The Arizona sentinel., 1894-10-20

| bottle or 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 a 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 enterp"ist. 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 even the most skept-
zeal, 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 remunerative character.
The Commissioner of immigration in his report,
| published i'll 8S6, writes as 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
from their mountain homes in their journey to the
sea. By constant overHows and change of channel,
the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form
ed a 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
I
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 a year
can be growth, and vegetation is month ahead
! of California. The farmers plants a cottonwood
sapng before his door, and within the year he has
shade tree twenty-five feet high! Alfalfa be
cut six times during the season, and it is actual
fact the grape-cuttngs have produced within eigh-
/ teen months! What State or Territory make
such a 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 Nay
| his harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit
trees are blossoming, and the grair fields 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-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 in
| Al. ~ ca
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 record that
| when the Europeans first penetrated this region,
| they found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics
made of cotton grown in the ella valley.
'But it is their adaptabihty for fruit culture
| that assures to these valley lands dense popua-
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 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 show so prolific
| 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, be grown success
| fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orange
| trees are in bearing in the Salt River valley
| and at Yuma; while the bananas is also being cul
tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange in
quality and flavor will compare favorably with the
| best California
'In the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and the
ella livers there is 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 home. No laborious
| clearing of the land is required; it lies almost
| ready for the plow Trees ard shrubbery have so
| rapid growth that within eighteen months the
immigrant can surround his abode with attractions
which would require years to matur in less favored
climates. Fruits ripen and ready for market
a full month fore the California product. The
bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the pure,
dry atmosphere brings health to all who nhale it.
For the establishment of colonies, such we have
made Of Southern California arden, Arizona
presents unrivsied opportUnitios Thousands OF