The Arizona sentinel., 1894-06-02
LANDS AND SOILS.

l The lands of Yuma County comprise the river
 bottoms and valleys and the uplands or mesas The
 bottom lands are moster and slightly more fertile, if, indeed, it is possible to make comparisons
 where all are wonderfully productive and prolific.
 The uplands or mesas are warmer and, perhaps,
 slightly better for the cultivation of the citrus fruits
 Yuma contains variety of soil The valley lands
 the GiIa and Colorado rivers have for the most part deep sedimentary soil of brownish, gray sandy o'm, resting, in most places, upon gray
 clay subsoi at a depth of from ten to twenty feet
 below the surface The clay subsoil forms a hard pan which is impervious 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 Gila rivers rasAz,bIoo thOt from Nffr and its quantity varies from O. to O.5 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. 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 a trife less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado passes In other respects the sediment of the Colorado is almost identical with that of the Nile. IL will be noticed therefore, that when this water is used for irrigation it is superior to artesian 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 S1ch pS11pniallv Uh tering the soi decomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up and nourish the plants which may be considered leading featur, in it's fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture while the rmness of its particles affords every facility for perccation and the activity of capillary action. In its mechanical composition its particles in state of very fine division, which renders it more productive than coarser soils It aoquires heat readily in the daytime and the loss of the heat at night is very gradual, that it mains always 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 tn proportions best adapted to add to its fertility, though of course as is always the case 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 chalk than the bottom lands. It 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 Yunla Co unty can nowhere be surpassed, containing as it does all the essential elements of richness and fertility.