found more deslra
 region for the making of a home. No labon' GU clearing of the land is required; it lies aim
 ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have
 rapid growth that within eighteen months
 immigrant can surround his abode with attracti which would require years to mature in less aVo The climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for mar ile a full month b fore the California product Ons bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the pJ fc dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale ps, For the establishment of colonies, such as we its. made of Southern California arden, Ariz ods presents unriraled opportunities Thousands