The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1894-12-08

o the ella and Colorado rivers have fol the most
part deep sedimentary soil of brownish, gray
sandy loan, resting, in most places, upon gray
clay subsoi at a depth of from ten to twenty feet
below the surface, The clay subsoil forms hard
pan which is mpervious to water. These soils have
been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales,
sandstones, marls. limestones, etc. mixed with or
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 ella rivers resembles that from the Nile, and
IFS quantity varies from OIL to O.5 per cent,
though the water when even considerably discolor-
ed by mud is good to drink, resembling in this res
poet the Missouri river water A chemical analysis
OF the sediments of the Colorado and of the Nile
exhibits a wonderful similarity in the constituent
parts of each. That of the Colorado exhibiting q
trihe less 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
1t 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 fertilizng elements. The soil of the valleys
is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter
and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the
aerial gases such especially, as oxygen, which en-
tering the soil, dccomposes the organic matters so
that they can be taken up and nourish the plants
which may be considered leading feature in its
fertility 1t also readily takes up and retains
moisture, while the firmness of its particles affords
every facility for percolation and the activity of
capillary action. In is mechanical composition its
particles in a state of very fine division, which
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
mains 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, magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms
of nitrogen phosphoric acid and potash enter into
composition in the proportions best adapted to
add to its fertility though of course, as is always
the 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 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 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
a hundred years, and improve annually not being
liable to sour, or 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 ounty
can nowhere be surpassed, containing as it does all
the essential elements of richness and fertility.